By LCDR Graham Spencer & LEUT Matt Dunn
 |
|
Members
of the RAN steaming party which brought the suspect fish
poacher back to Australia
|
The
operation to bring the suspected fishing poaching vessel Viarsa-1
back to Australia ended on October 3 when a 27-man RAN steaming
party under the command of CMDR Paul Bartlett brought the ship
into Fremantle harbour.
The operation was called Operation Gemsbok. The operation began
on August 7 when the Australian Fisheries and Customs patrol vessel
Southern Supporter found Viarsa-1 near Heard Island and, believing
the vessel was poaching Patagonian toothfish, ordered her to stop.
She refused and headed west across the Southern Ocean, pursued
by the Australian ship through some of the world’s worst seas
and weather and among 70 icebergs. The Contingent leader was Customs
Officer Steve Duffy, an ANR (former PN) LCDR.
Meanwhile the steaming party was being assembled. Within hours
they were on a flight to South Africa, where they arrived on August
29. Ashore there were diplomatic discussions to intercept the
ship. The South Africans sailed the salvage tug John Ross and
the polar icebreaker SAS Agulhas while the British fisheries patrol
boat Dorada from the Falkland Islands headed east.
Meanwhile, Southern Supporter maintained the pursuit through at
times terrifying conditions.
On August 28 the alleged poacher was surrounded some 2000 Nm south
west of Cape Town and on September 4 the RAN steaming party, which
was taken to Viarsa-1 by the oiler SAS Drakensberg, took over.
For the next 30 days they steamed the suspect poacher back to
Fremantle, accompanied by Southern Supporter.
The 4850 Nm voyage was accomplished in foul weather and a number
of the steaming party and Viarsa’s crew sustained minor injuries.
The pursuit covered more than 10,000 Nm and has been described
as the longest chase in Australia’s maritime history.
After Viarsa-1 tied up alongside, the Navy handed her over to
Australian Fisheries Management Authority (AFMA) officers.
According to Defence Minister Robert Hill the arrest of the vessel
sent a clear message to those who sought to test Australia’s resolve
in protecting its sovereign waters.
