Australia Nets Asian Illegal Fishing Operation
Date: 21-Apr-05
Country: AUSTRALIA
The nine-day "Operation Clearwater" uncovered organised large-scale illegal fishing by vessels from neighbouring Indonesia, said Macdonald.
"Those that haven't been arrested I think will be high-tailing it (heading) back to Indonesian ports as we speak," Macdonald told Australian radio.
"Investigations are continuing, but there is some evidence that this is organised, transnational criminal activity."
Fifteen of the boats seized in Australia's Gulf of Carpentaria were large vessels capable of storing fish on ice. Two boats each had one tonne of fish, and prized shark fin.
"Which indicates that we are talking about large-scale commercial operations rather than simply subsistence fishing," Macdonald said in a statement.
Australia has for years tried to stop boats from Indonesian fishing villages poaching valuable trocha shells and sharks. Shark fins are prized in Chinese traditional medicine.
Poachers used to employ traditional fishing methods, but in recent years the wooden fishing boats have been fitted out with more sophisticated technology, such as global positioning systems, sonar and ice storage, to increase catches.
"These illegal fishermen are becoming increasingly brazen and well organised," said Macdonald. "The Australian government will not stand by and watch our fish stocks being depleted."
Impounded boats are usually burnt, the captain and senior crew charged and fined, and the rest of the crew sent home.
Last week an Indonesian fisherman was fined a record A$130,000 ($100,000) after his boat was caught off the north coast with over 100kg (220 lb) of dried reef fish, 300kg (660 lbs) of fish on ice and 10kg (22 lb) of dried shark fin.
The fishermen arrested in joint navy, customs and army "Operation Clearwater" will appear in court next week. Twenty-seven crew have been charged with illegal fishing and 109 are under investigation.
Australia's remote northern coastline has also seen Indonesian people smugglers ferry asylum seekers illegally to Australia. But a naval crackdown by Australia in recent years and a tough policy of mandatory detention in offshore camps in the South Pacific, has stopped boatpeople arrivals.
(US$1 = A$1.30)