7/27/2019 BPC FactSheet IllegalForeignFishing1
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Why is it a problem?
Illegal oreign fshing threatens Australias
natural fsh stocks and the marine
environment in terms o pollution,
quarantine risks and over fshing. The
unauthorised landing o these fshing
vessels also presents biosecurity, health
and general security risks to Australia.
Illegal oreign fshing is a problem
or Australia given its proximity to a
number o countries with subsistence
communities. The high demand or
products such as shark fn, trochus shell,
trepang (sea cucumber) and tropical rock
lobster, some o which are considered
overfshed species, can make illegal
oreign fshing a proftable enterprise.
Who is affected?
Any incursion into the Australian Fishing
Zone (AFZ) or the Australian Exclusive
Economic Zone (AEEZ) undermines
Australias ability to manage its naturalresources and impacts on
the national
economic benefts derived rom Australias
oshore environment.
Illegal oreign fshing has a knock-on
eect on the marine environment.
Over-fshing o one species may result in
ecological imbalance and diminish the
ood source or another species o fsh.
Disease and pests introduced through
illegal oreign fshing can devastate
Australias natural environment as well
as Australias aquaculture and agriculture
industries and aect the income o many
working within the industry.
Illegal oreign fshing also impacts on
the livelihood o remote Australiancommunities who rely on a
healthy
marine environment or their survival.
This marine environment oten
holds cultural signifcance or these
communities, with their way o lie being
intrinsically linked to the ocean.
hoW is it detected?
Border Protection Command conducts
surveillance missions around Australias
coast using Customs and Border
Protection and Royal Australian AirForce maritime patrol aerial
assests.
Extensive aerial surveillance is also
undertaken through contracted satellite
services. These missions are on the
lookout or illegal activity in the AFZ and
the AEEZ. Vessels can also be detected
via Customs and Border Protection and
Royal Australian Navy (RAN) patrol
boats, ship reports or through public
inormation reports via the Customs and
Border Protection Hotline. Sightings o
fshing vessels will then be reported to the
Australian Maritime Security Operations
Centre, located within Border Protection
Command in Canberra.
hoW is it managed?
When an illegal oreign fshing vessel is
detected, Border Protection Command
liaises with the Australian Fisheries
Management Authority (AFMA) to
coordinate the appropriate response.
I a response is requested Customs and
Border Protection or RAN patrol boats
may be directed to:
intercept, board and apprehend oreignfshing vessels using armed
ofcers
transport oreign fshers to shore orurther investigation by
AFMA
ILLEGAL FOREIGN FISHINGBorder Protection Command works closely
with other government agencies to detect anddeter illegal oreign
fshing in Australias maritime areas.
F A C T S H E E T
