• 4 min de lectura
• 4 min de lectura
The exercise, which concluded today with the closing activities, constituted a highly relevant instance for strengthening international cooperation, interoperability, and the coordination of capabilities aimed at confronting illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing and other threats and illicit activities affecting maritime security.
In this regard, GALAPEX allowed the integration of capabilities from different States and organizations in a scenario focused on maritime domain surveillance and control, operational coordination, vessel inspections, communications, and response to complex situations requiring coordinated action among different authorities.
Argentine experience, at the service of international cooperation
The participation of the Argentine Naval Prefecture had as one of its main contributions the operational experience acquired over decades in the prevention, detection, and control of IUU fishing, particularly in the monitoring of foreign fishing fleets operating in the vicinity of the outer limit of Argentina's Exclusive Economic Zone.
In this aspect, the Institution develops an integral system for controlling fishing activity that combines surveillance, maritime information, and operational deployment, becoming a key player in preventing incursions by foreign vessels and contributing to compliance with fishing regulations, navigation safety, and the protection of the marine environment.
In this sense, the experience contributed during GALAPEX allowed for the sharing of procedures, lessons learned, and operational criteria developed from the Argentine experience in confronting a problem that, due to its transnational nature, requires responses that exceed the individual capabilities of each State.
The Prefecture also contributed to the exchange of knowledge related to the identification of suspicious behavior, analysis of maritime information, inspection and control of vessels, and coordination between operations centers and deployed units.
Beyond illegal fishing
One of the main contributions of the exercise was to allow the analysis of IUU fishing not as an isolated phenomenon, but in its possible link with other illicit activities and threats to maritime security.
In this context, GALAPEX allowed for addressing scenarios related to maritime domain awareness, the identification of vessels of interest, the collection and analysis of information from different sources, and the coordination of responses to situations that may involve related crimes.
The experience of the Prefecture, which concentrates these capabilities in its capacity as Maritime Authority and a security force specialized in navigation safety, judicial police, environmental protection, fisheries control, and international cooperation, constitutes a particularly valuable tool for confronting these types of threats.
Interoperability and maritime domain awareness
During the exercise, the importance of building a common operational picture was especially highlighted, integrating information from different sources and allowing the various participating institutions to have a shared vision of the maritime situation.
In this area, the Prefecture's expertise in the use of vessel surveillance and tracking systems, along with its operational and analytical capabilities, allowed for providing a perspective based on real experience in controlling vast maritime spaces.
Cooperation among maritime authorities, security forces, and specialized agencies constitutes a fundamental tool for detecting behavioral patterns, identifying situations of interest, and directing available resources towards those vessels or activities that require intervention.
An exercise with regional projection
The scope achieved by GALAPEX IV 2026 demonstrates that the fight against IUU fishing and illicit activities linked to the maritime domain constitutes a challenge requiring permanent international cooperation.
The call for numerous States and international organizations reflects the need to consolidate mechanisms that allow for information sharing, harmonizing procedures, and improving joint response capacity against threats that transcend national borders. The Ecuadorian organization had foreseen the participation of 19 countries in this edition.
For the Prefecture, participation in GALAPEX IV also represents an opportunity to internationally project the capabilities and knowledge developed by the Institution, while also allowing for the incorporation of experiences from other participating maritime authorities and forces.
The professional exchange developed during the exercise thus contributes to strengthening institutional ties and generating increasingly compatible procedures for the development of coordinated operations.
With the conclusion of GALAPEX IV 2026, the Argentine Naval Prefecture reaffirms its commitment to international cooperation, information exchange, and interoperability as key tools for the protection of marine resources, navigation safety, and the fight against IUU fishing and related illicit activities.
The experience acquired in controlling Argentine maritime spaces and the knowledge developed over decades of operations constitute a concrete contribution to international efforts aimed at ensuring a safer, more sustainable ocean, subject to compliance with international regulations.
