The Australian Border Force (ABF) has partnered with Western Australia-based recreational fishing body Recfishwest to help combat illegal foreign fishing in the state's northern waters.
ABF has coordinated with Recfishwest to provide a reporting function on the latter's fishing app, for people to use when they spot suspicious activity on land and water from Onslow to the Northern Territory border.
The app will take users directly to the Department of Home Affairs' Border Watch Online Report form so that details such as location and the nature of the suspicious activity can be provided.
"WA fishers are the first to understand how important it is to protect our marine environment and that illegal fishing undermines sustainability of marine stocks for future generations," said ABF Commander Ranjeev Maharaj.
"Fishers know their environment and what looks and sounds suspicious, and can be an important set of eyes and ears, and reports can be made anonymously."
"With our free app already downloaded more than 300,000 times and thousands of fishers regularly on the water in the North-West, often in remote areas – our community is well-placed to be a powerful ally in supporting the ABF's efforts to combat illegal fishing and safeguard our coast for future generations," added Recfishwest CEO Dr Andrew Rowland.
