ILLEGAL FISHING BOAT SOON TO BECOME DIVE WRECK OFF WA

Leaving from Kailis and France slipway, Clarence Beach Rd, Henderson, an illegal fishing vessel seized by Australian authorities in 2001 with 100 tonnes of valuable Patagonian toothfish on board will begin the first stage of a journey tomorrow (Monday 14 April) that will eventually see it scuttled off the Western Australian coastline as a dive wreck.

The 58 metre longliner South Tomi will leave Fremantle bound for Geraldton, where it will remain for several months while preparations are made to scuttle the vessel.

Federal Fisheries Minister Ian Macdonald said the sinking of South Tomi would mark another significant milestone in the Australian Government's efforts to combat illegal fishing.

"This is the second illegal toothfish poaching boat we have seized that will be sunk as a dive wreck (the 55 metre Lena is due to be scuttled off Bunbury WA later this year).

"It should send another clear message to pirate fishermen that the Australian Government will do everything in its power to prevent these boats from ever operating illegally in our waters again."

Background to Operation Cosmo -
The pursuit and apprehension of the South Tomi

The South Tomi was sighted in March 2001 and pursued by the Australian fisheries patrol vessel Southern Supporter for 14 days before being apprehended in waters 320 nautical miles (600 kilometres) off South Africa, south of Cape Town, in a joint operation involving Australian Fisheries Management Authority (AFMA) Fisheries Officers, the Australian Defence Force and the South African and French Governments. Following its interception, the South Tomi was escorted back to Fremantle, arriving in May 2001.

• The distance covered by the South Tomi and the Southern Supporter before interception was 3,300 nautical miles (6,100 kilometres).
• The South Tomi was caught with over 100 tonnes of illegally taken Patagonian toothfish on board.
• Following investigations, the Spanish skipper of the South Tomi was subsequently charged and convicted for fishing illegally in Australian waters. Leonardo Manuel Aviles, 44, pleaded guilty to two charges under the Fisheries Management Act 1991: one of intentionally using a foreign boat for commercial fishing in the Australian Fishing Zone; and one of having in his charge a foreign fishing vessel equipped for fishing while in the Australian Fishing Zone. Each conviction carried a penalty of $68,000.
• Mr Aviles was sentenced in October 2001 in the Western Australian District Court and ordered to pay $136,000 in fines, the largest fine imposed on an illegal fisher caught in the Commonwealth jurisdiction.
• The crew was repatriated to their respective countries in March 2001 at the expense of the vessel owner.
  

Fisheries Patrol Boat's new lease of life

08/04/03: The Department of Fisheries has completed a major refit of one of its largest patrol vessels as part of continuing efforts to ensure the economic and environmental sustainability of Western Australia's most valuable fisheries.

The $500,000 refit, involving special hull modifications, installation of new electronics, two new main motors and a generator set, has extended the operational life of the patrol vessel McLaughlan for a further five years.

"We have modified the hull to permit safe diving operations within the Abrolhos Islands in response to the department's increasing commitment to the management of this fish habitat and protection area," Manager of Central Support Services Greg Finlay said.

"The refit also enables the vessel to undertake additional work in the Shark Bay Marine Park and adjacent waters for fisheries compliance and research."
The McLaughlan will soon be heading north to patrol the State's most valuable fishery - the rock lobster habitat around the Abrolhos Islands.

"WA's western rock lobster fishery is the most valuable single-species fishery in Australia, with an annual commercial value of between $250- $350 million," Mr Finlay said.
"This usually represents about twenty per cent of the total value of Australia's fisheries."

The refurbishment also ensures the McLaughlan's continued involvement in a major finfish research project in the Abrolhos where the department's divers are conducting visual underwater surveys of fish populations and habitat.

Information from the surveys will enable the department to implement ongoing strategies to preserve the Abrolhos as one of the State's most unique and valuable aquatic environments.
With a crew of three, the 20-metre McLaughlan has a range of 1000 nautical miles and can reach a top speed of 29 knots. Its estimated replacement value is $2.8 million.

Like its sister vessels, the Hamelin and the Walcott, the McLaughlan has the capacity to patrol out to the 200 nautical mile Australian Fishing Zone Limit and deliver compliance services primarily within coastal waters from Esperance to Wyndham.

The Department of Fisheries also operates four smaller 8-metre patrol boats: the Mangit, Gnulli, Ngadie and Djeenin - each are named after a traditional Aboriginal area.

The 22.7 metre research vessel Naturaliste completes the fleet, which is worth a total of about $12 million.

Each year Department of Fisheries' patrol vessels undertake a total of 493 days of sea compliance.

Fishing is one of the State's most important primary industries generating annual revenue of about $600 million a year.

Costly Catch For Fishing Trio

08/04/03: The Department of Fisheries hopes the successful prosecution of a trio of illegal fishers will serve as a warning to others who flaunt fishing rules.

Three Armadale men, Bron BROMFIELD (34), Mark Anthony BARTOLO (35) and Sean Robert HERBERTSON (26) were convicted in the Rockingham courthouse on April 7 and were ordered to pay a total of almost $19,000 in fines.

In addition to the fines, the department successfully secured forfeiture of a large quantity of abalone, an aluminium dinghy, a 15 h.p. outboard engine and fuel tank and two hand spears.

The court was told the men failed to stop at a Department of Fisheries roadside check-point which was established after the men were observed diving in waters off Point Peron on January 8 this year.

Bartolo was convicted and fined $500 with an additional $6,400 penalty for possessing more than ten times the legal limit of abalone after Fisheries Officers found 287 out-of-season Roe's Abalone in his possession. He was also fined $300 for obstruction of a fisheries officer, $200 for not possessing a recreational fishing licence and was ordered to pay $57.70 costs.

Bromfield was convicted and fined $500 with an additional $4,800 penalty for jointly taking 57 undersize Western rock lobster. He was also fined $200 for not possessing a recreational fishing licence and was ordered to pay $57.70 costs.

Herbertson was convicted and fined $500 with an additional $4,800 penalty for jointly taking 57 undersize Western rock lobster. He was also fined $300 for obstruction of a fisheries officer, $200 for not possessing a recreational fishing licence and was ordered to pay $57.70 costs.

Manager Central Support Greg Finlay urged all fishers to fish for the future by observing bag and size limits.

"The penalties reflects the Government's and community view that the take of undersize and out of season stock is a threat to various recreational fisheries," Mr Finlay said.

"The forfeiture of the vessel and equipment reflects the seriousness of this offence given the high numbers of stock involved."

Information on season times, bag and size limits are available at the Department of Fisheries web site: www.fish.wa.gov.au.

The 2002-2003 recreational rock lobster season finishes June 30.

Fisheries' joint operation nabs Rock Lobster fishermen

07/04/2003: A combined air, sea and land operation between Department of Fisheries and the WA Police Service has led to the apprehension of two rock lobster boats fishing illegally off the metropolitan coastline.

Two commercial fishermen face fines of $10,000 each plus additional penalties after the successful three-day operation ended on April 3.

More than 20 joint personnel were involved with Fisheries Officers observing the activities of commercial fishers from the air in the police helicopter Polair One while assisted by officers operating on land along the coast.

The department's patrol vessels Hamelin and McLaughlan were also involved in the operation that centred on waters between Garden Island and Two Rocks.

The department will allege that two commercial fishermen were pulling their own pots outside the regulated times as set down in the West Coast Rock Lobster Management Plan.

"This was the first time we have worked together with the WA Police Service to address a problem of this kind," Department of Fisheries Metropolitan Regional Manager, Tony Cappelluti said.

"The operation was the result of discussions between the Department of Fisheries and industry representatives with the aim to better manage fisheries resources in the West Coast Rock Lobster fishery.

"Early pulling was identified as an issue during an annual risk assessment procedure between the department and industry representatives."

WA Police Service spokesman, Sergeant Mike Gough, said the operation was a good example of the two agencies working together and said police will continue to assist the department with its compliance duties.

Mr Cappelluti said the operation was a timely reminder to commercial operators to observe the rules. He praised the co-operation between police and fisheries officers.

Fisheries Graduates Ready to Hit the Water

01/04/03: A diverse group of men and women, including a former boat builder and two former commercial pearl divers, are the latest batch of recruits to complete training as fully-fledged Fisheries Officers.

The successful applicants received six weeks training and will soon be heading out to all corners of the State to help ensure that there are fish for the future.

Of the 16 graduates, two officers will be joining the Department of Fisheries' mobile patrols based in Broome and Bunbury.

"The mobile patrols are highly versatile operations which can shift compliance duties across Western Australia to suit the recreational season," Manager of Central Support Greg Finlay said.

"This means as the recreational seasons change, the department's officers can respond swiftly to patrol areas of high pressure."

One officer has been specifically selected to recruit and train Aboriginal Fisheries Liaison Officers under the State Government's Aboriginal fishing strategy.

Another will be posted to the department's international operations group based in Fremantle to police the Australian Fishing Zone on behalf of the Australian Fisheries Management Authority.

The other officers will be posted to Albany, Denham, Geraldton, Jurien, Fremantle, Bunbury and two officers will join the department's patrol boat fleet.

The Denham-based officers will be conducting compliance duties as the recreational Pink snapper season intensifies.

With the recruitment process starting late last year, the six-week course began in February with recruits receiving training in compliance, service delivery, self-defence, driver training and occupational health and safety.

The department's Fisheries Officer training program is a certificated course that enables participants to gain credit towards other formal qualifications.

This week the new officers will each join an experienced Fisheries Officer under a mentoring program to further improve their knowledge and skills.

The Department of Fisheries received a total of 1200 applications to fill only 16 Fisheries Officer vacancies.