05/04/06
Fisheries Minister Jon Ford today said the Federal Government's latest illegal fishing exercise was nothing more than a drop in the ocean and again highlighted their failure to prevent the plundering of Australia's fish stocks.
According to the Federal Government, a two-week operation this month has resulted in the capture of 23 suspected illegal fishing vessels in Australia's northern waters.
"While I welcome the capture of any boats, for the Federal Government to say capturing 23 suspected illegal fishing vessels over two weeks 'has been a highly successful, co-ordinated campaign' is a joke, considering there were more than 13,000 sightings last year alone," Mr Ford said.
"While I would welcome a similar operation in Western Australian waters, to claim that capturing 0.001 per cent of potential illegal fishing vessels represents a successful campaign beggars belief.
"Once again, the Federal Government is trying to paper over the huge cracks in their ad-hoc approach to illegal fishing with a few media stunts.
"What is needed is a year-round, co-ordinated State, Territory and Commonwealth approach pooling our resources until the job is done."
The Minister said WA and the Northern Territory had presented the Commonwealth Government with a joint illegal fishing strategy but had still not had any response.
Mr Ford said nearly 60,000kg of fish were on these 23 vessels alone.
"If you multiply that figure by the amount of vessels that are being sighted each year, how many tonnes of fish are being pillaged daily from our fisheries while these vessels are getting away?" he asked.
The Minister said the captured vessels also included two 35m stern trawlers registered to the People's Republic of China.
"The fact that the Commonwealth Government has been impotent in its ability to prosecute these incursions, such as the Chinese iceboat Chen Long, tells major foreign illegal fishing fleets that our northern waters are open for business."
Mr Ford said low apprehension rates and the Federal Government's current policy of releasing over half the vessels apprehended provided no deterrent for them to continue coming into Australian waters time and again.
"It seems the Federal Government is happy to sell yellowcake to China but will let them take our yellowfin for free," he said.
Minister's office: 9213 7200
