Australia is Sinking Indonesian Poachers' Boats to Deter Illegal Fishing

IUU fishing — This boat was caught with 350 kilos of sea cucumber aboard, and the suspects pleaded guilty to illegal fishing charges. The vessel was sunk (ABF)

Australia has been making a concerted effort to crack down on foreign fishing vessels operating illegally in its waters, and its border agency is warning would-be perpetrators that they could be jailed and their vessels seized and sunk.

Last week, in the latest case, nine Indonesian fishermen pleaded guilty to charges of illegal fishing in Australian waters. A court in Darwin sentenced the skipper and two other crewmembers (both repeat offenders) to three weeks in jail - a duration equal to the time they had already served while awaiting trial.

The nine men were spotted and caught near Augustus Island in Western Australia on September 19, and they were found to be in possession of 350 kilos of sea cucumber, a lucrative species in some Asian markets. The Australian Border Force estimated the value of the seizure at about $20,000. The suspects were also in possession of 175 kilos of salt, typically used as a preservative for sea cucumber poaching, along with a variety of equipment for fishing.

The suspects' boat was destroyed at sea, and they were brought back to shore in Darwin to face trial.

The intercept was just one of more than 80 interdictions that the Australian Border Force has carried out this year. Last week alone, in a period of 48 hours, ABF officers caught seven illegal foreign fishing vessels and 51 fishermen - all before the suspects had a chance to start poaching. These intercepts were off Western Australia and the Northern Territories, in coastal waters where Indonesian fishermen like to operate unlawfully. One occurred in a designated marine protected area, the North Kimberley Marine Park.

These seven boats were escorted out of Australian waters along with their crews, but not all have gotten off so easily. Over the year to date, the ABF has prosecuted 48 Indonesian fishermen.

"Our message to illegal foreign fishers is simple: Australia does not tolerate illegal activity in our waters. We will intercept you, you will lose your catch, your equipment and possibly even your vessel," said the head of the ABF's Maritime Border Command, Rear Admiral Brett Sonter.

Indonesia used to have a similar policy for deterring foreign illegal fishing operators: their vessels would be seized and destroyed, often with explosives. The policy was domestically popular, and it disposed of more than 500 illegal vessels over the course of five years, but it ended with the exit of former fisheries minister Susi Pudjiastuti in 2019.