A David and Goliath arrest? HMAS IPSWICH and HMAS WHYALLA escort four large stern trawlers into Darwin. Pictures SGT Geoff Fox.

The RAN patrol boat HMAS IPSWICH has made quite a haul arresting and bringing to port four large stern trawlers and their crews totalling 76.

LCDR Peter Martin and his team made the arrest in the Gulf of Carpentaria where it was alleged the trawlers were operating inside the Australian Fisheries Zone.

Each trawler was about 50 metres in length and was paired with another.

When NORCOM was alerted of IPSWICH's catch it dispatched sister patrol boat HMAS WHYALLA to assist with the escort.

IPSWICH escorted the trawlers to Darwin where officers of the Australian Fish Management Authority waited.

Just days later HMAS DUBBO went to Ashmore Reef to help bring more than 70 suspected illegal immigrants back to Immigration officials on the mainland.

The majority of the folk were from the Middle East.

DUBBO towed the vessel to Darwin.

Men, women and children were among the detained group.

Within hours of the DUBBO tow-in it was HMAS GERALDTON's turn to go out to Ashmore Reef.

A Coastwatch plane had found a boat in the lagoon with 19 people aboard.

From January 1 to late March 15 groups of suspected illegal immigrants were detected in northern Australian waters in operations involving Coastwatch planes, the Australian Customs Service including its new patrol boat Botany Bay and the patrol boats of the Royal Australian Navy.

In full knowledge of the extra activity of "people smugglers" and fish poachers in our northern waters RAN management has decided to place the entire 15 boats of the patrol boat fleet in Darwin ( 10 craft) and Cairns ( five craft) from next year.

Darwin Naval Base is being expanded to accommodate the extra boats.

Meanwhile a baby born on the wardroom table in HMAS GAWLER and his mother were found to be in good condition by staff at Darwin Hospital.

After a period of observation at the hospital, mother and child were taken to the Port Hedland immigration centre in Western Australia.

The mother was one of 46 Afghani men, women and children left on the sand at Ashmore Reef.

Another Afghani woman delivered the little boy, the fourth child for the woman, as GAWLER travelled at "best speed" towards Darwin.

She went into labour at 4am and presented at 8am with PO Chris O'Keefe and Coxswain Glen Wright receiving the tot within minutes of delivery.

During the incident HMAS LAUNCESTON which was sailing in escort and carried 26 of the group, maintained radio contact with doctors in Darwin.