Australian Customs officials board illegal Patagonian toothfish poaching boat

[Rustic Charm]

I'm not sure what heading to put this under so I'm just putting it here.

Great to see Australia finally do something about poaching. It's exceptionally rare to see our Australian Government doing anything about it.

It's also interesting that the Minster claims they had been observing this vessel for some time, and yet they therefore waited for it to enter the high seas where they advise they therefore can't arrest the crew. Sort of implies they were waiting for it to leave Australian waters to do so.

[avb3]

Here is a link to the story:

Australian Customs officials board illegal Patagonian toothfish poaching boat - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

[Rustic Charm]

Thanks, I thought I had posted it before. Cheers.

[El Pinguino]

So they boarded it and let it go??

A few years ago they would put a prize crew on board, the ship would be arrested and brought into Fremantle, the cargo sold, and the skipper would be up before the beak. When did they go soft on that approach?

They used to chase them half way back to South America....west about... and then arrest them.

[Rustic Charm]

Originally Posted by El Pinguino

So they boarded it and let it go??

A few years ago they would put a prize crew on board, the ship would be arrested and brought into Fremantle, the cargo sold, and the skipper would be up before the beak. When did they go soft on that approach?

They used to chase them half way back to South America....west about... and then arrest them.

The last three governments have been more interested in stopping the other kind of boats.

[avb3]

Originally Posted by Rustic Charm

The last three governments have been more interested in stopping the other kind of boats.

All criminal activity at sea should be actioned on, whether it is poaching or endangering the lives of seamen.

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

[Cadence]

Originally Posted by avb3

Here is a link to the story:

Australian Customs officials board illegal Patagonian toothfish poaching boat - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

Thanks for the link. Did I read it correctly that no action was taken and it was steaming under its own power to who knows were. If that's the case, it sounds like an exercise in futility.

[El Pinguino]

Its not like the good old days when a sea chase really was a sea chase

..:: Stop Illegal Fishing ::..

As I recall , at one stage the Australian pursuer called up the poacher ( paraphrasing ) and said 'you'll get stuck in the ice if you go that way '...'Gracias , I'll just back up a bit'.... Pursuer waited while poachers sorted themselves out and then away they went again...

[Rustic Charm]

Originally Posted by El Pinguino

Its not like the good old days when a sea chase really was a sea chase

..:: Stop Illegal Fishing ::..

As I recall , at one stage the Australian pursuer called up the poacher ( paraphrasing ) and said 'you'll get stuck in the ice if you go that way '...'Gracias , I'll just back up a bit'.... Pursuer waited while poachers sorted themselves out and then away they went again...

I'm not aware of any other 'chases' but that one was definately worth it.

I don't know where the other 'paraphrased' idea is from.

[Oceanride007]

I enjoyed the chase a few times myself.
If a vessel is caught doing something illegal in Australian Territorail waters (Think 200 Nmiles), much can be done. If a vessel is seen in Australian Territory and move out, the laws of the chase require the vessel to be maintained in sight until they are boarded.
The vessel El Pinguino referred to got off because Australia was not prepared to dislose the technique in how the vessel was discovered or observed before and after the chase commenced.
Anyway the last patrol I got involved in 9 of 10 fishes were legal, not in Australian waters, were welcoming, the other was Chinese and they more or less said Foxtrot Oscar.
Think it got too hard, and very costly, for little benefit. I don't believe any Australian Fisher is interested in Tooth fish.

[El Pinguino]

dunno about that Icebreaker begins slow tow of ship in Antarctica | Stuff.co.nz
I don't think they are after barramundi

NZ seems to be pretty heavily involved in the fishery... saw a big kiwi one , 'San Aspiring'(?), in the Falklands a few years ago..she was there for a crew change.