On May 30, in Darwin Local Court, all defendants pleaded guilty and received good behaviour recognition orders for a period of between two to five years.
The fishermen were charged with breaching the Fisheries (Management) Act 1991 (Cth).
Earlier on Monday, May 6, 2024, Australian patrol officers detected, intercepted and arrested an Indonesian fishing vessel engaged in illegal activity in the Australian Fishing Zone, about 65 nautical miles inside Australian waters.
Australian authorities seized 70 kilograms of caught fish of various types, as well as various equipment used for illegal activities, including reef boots, fishing line, hooks, nets, and 40 kilograms of salt (used to preserve fish).
The ship was seized and lawfully destroyed, while the crewmen were detained and taken to Darwin.
Apprehended fishing vessel disposed after joint operation between the Australian Fisheries Management Authority (AFMA) and the Australian Border Force (ABF). Photo courtesy of ADF
AFMA, along with Maritime Border Command (a multi-agency task force comprising the Australian Border Force and Australian Defence Forces), continues to be committed to eradicating illegal fishing by foreign vessels in Australian waters.
This effort is being made to protect valuable marine resources.
In addition to law enforcement, various other measures are also being taken by Australian authorities to combat illegal fishing, including:
- Public information campaign delivered to the Indonesian fishing community
- Distribution of educational materials
- Targeted social media campaign
- Proactive engagement with fishermen
Source: Media Release - AFMA
