Nine Indonesian nationals have pleaded guilty to illegally fishing in Australian waters in two separate cases at Darwin Local Court, following an incident in August when Australian authorities identified, intercepted and apprehended an Indonesian vessel fishing illegally several hundred kilometres off Bathurst Island, Northern Territory.
Australian Border Force seized 50 shark fins, 65 kg of other catch, a GPS navigation device and various fishing equipment including a longline with 14 sharks hooked, of which 12 were released alive. Six crew were detained and transported to Darwin for further investigation by AFMA.
The skipper of the vessel received a $5000 fine and a recognisance order to be of good behaviour for a period of three years. The remaining five crew received $2000 fines and two-year recognisance orders.
In a second incident, ABF, intercepted and apprehended an Indonesian vessel fishing illegally near Croker Island, Northern Territory.
ABF seized 500 kg of salt, used to process and preserve catch, and various fishing equipment. The crew were detained and transported to Darwin for further investigation. The skipper of this vessel received a $5000 fine and a recognisance order to be of good behaviour for a period of four years.
One crew member was identified as having prior findings of guilt for similar offending. He was sentenced to a three-month term of imprisonment, backdated to the time of apprehension, to be released after one month. He also received a $5000 fine and a four-year recognisance order. The remaining fisher received a $3000 fine and a two-year recognisance order.
All the crews of both vessels will be removed from Australia by ABF and returned to Indonesia. In both instances, the vessels were seized and destroyed at sea.
