Indonesia Needs to do More on Fishing - Australia PM
Date: 03-Mar-06
Country: AUSTRALIA
Australia says Indonesian fishermen are venturing into its waters to fish for shark fin because they have depleted their own stocks. Shark fin is a delicacy in Asia and can earn fishermen up to A$200 ($146) a kilo.
"There is a case for more effort by the Indonesians," said Howard, who marked a decade as prime minister on Thursday.
Howard told a news conference that he had discussed the issue at length with some of his ministers earlier in the week.
"There are a number of things we have in train including greater cooperation with Indonesia and engaging them more in stopping them coming in the first place, and also putting more Australian resources towards stopping the fishing," he said.
Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer raised the issue of illegal fishing with his Indonesian counterpart Hassan Wirajuda during a visit to Jakarta on Monday.
Australia and Indonesia are planning joint patrols to stop Indonesian fishermen from illegally straying into Australia's northern waters and Indonesian police are planning to be more involved in investigating the vessels.
Australian authorities intercepted a record 607 illegal fishing boats in its waters in 2005, more than double the number in 2004. It seized 280 of them, and confiscated the fishing gear and catch of the other 327.
Australia detained 2,175 people during 2005 for illegally fishing in its northern waters.
Last week, Defence Minister Brendan Nelson said Australia was also monitoring what he said was more than 140 suspected illegal fishing vessels operating in the Arafura Sea near northern Australian waters.
(US$1=A$1.35)