Illegal fishing surge behind ABF seizure of four more boats in WA waters

Australian Border Force has confirmed it picked up four boats off WA’s Kimberley coast on Tuesday as part of a crackdown on illegal foreign fishing in Australian waters.

Peter Tucker, a local fishing tour operator, and traditional owner Adrian Lane said they reported the boats to authorities after seeing them among the mangroves in Kuri Bay, almost 400km north of Broome.

They guided authorities to where the vessels were hiding on Tuesday morning.

Photographs show authorities approaching what appears to be timber boats nestled within the mangroves.

An ABF spokesperson said the Maritime Border Command had intercepted the boats as part of the ongoing Operation Leedstrum.

“A single vessel was interdicted and following further inquiries, another three foreign fishing vessels were found and interdicted,” the spokesperson said.

“ABF Operation Leedstrum ensures an increased patrol and response capability in far northwest Australia, including increased staffing, patrol vehicles and a rotary wing asset for rapid response to any BorderWatch reporting from members of the public.”

They said authorities would pursue “strong enforcement action” in cases of illegal foreign fishing.

There has been a huge swell in illegal fishing in the wake of the pandemic due to tourism operations shutting down and soaring prices for sea cucumber and shark fins.

Those caught and prosecuted face hefty fines or jail terms as well as their boats being destroyed, meaning they lose their livelihoods on top of having to pay the penalties.

In the six months to May, operations across the northern waters of WA and Queensland seized 18,614kg of illegally fished sea cucumber, about 1000 shark fins and 5750kg of other fish.

ABF revealed on Tuesday that it, in partnership with the Australian Fisheries Management Authority, had successfully prosecuted five Indonesian people in a Darwin court on July 31 for illegal fishing.

Four of them were released on two-year good behaviour bonds worth $8000 while the fifth person, who had a prior history of offending, was given an $8000 fine.

Their boat was destroyed, along with a large quantity of fishing equipment including 60 metres of gill net.