Falkland Islands Tensions Rise as UK Imposes Restrictions on Navigation and Fishing

Following the recent visit of former British Prime Minister David Cameron to the Falkland Islands, the Commissioner of Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, on behalf of Her Majesty, has imposed total restrictions on navigation and fishing in an additional area of ​​​​almost 170,000 km2 of the Southern Sea.

This announcement, made on February 26, has generated a new wave of tensions between Argentina and the United Kingdom. The Argentine Naval League (LNA) has described this measure as a “new attack on Argentine sovereignty” over the Malvinas, Georgia and South Sandwich Islands.

The restrictions imposed are part of the creation of Marine Protected Areas (MPA), which impose special restriction measures on extractive activities such as fishing and oil exploration. As explained by the LNA, London has unilaterally advanced in the expansion of these areas since 2012, without sharing criteria with other countries and without respecting international regulations.

The Foreign Office has justified these measures as necessary to preserve fish resources, especially Krill, seriously affected by trawling. The new restrictions raise the protected area to 449,000 km2, which represents 36% of the maritime area of ​​South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands.

These actions have been harshly criticized by Argentine experts and officials, who point out that the United Kingdom’s unilateral decisions not only violate Argentine sovereignty over the Malvinas Islands, but also violate the rules established by the Convention for the Conservation of Living Marine Resources. Antarctic (CCAMLR), to which both countries are signatories.

A note of protest has been raised from the Argentine Foreign Ministry, reiterating the claim of sovereignty over the Malvinas Islands and questioning the legitimacy of the measures imposed by the United Kingdom. This new episode of tensions occurs just days after the meeting between Argentine Foreign Minister Diana Mondino and David Cameron, where official discontent over the former British Prime Minister’s visit to the Malvinas Islands was expressed. Argentina considers that these actions constitute a provocation and a clear challenge to Argentine sovereignty over the Malvinas Islands. With information from Infobae

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