Australian enforcement authorities have apprehended an Indonesian fishing vessel suspected of fishing illegally inside Australia’s waters.
The Indonesian boat was first spotted by a Maritime Border Command (MBC) surveillance flight and the sighting was followed up by HMAS Marlborough, which gave chase and intercepted the suspect 175 nautical miles north-west of Darwin, where it had been fishing approximately 16 miles inside the Australian limits.
Officers from MBC and the Australian Fisheries Management Authority (AFMA) found around 20 kilograms of fresh sea cucumbers, 12 bags of dried sea cucumbers between 20 and 50 kilograms each, 15 kilograms of fish and one crayfish. Diving equipment, along with a spear gun and several wet suits were also found on board.
The eight crew members on board were apprehended, with the vessel and crew being escorted to Australia for further investigation by AFMA.
‘Illegal fishing threatens the sustainability of our unique marine environment and we continue to work with our partners to protect Australia’s valuable marine resources,’ said Rear-Admiral Laver, commander of MBC.
‘Our surveillance and response capabilities extend throughout the AEEZ to allow us to deter and apprehend illegal activity and foreign vessels seeking to conduct illegal fishing.’
‘Illegal fishing undermines the very rules and regulations we have in place to ensure sustainable fisheries for current and future generations of Australians,’commented AFMA’s General Manager Fishing Operations Peter Venslovas.
‘Our well-managed fisheries are a target for illegal foreign fishing, however Australia’s monitoring and surveillance helps ensure that our marine resources are not plundered.’
