Fifteen illegal Vietnamese fishers pleaded guilty to charges this week in Darwin’s Magistrates Court after a successful investigation led by the Australian Fisheries Management Authority (AFMA) and the Australian Border Force (ABF).
The master and 14 crew were convicted of illegal fishing and environmental protection offences for fishing in a Commonwealth Marine Reserve. In addition, the vessel has been destroyed; preventing it from being used for further exploitation of Australia’s marine environment.
On top of fines, the master received a four-month suspended jail sentence and 13 crew each received suspended jail sentences ranging between two and three months.
