Border protection picks up illegal fishing boats on WA coast

Border protection authorities have intercepted at least four suspected illegal fishing boats off WA’s Kimberley coast.

Peter Tucker, a local fishing tour operator, and traditional owner Adrian Lane said they said reported the boats to authorities after seeing them among the mangroves in Kuri Bay, almost 400km north of Broome.

The pair — who had been mapping fish traps — said they made an initial report about a suspicious boat on Monday before then guiding authorities to where several vessels were “hiding” about 10am on Tuesday.

Mr Tucker said he believed the illegal fishers were fishing for trepang or sea cucumbers, a highly sought-after delicacy in Southeast Asia. He said he believed at least four boats had been intercepted.

Photographs obtained by The West Australian show authorities approaching what appears to be timber boats nestled within the mangroves.

Mr Tucker said sightings of illegal fishers had increased in the area this year.

“We weren’t surprised (by the sightings) because we had been seeing them for a while,” Mr Tucker said.

“Our reaction was of somewhat of elation because finally the authorities have managed to assist and catch and apprehend them.

“They’ve been quite prevalent on the Kimberley coast this year and I guess today was a good day because they are coming down in big numbers.”

Both Mr Tucker and Mr Lane said the environmental — and cultural — impact of illegal fishing was huge.

There has been a huge swell in illegal fishing in the wake of the pandemic due to tourism operations shutting down and soaring prices for sea cucumber and shark fins.

In June, authorities arrested 15 Indonesian fishers and captured two boats in a single operation as part of an ongoing crackdown.

Australian Fisheries Management Authority head Wez Norris previously told The West the surveillance and enforcement efforts meant people would deem it too risky to come into Australian waters to fish for the lucrative sea cucumbers and shark fin markets.

Those caught and prosecuted face hefty fines or jail terms as well as their boats being destroyed, meaning they lose their livelihoods on top of having to pay the penalties.

In the six months to May, operations across the northern waters of WA and Queensland seized 18,614kg of illegally fished sea cucumber, about 1000 shark fins and 5750kg of other fish.

Some security experts and the Opposition have raised concerns the uptick in illegal fishing ventures could be disguising people smuggling boats.

New Australian Border Force figures show authorities returned four people smuggling ventures, carrying a total of 24 people, in the last financial year.

That compares with turning back four boats carrying 113 people total, including women and children in the previous year, 2022-23.

A further six ventures were reported to have reached Australian shores – including those that arrived in Beagle Bay and the Kimberley near Truscott airbase — in 2023-24.

The Australian Border Force and new Home Affairs minister Tony Burke have been contacted for comment.