19 arrested by Australian border police for ‘illegal’ fishing

By CLIFFORD FAIPARIK
AUSTRALIAN Border Agency officials have arrested 19 Papua New Guineas for illegally fishing in the Torres Strait Islands in North Queensland, according to the Australian Maritime Border Command.
It said in a statement yesterday that the team arrested 16 last Thursday near Saibai Island and confiscated their catch.
They also arrested another three PNG men with their catch.
The multi-agency taskforce with the Australian Border Force had seen the banana boat and dinghy near Saibai Island during a routine helicopter patrol.
Working with the Australian Fisheries Management Authority, officials tasked the Australian navy ship HMAS Wollongong to intercept the vessels.
Officers boarded the vessels 1.5 nautical miles inside Australian waters, arrested the men and confiscated their catches.
They were taken on board the HMAS Wollongong and handed over to PNG authorities on Daru Island.
Under the terms of the Torres Strait Treaty, PNG nationals suspected of fishing illegally in Australian waters would be repatriated to Daru for possible prosecution.
The men are expected to appear before the Daru District court for mention next month.
Meanwhile force commander Rear Admiral Peter Laver said they were monitoring the PNG-Australian maritime borders waters daily.
Daru town officials said the men were believed to be from Sigabaturu village and were fishing within their traditional waters.