There is no sovereignty in territorial waters. Even before the United Nations Convention of 1982, the Galician fleet faced challenges in places like Boston or Canadian waters. Consequently, the sector relies on a mix of bilateral agreements with countries such as Morocco and Mauritania, along with joint ventures and subsidiaries that allow it to operate across a sizable portion of the world’s fishing grounds. This idea of sovereignty tied to access is what Argentinian economist Javier Milei proposed to erase by auctioning off fishing and access permits, revoking decades of established rights for the fleet and forcing the country’s fishing industry into unequal competition against numerous Asian operators. The strategy of bringing in dollars, marketed as a symbol of “ideas of freedom,” ultimately controlled the continuity of 80 Galician-owned fishing vessels and more than 400 million euros in business. That strategic move was reversed and halted in time.
The fleet strengthens its fight against Milei’s high tariff: “We will lose”
This Friday, following a strong protest in Mar del Plata and wide unity among employers and unions tied to fishing, Milei’s government — through Santiago Caputo and Minister Guillermo Francos — presented a reform proposal to parliamentary groups via a decree. The package included changes in fisheries management. It reaffirmed the obligation to land in Argentina, and clarified that the tender system would not be international. Documents, available to Faro de Vigo from the Prensa Ibérica group, indicate that local crew requirements would stay in place. The industry notes extreme pressure, leveraged by governors of coastal states (Buenos Aires, Chubut, Santa Cruz, Tierra del Fuego and Río Negro) and opposition parties PRO, UCR, and the Federal Coalition, achieving a visible impact on policy.
Attention
However, given the expected intensity of negotiations this weekend, the sector remains cautious until new statements emerge. The macro decree, described as an Omnibus Law, is not official yet. “Congress is a hotbed of rumors,” remarked a manager from a leading fishing company. Chubut Governor Ignacio Torres had earlier predicted a consensus on reversing Milei’s reform. The real concern is whether Argentina will guarantee sovereignty over 200 miles of sea. Issues around field tenders and the unloading of national labor in Argentine ports are being debated across the industry.
“We do not have the numbers to solve the withholding tax problem”
In a separate virtual session, Torres acknowledged that persuading the government to back away from another ultraliberal measure had failed. Today, fishery products face duties up to 9%, placing most added value activities on land in processing plants at a disadvantage. Milei reportedly floated a single rate of 15% on the table, which could translate to annual costs exceeding 50 million euros for Galician capital companies until 2026. In a document circulated to MPs, it was announced that quotas would not be auctioned, with Milei’s team promising zero withholding tax for regional economies. Yet fisheries are not listed among products exempt from export duties. The relief, at least for now, extends to forestry, flax, rice, dairy, feed, and wine industries. “We can’t do it, we don’t have the numbers to reverse the withholding issue, and the fight has to be waged from another angle—this is the economy,” the governor explained to industry representatives nationwide. If Milei formalizes a return to deregulation of fisheries management, the tariff would present a new challenge in the years ahead.
The success of the banderazo in sector defense: “Citizens are becoming aware”
About 600 people took part in the recent banderazo, where employers and unions tied to fishing and maritime work united to oppose the Omnibus Law, which envisages more liberalized fishing and the auctioning of permits to the highest bidder. The demonstration stretched between Avenida de los Trabajadores and 12 de Octubre. A shipowner representative described the turnout to Faro de Vigo as a success, noting that citizens are beginning to understand the implications. In a manifesto handed to passersby, the protesters described fishing as more than extraction. They highlighted a fleet of over 800 vessels that supports processing plants along the coast, creates thousands of jobs, and turns raw materials into high-demand products for international markets due to their quality.