Six Illegal Foreign Fishers in Australian Waters Plead Guilty

Six Indonesian nationals pleaded guilty to illegally fishing in Australian waters in three separate cases at Darwin Local Court on Tuesday, October 28, 2025.

The first matter arose from an incident on September 27, 2025, where Australian authorities identified, intercepted and apprehended an Indonesian vessel fishing illegally near Cassini Island, Western Australia. 

ABF seized 500 kg of sea cucumber, 90 kg of salt used to process and preserve catch and a quantity of fishing equipment. The crew were detained and transported to Darwin for further investigation by AFMA. The vessel was seized and destroyed in accordance with Australian law. 

The master of the vessel pleaded guilty to offenses against the Fisheries Management Act 1991 (Cth) and was fined $10,000.

The second matter arose from an incident on October 1, 2025, where Australian authorities identified, intercepted and apprehended an Indonesian vessel fishing illegally near Cape Bougainville, Western Australia.

ABF seized 690 kg of salt used to process and preserve catch and a quantity of fishing equipment. The crew were detained and transported to Darwin for further investigation by AFMA. The vessel was seized and destroyed in accordance with Australian law. 

The master of the vessel pleaded guilty to offenses against the Fisheries Management Act 1991 (Cth) and was fined $7,000.

The third matter arose from an incident on October 7, 2025, where Australian authorities identified, intercepted and apprehended an Indonesian vessel fishing illegally near Laseron Island, Western Australia.

ABF seized 15 kg of sea cucumber and various fishing equipment. The crew were detained and transported to Darwin for further investigation by AFMA. The vessel was seized and destroyed in accordance with Australian law. 

Four fishers pleaded guilty to offenses against the Fisheries Management Act 1991 (Cth). 

The master of the vessel was identified as a recidivist, having been previously convicted of similar offending. On the current matter, he was sentenced to a 15-week period of imprisonment, backdated to the date of apprehension.

The remaining three crew members were each fined $3,000.

All fines are payable within 28 days with potential terms of imprisonment in the event of default.

All fishers will be removed from Australia by ABF and returned to Indonesia after having served their applicable periods of imprisonment.

There have been 75 Indonesian fishers prosecuted in Darwin Local Court since July 1, 2025.