Unusual First Deployment for USCGC Stone
The USCGC Stone will be deployed to the South Atlantic to thwart illegal fishing activity.
The Maritime Executive reports about the first deployment of the USCGC (United States Coast Guard Cutter) Stone to the South Atlantic, on what will be a rather unusual role.
Essentially, the cutter will investigate rampant IUU or Illegal, Unregulated, and Unreported fishing activity taking place in the region. This mission is being undertaken in partnership with the governments of Brazil, Argentina, Guyana, Uruguay, and Portugal.
Commenting on this development, commander of U.S. Coast Guard Atlantic Area, Vice Admiral Steven Poulin said, “Stone’s patrol demonstrates our commitment to the established rules-based order while addressing IUU fishing wherever a Coast Guard cutter is deployed.”
Chinese squid fishing vessels have particularly been reported to be perpetrators of such IUU fishing activity. Earlier this year, another US Coast Guard Cutter, Bertholf assisted the Government of Ecuador in monitoring approximately 200 Chinese squid fleet vessels present around the Galapagos Islands.
