Australian authorities apprehend vessel fishing illegally for sea cucumber

Australian authorities apprehended a fishing vessel and its 16 crew suspected of fishing illegally for sea cucumber inside the country’s exclusive economic zone.

The vessel, thought to be Vietnamese, was intercepted by the Australian Border Force’s Maritime Border Command and the Australian Fisheries Management Authority on 3 September. It was found near Dianne Bank, approximately 250 nautical miles northeast of the city of Cairns, and 136 miles within Australia’s EEZ.

In a search of the vessel, officers found about five metric tonnes of sea cucumber, or beche-de-mer, as well as diving equipment authorities believe was used to illegally harvest the sea cucumber from Australia’s territorial waters, according to an AFMA press release.

“Fishing without permission undermines the very rules and regulations in place to ensure that Australians can continue to enjoy a healthy supply of seafood for many generations to come, ”AFMA General Manager Fisheries Operations Peter Venslovas said. “This interception demonstrates our whole-of-government commitment to [fighting] illegal fishing and sends a strong signal to those looking to plunder our resources.”

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