The crew of four Indonesian fishing boats intercepted while fishing illegally near Kuri Bay in north-west Western Australia have all pleaded guilty.
The vessels were all observed in the same area within close proximity of each other. Australian authorities seized more than 700 kilograms of sea cucumber (trepang), 2350 kilograms of salt, four kilograms of shark fin, four kilograms of sea urchin and a large quantity of fishing equipment from the four vessels.
Twenty crew were detained and transported to Darwin, with the remaining 13 crew were directed outside of the Australian exclusive economic zone aboard one vessel. Three vessels were subsequently destroyed at sea.
All of the twenty persons detained were subsequently charged with offences. The skippers of two of the vessels were each released on $2000 recognisance orders on an undertaking to be of good behaviour for a period of four years, while two fishermen identified as repeat offenders were each fined $4000.
Outstanding warrants were executed arising from previous similar offending and they will serve 15 and 75 days imprisonment respectively.
The 16 remaining fishers were each released on $2000 recognisance orders on an undertaking to be of good behaviour for periods ranging between 18 months to two years. all of those concerned are being deported to Indonesia.
‘These court outcomes demonstrate the seriousness of illegal fishing and the impact it has on our fisheries and marine parks,’ said Justin Bathurst, AFMA’s general manager, fisheries operations.
‘The message is clear. AFMA and our partner agencies remain focused on detecting and apprehending illegal fishers. Those caught fishing illegally in Australian waters risk prosecution as well as seizure and destruction of their vessel.’
