WA: Illegal fishing boat allegedly had 2,500kg of trochus shell

AAP General News (Australia)
12-30-2005
WA: Illegal fishing boat allegedly had 2,500kg of trochus shell

PERTH, Dec 30 AAP - An Indonesian illegal fishing boat intercepted by the navy in Western
Australia's northern waters allegedly had 2,500kg of valuable trochus shell on board.

The vessel, with 19 crew on board, was detected east/south-east of Caffarelli Island,
north of Broome, by a Customs plane on Boxing day and intercepted by the naval vessel
HMAS Fremantle on Wednesday.

The 19 crew members were taken to Broome yesterday for questioning.

The vessel was deemed unseaworthy and destroyed at sea.

A Department of Fisheries spokesman said today it was alleged the trochus shell, used
in the manufacture of high quality buttons, beads and trinkets, was collected over a two
day period.

Sixteen Indonesian fisherman will be charged under Section 174 of the State's Fish
Resources Act, which carried a maximum fine of $50,000 and two years jail.

The skipper of the vessel will be charged under Section 175 of the Act, for being in
control of a foreign boat equipped with fishing gear.

It carries a maximum penalty of a $50,000 fine and two years jail.

They will appear in a Broome court on Tuesday.

Fisheries Minister Jon Ford today said at least one other illegal fishing boat may
be hiding near the Kimberley coast, a short distance from where the 19 Indonesian were
intercepted on Wednesday.

"This is another example of the continuing flood of foreign boats fishing illegally
in Western Australian waters and the Federal Government's failure to stem the flow," Mr
Ford said.

AAP den/it/jlw

KEYWORD: FISHING NIGHTLEAD

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