Illegal foreign fishing - Illegal, unreported and unregulated foreign fishing (IUU)

The Australian Fisheries Management Authority (AFMA) plays a key role in protecting Australia’s vast fishing zone from illegal foreign fishing including conducting deterrence and apprehension activities in tropical, temperate and cold water regions. As such, AFMA is a major client of Coastwatch and works closely with the Australians Customs service and the Australian Defence Force.

Main program areas are in the northern regions where Australia has adjoining marine interests with Indonesia and Papa New Guinea (PNG). Recently there has also been a significant increase in activity in the more southern and remote areas of the AFZ. AFMA has been managing whole of government maritime surveillance program around Australia

• in northern Australia, incursions are largely made by fishers from Indonesia, the majority of whom are targeting shark with a small number targeting reef fish and trepang (sea cucumber). A small number of incursions have been made by vessels from Taiwan and Papua New Guinea in the past.
• In the Heard and McDonald Islands (HIMI) area where Australia has a Patagonian Toothfish and mackerel icefish fishery, patrols have been conducted using a civil charter vessel, or more recently the Oceanic Viking, a customs funded vessel to provide surveillance coverage and deter illegal fishing operations by foreign vessels.

Illegal Indonesian fishing in the Australian Fishing Zone (AFZ)

Indonesian fishing incursions in the AFZ result from a number of entrenched factors:

• heavy fishing pressure in Indonesian waters, resulting in stock depletion and loss of marine habitats, has made fishing in Australian waters increasingly attractive to Indonesian fishers  
• high international prices for fresh/live reef fish, trepang (sea cucumber), shark fin and trochus have resulted in unsustainable fishing practices by these villagers, including the destruction (blasting and poisoning) of reefs; and
• returns from illegal fishing are high by comparison to those available to most local villagers in eastern Indonesia.

Interdepartmental discussions led by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade have recognised the need to address the cause (a long term task) whilst continuing to maintain traditional enforcement action in Australia’s boundaries. Initiatives which have been implemented and/or are planned, include:

• the printing and distribution of free maps and maritime boundaries, printed in Indonesian, which may be understood by Indonesian fishers (see maps in the top right corner of your screen);
• working on AUSAID and World Development Bank programs for developing alternative fisheries projects in Indonesia (including aquaculture and tourism);
• visits by Australian Fisheries Officers to Indonesian ports to advise on Australian measures and to discourage incursions;
• continued funding of visits to Australia by Indonesian officials to discuss bilateral approaches to the problem; and
• new Australian initiatives, such as propeller entrapment devices, to provide an on-going deterrent to illegal operators.

In the longer term, Australia will be seeking to strengthen Indonesia’s commitment to bilateral agreements to take sanctions against operators who commit fisheries offences in Australian waters, consistent with the spirit of the 1995 UN Agreement on Straddling Fish Stocks and Highly Migratory Fish Stocks.

Illegal fishing in the Heard Island and McDonald Islands (HIMI) region

The HIMI region is important as both a potentially long term commercially valuable fishery for Australia and because of its environmental significance as the only unmodified example of a sub-Antarctic ecosystem in the world.

Illegal fishing activity in the region threatens the established management regime, which is designed to achieve responsible fishing (while developing our understanding of the stocks) and minimise the impact of fishing on the sensitive Antarctic marine ecology of the region, and is a direct challenge to Australian sovereignty over fisheries and protected heritage areas.

Illegal fishing boats are not fishing in accordance with requirements set under the Convention for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources which could lead to long term depletion of the stocks unless preventative action is taken

In addition, illegal boats could introduce diseases, exotic vegetation or animals that would devastate the pristine environment and adversely impact upon Australia’s HIMI world heritage listing.

The Convention for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR) area

Illegal fishing in the southern oceans for Patagonian Toothfish increased dramatically during the late 1990’s and early 2000’s. With an increased Australian and French patrol presence over the last few years, illegal fishing in the respective French and Australian EEZ’s has been significantly reduced, although illegal fishing continues on the high seas of the convention area.

CCAMLR estimates that IUU catch for all areas of the Convention Area in 2001/02 was 10,898 tonnes compared with 7,599 tonnes in 2001/01 and 6,546 tonnes in 1999/2000.

One of the CCAMLR Conservation measures adopted by member countries is the Catch Documentation Scheme (CDS). The CDS (as contained in Conservation Measure 170/XIX) became binding upon all CCAMLR Members on 7 May 2000.

The scheme is designed to track the landings and trade flows of toothfish caught in the Convention Area and, where possible, adjacent waters. This enables the Commission to identify the origin of toothfish entering the markets of all Parties to the Scheme, and help determine whether toothfish taken in the Convention Area were caught in a manner consistent with CCAMLR's conservation Measures.

Specifically the CDS conservation measure requires vessel operators to complete a form which sets out certain information relating to the location of catches, the amount of catch, ports of landing or transshipment etc.

Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR) New and Exploratory Fisheries

Page last updated 14 March, 2007