Border protection picks up illegal fishing boats on WA coast

[Pelican Press 0]

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Border protection picks up ******** fishing boats on WA coast

Border protection authorities have intercepted at least four suspected ******** fishing boats off WA’s Kimberley coast.

Peter Tucker, a local fishing tour operator, and traditional owner Adrian Lane said they said reported the boats to authorities after seeing them among the mangroves in Kuri Bay, almost 400km north of Broome.

The pair — who had been mapping fish traps — said they made an initial report about a suspicious boat on Monday before then guiding authorities to where several vessels were “hiding” about 10am on Tuesday.

Mr Tucker said he believed the ******** fishers were fishing for trepang, a highly sought-after delicacy in Southeast Asia. He said he believed at least four boats had been intercepted.

Photographs obtained by The West *********** show authorities approaching what appears to be timber boats nestled within the mangroves.

Mr Tucker said sightings of ******** fishers had increased in the area this year.

“We weren’t surprised (by the sightings) because we had been seeing them for a while,” Mr Tucker said.

“Our reaction was of somewhat of elation because finally the authorities have managed to assist and catch and apprehend them.

“They’ve been quite prevalent on the Kimberley coast this year and I guess today was a good day because they are coming down in big numbers.”

Both Mr Tucker and Mr Lane said the environmental — and cultural — impact of ******** fishing was huge.

There has been a huge swell in ******** fishing in the wake of the pandemic due to tourism operations shutting down and soaring prices for sea cucumber and shark fins.

In June, authorities arrested 15 Indonesian fishers and captured two boats in a single operation as part of an ongoing crackdown.

*********** Fisheries Management Authority head Wez Norris previously told The West the strong crackdown meant people would deem it too risky to come into *********** waters to fish for the lucrative sea cucumbers and shark fin markets – and that’s the message his officers will be hammering home on the ground in Indonesia.

Some security experts and the Opposition have raised concerns the uptick in ******** fishing ventures could be disguising people smuggling boats.

The *********** Border Force and new Home Affairs minister Tony Burke have been contacted for comment.

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