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Derek_Bullock
17-02-2006, 06:41 PM
'Freezer' boat held over illegal fishing

Ashleigh Wilson

February 17, 2006

A CHINESE vessel suspected of operating as a "large freezer" for illegal fishing boats was escorted to Darwin yesterday as pressure mounted on the federal Government to step up its fight against increasingly sophisticated criminal activities off the coast of northern Australia.

Authorities believe the Panama-registered Chen Long, a 75m steel-hulled vessel, was working in Australian waters as a "mother ship" for illegal fishing boats before it was intercepted on Sunday.

The vessel, the largest of its kind caught off northern Australia, was carrying 639 tonnes of reef fish, including 270 tonnes believed to have been poached.

After being intercepted by HMAS Dubbo off the northern Wessell Islands, the Chen Long and its crew of 18 Chinese were escorted without incident into Darwin yesterday morning for further investigations.

"It is a carrier vessel and as such it is equipped and basically designed to take on catch from other fishing vessels," said Peter Venslovas, senior manager for foreign operations at the Australian Fisheries Management Authority. "Essentially, this boat is a large freezer vessel and basically once its holds are full, it would then proceed to the relevant port for unloading."

While Mr Venslovas said there was no evidence yet pointing to Chinese crime syndicates operating in local waters, he said the role of the "mother ship" suggested increased activity on the northern side of the Australian Fishing Zone.

Federal Fisheries Minister Eric Abetz described the vessel as a "real concern" for the fishing industry.

Thirty-nine illegal Indonesian fishing boats have been intercepted so far this year amid fears that a stand-off is looming between foreign poachers and local fishermen.

"If found to have been operating illegally, it does show that people around the world have taken the view that it was worth the risk," Senator Abetz said. "We, as an Australian government, need to make sure that they no longer consider it to be worth the risk to operate in that nature in Australian waters."