Ryan C. Berg, Director of the Americas Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), has highlighted concerns regarding illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing by China's fleet. He said that this activity often relies on Chinese-run ports to integrate illicit catch into supply chains. This observation was made in a policy analysis.
"Illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing, committed often by the PRC, which has the largest fishing fleet in the world—a consequence of heavy state subsidies—often relies on Chinese operated and owned ports to ensure that illegal catch can make it ashore, become layered into legal fish stocks, and avoid the Agreement on Port State Measures intended to reduce IUU fishing," said C. Berg.
According to the Council on Foreign Relations, China has increased its presence in Latin American ports through infrastructure investments and direct operations of port facilities. These investments provide Chinese companies with strategic access to crucial points in the seafood supply chain, facilitating trade, including the movement of illegally caught fish, and potentially challenging local regulatory efforts.
The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) reports that China maintains the world’s largest distant-water fishing fleet, comprising over 17,000 vessels operating globally, including significant activity off Latin America's coasts. These fleets are frequently associated with illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing activities, presenting major challenges for regional governments and U.S. seafood importers striving to ensure traceable and legal supply chains.
China's increasing dominance in the seafood sector directly affects U.S. seafood trade and local industries. The Office of the United States Trade Representative notes that Chinese investors have expanded their presence in Latin America's seafood processing industry, particularly in Chile. This expansion allows Chinese firms to export products labeled as Chilean to the U.S., circumventing tariffs and intensifying competition for American seafood companies while raising concerns about supply chain integrity.
Berg is also head of the Future of Venezuela Initiative at CSIS and serves as an adjunct professor at the Catholic University of America. Additionally, he is a course coordinator at the United States Foreign Service Institute with published work on international affairs, global governance, and U.S.-Latin America relations. Berg holds a PhD and MPhil from the University of Oxford and frequently testifies before Congress on Latin America policy issues.