Australia and Indonesia have wrapped up a four-day coordinated maritime patrol to curb illegal fishing by foreign vessels.
From May 22 to 25, Operation Horizon Watch brought together Australian and Indonesian aircraft, patrol vessels and officers from the Australian Border Force (ABF), the Australian Fisheries Management Authority, and Indonesia's Directorate General of Marine and Fisheries Resources Surveillance (PSDKP) in the waters off Ashmore and Cartier Islands.
The eighth joint patrol targeted illegal fishing and other civil maritime threats, while improving coordination at sea and strengthening both countries' ability to detect and respond to illegal activity across their shared maritime border.
During Operation Horizon Watch, ABF and PSDKP crews intercepted four Indonesian fishing vessels. One vessel was found to be operating outside of approved permit conditions and was ordered to return to Kupang for further investigation by Indonesian authorities.
Another vessel experienced engine failure and was subsequently towed to Kupang by PSDKP.
Compliance checks on the remaining two vessels confirmed they were operating in accordance with permit requirements and no further action was taken.
