Charter guide spots foreign fishing boat, crew detained
The operator of a Far North Queensland fishing charter company says there is still anxiety about the arrivals of suspected illegal foreign boats, despite Border Force responding quickly to a fresh arrival.
The Australian Border Force (ABF) intercepted a suspected foreign fishing boat near Little Adolphus Island, located off the northern tip of Cape York, on Friday. The crew on board was detained, as no fishing had taken place. The vessel was reported to the ABF by Dave Hartwell, owner of Albany Island Fishing Tours, after one of his guides observed the boat with seven individuals walking around it.
Hartwell, along with the community, alerted the ABF, which promptly boarded the boat and discovered evidence of suspected illegal fishing, including fishing equipment and 700 kilograms of salt. The boat was located before any marine life was caught, and the crew will be taken to Darwin for further investigation by the Australian Fisheries Management Authority for potential violations of the Torres Strait Fisheries Act 1984.
So far this year, 14 out of the 24 suspected illegal foreign fishing boats in Far North Queensland waters have been destroyed. Hartwell expressed gratitude for the ABF's swift response and expressed concerns about the increased presence of foreign fishing boats in the Torres Strait, citing the lack of nearby emergency services.
Written by urgent.news from ABC News AU's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
