Chinese authorities have taken legal action against the owners of a China-flagged vessel caught fishing illegally in Australian waters, drawing praise from the Australian government.
The Yuan Da 19 was found fishing illegally for southern bluefin tuna and other species following an inspection of the vessel by Australian Fisheries Management Authority and the Australian Border Force in September 2016.
In response, Chinese authorities fined the company that owned the vessel USD 300,000 (EUR 253,000), terminated all of the fishing licenses of the company that owned the vessel, and banned it from engaging in deep-sea fishing activities.
Australia’s minister for immigration and border protection, Peter Dutton, said that the conviction was an “excellent example of how information sharing between nations is making a difference in combating illegal, unregulated and unreported fishing.”
“Through information sharing and working with our international counterparts, we are fighting the global issue that is illegal fishing,” Dutton said. “The Australian government congratulates Chinese authorities on taking action and sending a strong message to other companies seeking to do the wrong thing.”
Australia’s assistant minister for agriculture and water resources, Anne Ruston, said the offence was a serious violation of conservation and management measures imposed by the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC).
“Illegal fishing violates the very rules and regulations in place to help ensure the sustainability of our fisheries,” Ruston said. “Australia’s global partnerships are pivotal to preventing this crime and the government remains committed to tackling this issue. It is great to see the work of Australian authorities like AFMA and ABF leading to results in the global war against illegal fishing.”
