Eleven Indonesian fishermen have pleaded guilty to illegally fishing in Australian waters in three separate cases at Darwin Local Court. In all three instances, vessels were destroyed at sea and crews brought to Darwin for further investigation.
The skipper of the first vessel was fined $3000 due to breaching a good behaviour undertaking arising from previous similar offending, and one crew member was sentenced to four weeks imprisonment due to breaching a good behaviour. Both men were sentenced to eight weeks imprisonment plus a $5000 recognisance order to be of good behaviour for a period of five years. The remaining two crew members each received $2000 recognisance orders to be of good behaviour for a period of three years.
In a second case, the skipper received a $3000 recognisance order to be of good behaviour for a period of three years and one crew member was fined $3000 due to breaching a good behaviour undertaking arising from a previous similar offence, in additon to six weeks imprisonment and received a $5000 recognisance order to be of good behaviour for a period of five years. The other crewman was released on a $2000 recognisance order to be of good behaviour for a period of third years.
A third case saw four fishermen taken into custody to serve ten-day periods of imprisonment following execution of outstanding warrants for previous similar offending, in addition to fines of $7000.
All fines are payable within 28 days with potential terms of imprisonment in the event of default. All of the men will be deported from Australia and returned to Indonesia after having served their applicable periods of imprisonment.
69 Indonesian fishers have been prosecuted at Darwin Local Court since 1st July 2025.
