MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

“Maya V” toothfish haul nets over 2 million AUS dollars

The sale of the illegal catch of Patagonian toothfish seized from the Uruguayan flagged longliner “Maya V” earlier this year has netted in excess of two million Australian dollars, said Minister for Fisheries, Forestry and Conservation, Senator Ian Macdonald, and the Minister for Justice and Customs, Senator Chris Ellison.

The Australian Fisheries Management Authority recently called for tenders for the 191 tons of Patagonian toothfish and the 64 tons of bait (sardines) found on board the vessel, with Australian fishing company, Austral Fisheries named the successful tenderer from the seven bidders.

The Ministers said all monies raised from the sale will now be held in trust until the conclusion of the legal proceedings relating to the "Maya V".

"Maya V" was apprehended in late January 2004 on suspicion of illegal fishing in Australia's fishing zone around Heard Island and McDonald Islands, in the remote Antarctic waters over 4000 kilometers south-west of Perth.

The Ministers also said that the latest Customs and Fisheries surveillance patrol in the Southern Ocean concluded without incident last week.

Senator Ellison said the Customs-chartered vessel Southern Supporter had begun surveillance of Australian waters around Heard Island and McDonald Island in early March, in an operation codenamed PATONGA II.

"The conclusion of this patrol in Fremantle earlier this month without incident means that our tough stance in the Southern Ocean is beginning to pay off," he said.

"We will continue a strong presence in our Northern and Southern waters in a bid to protect our borders and our valuable fish resources."

Customs and Fisheries officers used the patrol to conduct environmental and management checks on Heard Island, which is a protected area.

"The Southern Supporter also called into the French base at Kerguelen Island as part of the recently signed agreement between Australia and France to share intelligence and information about illegal fishing in each other's exclusive zones," Senator Macdonald said. "The struggle illegal fishers in this region face is about to get tougher, with future patrols to include an armed boarding party and a deck mounted .50 caliber machine gun to enable Customs and Fisheries officers to take immediate action to apprehend an illegal fishing vessel."

More details about this initiative will be disclosed in the May Federal Budget.

In another victory against the practice of illegal fishing, three senior crew-members of the foreign fishing vessel Volga have pleaded guilty to illegally fishing in Australian waters and will be sentenced early next month.