Massive operation nets fleet of illegal fishers

Massive operation nets fleet of illegal fishers

By Lindsay Murdoch

Source: the age

4/6/2006

A TWO-WEEK air and sea operation in Australia's northern waters has netted 23 illegal fishing boats and 197 foreigners who face jail or deportation.

But surveillance agencies have information that more than 100 illegal boats are waiting for a monsoon trough to lift before illegally entering Australian waters.

Federal Fisheries Minister Eric Abetz said yesterday that the crews of some of the apprehended boats tried to resist boarding parties, endangering navy and Customs crews.

"I'm expecting a large number of prosecutions to flow (from the apprehensions)," Senator Abetz said in Darwin.

Defence Minister Brendan Nelson said the Government intended further increasing the surveillance of Australia's northern waters. He did not elaborate.

"We will not muck around when it comes to protecting Australia's national interest," Mr Nelson said. "I can assure Australia we will be committing additional resources (including) military hardware and people to protecting Australia's borders to the north."