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Armed toothfish patrols urged
By Kate Gauntlett
The seizure of two boats suspected of poaching $2.5 million
worth of patagonian toothfish from Australian waters has sparked calls for
armed patrol boats.
The royal Australian navy frigate Canberra escorted the
Russian-flagged vessels Lena and Volga into Fremantle at about 8am
yesterday. Perth based company Austral Fisheries chief David Carter
yesterday called for a permanent armed patrol vessel to deter poachers.
Austral has held a license to net patagonian toothfish near
Heard and McDonald islands since 1955.
Crew from Canberra boarded the 50m vessels of February 6 and
7 near the Heard and McDonald islands about 4000km south-west of Perth.
The Covert operation Sutton involving the Australian
Fisheries Management Authority and the navy, started last month when the
Lena evaded the authorities unarmed patrol boat Southern Supporter after a
14 day chase.
The Lena is understood to have 70 tonnes and the Volga 127
tonnes of patagonian toothfish on board.
The catch, both vessels and 85 crew will be isolated in
Fremantle for several days while the authority investigates.
No charges have been laid the maximum fine for illegal
fishing is $550,000. Vessels and cargoes can be forfeited.
A Department of Foreign Affairs spokesmen said Russia’s
Government had been told the vessels were suspected of poaching and had been
urged through diplomatic channels to uphold international responsibilities
in this area.
The fisheries authority said the boats were owned by Alitas,
a company based in Moscow and registered in the Russian port of Taganrog.
Spaniards, Russians, Chinese and Indonesians made up the
crews.
Jose Franco Rivas, a Spaniard, captained the Lena but the
Volga captain’s identity has not been confirmed.
Mr. Carter called for the destruction of any specially
equipped vessels involved in illegal fishing.
The fate of the last vessel caught poaching patagonian
toothfish, the South Tomi, is still being determined.
The West Australian (2nd
edition)
20 February 2002 |
