The Australian Border Force (ABF) has detained a foreign fishing vessel allegedly fishing off the Western Australia coast, as sustained surveillance and enforcement continues across Australia's northern maritime approaches.
It is the third foreign fishing vessel located off WA in the past ten days, after a vessel was detected on September 22 near Scott Reef and another on September 24 near Cartier Island.
On Tuesday, September 29, the patrol boat ABFC Cape Byron located the vessel and its crew operating near Scott Reef.
ABF officers boarded the vessel and identified evidence of suspected fisheries offences, including 100 kg of reef fish, 60 kg of sea cucumber and one tonne of salt used to preserve catch.
Following advice from the Australian Fisheries Management Authority, the vessel, catch and fishing equipment were all seized.
The crew were detained and are being transferred to Darwin for further investigations for suspected offences against the Fisheries Management Act 1991 (Cth).
The vessel will be safely destroyed in accordance with Australian law and relevant environmental and biosecurity requirements.