Fishing blitz nets nine new boats

By Graham Davis

The patrol boat HMAS Whyalla (LCDR Tim Byles) along with Customs boats and planes and Defence aircraft, has been involved in Operation Sharkfin, blitz on illegal fishermen in the Gulf of Carpentaria.

During the operation nine Indonesian fishing boats were apprehended taking to 48 the total number of foreign fishing craft held by Australian authorities since January 1.

One of the 48 craft was arrested in the Southern Ocean.

The Minister for Customs, Senator Chris Ellison and the Minister for Fisheries, Senator Ian Macdonald, told of the Navy’s involvement in a release last week.

Customs Coastwatch, the ADF and the Australian Fisheries Management Authority concluded Operation Sharkfin in mid-May, the Ministers said.

The blitz coincided with period when the number of illegal fishing attempts is traditionally higher because of favourable winds and weather conditions.

Agency assets including Defence and Coastwatch surveillance aircraft, Customs patrol boats Arnhem Bay and Roebuck Bay and the Navy patrol boat HMAS Whyalla were deployed as part of the operation.

Nine foreign fishing vessels, all Indonesian flagged, were apprehended and escorted to Gove by Customs and the Navy, the Senators said.

Indonesian skippers and crews from these vessels will be interviewed in relation to breaches of the Fisheries Management Act 1991.

Operation Sharkfin showed once again that Australia’s border protection and defence agencies work extremely well together in protecting the nation’s interests from harmful and illegal incursions.

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