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Response to reports of Indonesian fishing boats close to Australian mainland: (IUU) fishing

AUSTRALIA
Friday, October 22, 2021, 07:00 (GMT + 9)

Following reports of illegal Indonesian fishers in Australian waters, the Australian Fisheries Management Authority (AFMA) assures the Australian community, that Australian authorities have zero tolerance for such illegal activity.

AFMA works closely with Maritime Border Command (MBC), a joint agency taskforce enabled by the Australian Border Force (ABF) and the Australian Defence Force (ADF) to prevent Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing, and safeguard valuable fish stocks against exploitation by illegal foreign fishing vessels.

MBC has set up Operation JAWLINE, a targeted operation to combat IUU and to counter the recent increase in incursions by foreign fishing vessels (FFVs) operating in Australian waters. Expanded operations to counter incursions by Indonesian FFVs includes additional vessel patrol activity by MBC vessels, supported by aerial surveillance flights.

Foreign vessel disposal by incineration. This foreign fishing vessel was forfeited to the Commonwealth and destroyed by AFMA. The vessel was prepared for explosive demolition and sunk off the coast of Geraldton, Western Australia, as a recreational dive wreck.

Most recently our efforts have been boosted by joint operations between AFMA officers and Marine Officers from the WA Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development Fisheries, utilising their large offshore patrol vessel.

In order to minimise the transmission of COVID-19 into the Australian community, the on-water response has necessarily been adjusted to protect our officers and the broader Australian community. Legislative forfeitures of vessels, gear or catch at sea, disposal of vessels and boarding of FFVs are conducted in accordance with COVID-safe practices.

AFMA officer checking seabird mitigation equipment --->

Between 1 July 2021 and 15 October 2021, Operation Jawline has resulted in the destruction of 15 illegal foreign fishing vessels as well as the seizure of fishing equipment and catch from an additional 86 vessels. Indonesian vessels coming into the AFZ have been targeting beche-de-mer (sea cucumber) around Cartier, Ashmore and Scott Reef in waters off north Western Australia and further south at Rowley Shoals. 

AFMA and other Australian government agencies, including the Australian Border Force are working with Indonesian officials to distribute fisheries enforcement chartlets, translated into Indonesian language, to fishing communities in the ports of Kupang and on the island of Rote in East Nusa Tenggara province. These chartlets are part of a broader engagement campaign which includes public meetings by Indonesian officials that seek to educate fishers in key ports to outline the risks of fishing illegally in Australian waters.

Our message to foreign fishers that choose to fish outside the rules is simple. We will intercept you, you will lose your catch, your equipment and possibly even your vessel. The seizure of fishing gear and disposal of vessels serves as a reminder to those seeking to exploit Australia’s marine resources that Australian authorities have zero tolerance for such illegal activity.

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