An Indonesian fishing vessel intercepted north of the Gulf of Carpentaria for suspected illegal fishing in Australian waters in a joint operation with the Australian Fisheries Management Authority (AFMA) has been scrapped.
Australian Border Force (ABF) cutter Cape York sighted the vessel approximately three nautical miles inside Australia’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) with fishing gear in the water.
A search of the vessel by ABF officers located eleven crew with a catch believed to be over 14 tonnes of fresh and frozen shark and fin fish.
The vessel was confiscated and disposed in a pre-approved area after material that may have posed an environmental, safety or quarantine risk was removed.
‘The number of illegal foreign fishing vessel apprehensions have declined significantly over the years. This shows that our regular patrols of Australia’s borders are effective in protecting our waters,’ said Commander MBC, Rear Admiral Lee Goddard, CSC, RAN.
‘The ABF takes illegal foreign fishing seriously and we will continue to address this threat to Australian waters.’
