Ecuador’s national chamber of aquaculture (CNA) has continued to work with the nation’s armed forces to combat crime that the nation’s shrimp aquaculture industry claim is impacting the industry.
The CNA has been warning about increasing waves of crime in the regions the country’s shrimp aquaculture industry operates, which it said is forcing companies to hire more security to protect shipments. The company sounded an alarm about extortion attempts in late 2024, and the country’s government has gone as far as partnering with private defense contracting firm Blackwater to combat organized crime and fight illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing.
Now, the CNA said that the Ecuadorian Navy has intensified security operations in the Gulf of Guayaquil at its behest to combat illicit activities that it said directly affect the country’s shrimp sector. CNA said it sent an official letter to the Directorate for the Control and Prevention of Irregular Human Settlements requesting action.
“The document requested immediate intervention in the face of the increase in irregular settlements detected in different parts of the gulf, which represent a risk to safety and free navigation,” the CNA said. “The Navy confirmed that, with the corresponding legal backing, these structures will be demolished as part of the controls deployed in the area.”
The CNA said it has coordinated with armed forces and shared key information to combat the presence of structures along the river and the gulf, which have been used by various organized crime elements to access the area, Ecuavisa reported.
According to the CNA, Coast Guard Commander Danilo Espinosa said the security plan for the Gulf of Guayaquil and the Jambeli Archipeligo are being planned with the shrimp sector’s input and that it has helped law enforcement identify where to place patrols to effectively confront illicit activity in the region.
CNA said in July that more than 1,000 operations a month are being carried out in areas linked to the shrimp-farming sector as part of an inter-institutional deployment between police and the Ecuadorian Navy.
“However, despite these efforts, there are still limitations in resources, technology, and equipment for regulatory authorities,” CNA said.
Because of those limitations, the chamber continues to urge private sector companies to engage with law enforcement in the region.
