The ABF has been given a substantial funding boost to continue targeting illegal foreign fishing. Photo: ABF.
The Australian Border Force (ABF) has been given a substantial financial boost to continue tackling pervasive illegal fishing by foreign anglers across Cape York and the Torres Strait.
It comes as 10 more Indonesian anglers have faced court and some reoffenders have been locked up, bringing the total number of fishers from the country prosecuted in Darwin Local Court between 1 July 2025 and 12 May this year to 170.
Efforts to combat illicit fishing are ongoing under Operation Broadstaff, which is jointly run by the Australian Fisheries Management Authority (AFMA).
Concerns have been raised about biosecurity risks to both agriculture and human health, with some foreign vessels even found fishing inland rivers on the peninsula.
The 2026-27 budget includes $74.9 million to “address border and biosecurity threats from illegal fishing activities in Australia’s northern waters”. There’s also more than $14 million for new patrol vessels, Federal Leichhardt MP Matt Smith noted.
Alongside Broadstaff, the ABF and AFMA have been carrying out Operation Pristis, which has targeted illicit foreign fishing on a longer term basis. Pristis has a particular focus on dodgy operators targeting prized sea cucumbers between the Cape and Western Australia’s Kimberley region.
Justin Bathurst, AFMA’s general manager of Fisheries Operations, said poaching in Australian waters “is not worth the risk”.
“Foreign nationals found unlawfully fishing in Australian waters face serious penalties including seizure of catch, equipment, their vessel and potential imprisonment,” he said.
Operation Broadstaff launched in February. Photo: ABF.
“AFMA and Maritime Border Command remain resolute in our commitment to detect, apprehend and prosecute illegal foreign fishers.”
Pristis, which started in 2023, involves patrols in sensitive coastal mangrove systems across Australia’s northern waters.
AFMA and ABF officers, alongside others involved in Broadstaff, patrolled the Cape as part of Pristis from 25 March to 7 April, with the knowledge and cooperation of Indigenous ranger groups and community members.
No foreign boats were found, which the ABF linked to recent enforcement efforts, as well as adverse weather.
Officers removed marine debris, including discarded nets and fish aggregation devices, which threaten reef and mangrove ecosystems.
Mr Bathurst thanked those who took part and said: “Communities in Far North Queensland and the Torres Strait rely on healthy sea cucumber populations to support a fishing industry which provides important economic opportunity.”
The 10 Indonesian nationals who faced the court on 28 April all pleaded guilty to illegally fishing after the ABF intercepted their two boats in the vicinity of Prince of Wales Island, just 12 nautical miles from Thursday Island, on 13 April.
Sea cucumbers are a hot commodity for illicit anglers. Photo: AFMA.
Officers seized fishing gear and 300 kg of sea cucumbers. Both vessels were seized and the crew were detained to face the court.
The master of one vessel was found to be in breach of a good behaviour bond linked to a previous illegal fishing matter. He was re-sentenced to one month imprisonment and entered a $2000 undertaking to be of good behaviour for a further two years.
For the current matter, he received a three-month term of imprisonment, to be suspended after serving one month upon entering another $2000 undertaking to be of good behaviour for three years.
A pair of crew members were identified as having been before the court for similar offending, one as recently as six months ago. They were both sentenced to two-month terms of imprisonment, suspended after serving one month upon entering $2000 undertakings to be of good behaviour for three years.
The seven remaining crew members were released on $2000 undertakings to be of good behaviour for three years.
ABF Acting Deputy Commander of Maritime Border Command Brooke Dewar warned foreign fishers they would not slip the net and authorities were “disrupting illegal fishing operations at every opportunity”.
“Illegal foreign fishers should be under no illusion about the consequences of entering Australian waters – you will be found, you will be stopped and you will face enforcement action under Australian law,” she said.
Suspected illegal foreign fishing can be reported by phoning CRIMFISH on 1800 274 634 or emailing [email protected].
