Nineteen Indonesian nationals have pleaded guilty to illegally fishing in Australian waters, following five separate incidents prosecuted at the Darwin Local Court on Tuesday, 30 September 2025.
AFMA General Manager of Fisheries Operations, Justin Bathurst, said illegal fishers continued to take significant risks.
“They will lose their catch, fishing gear, vessel, and potentially face serious penalties including jail time.”
The first four cases stemmed from coordinated operations between 7 and 11 September, when Australian authorities intercepted Indonesian vessels fishing unlawfully in Northern Territory waters.
The Australian Border Force (ABF) seized 1,200 kilograms of sea cucumber, over 2,000 kilograms of salt used for processing, and a large quantity of fishing equipment. The vessels were destroyed at sea under Australian law, and the crews were transported to Darwin for investigation by the Australian Fisheries Management Authority (AFMA).
All nineteen men pleaded guilty to offences under the Fisheries Management Act 1991 (Cth).
One vessel master, who had previously been placed on a good behaviour bond, was sentenced to one month in prison for breaching that bond. He received two additional one-month terms, to be served concurrently, and a $5,000 recognisance order for two years. Another vessel master received a $6,000 good behaviour order for three years, while two others were each placed on $5,000 orders for two years.
Among the remaining crew, penalties ranged from $2,000 to $4,000 recognisance orders with good behaviour periods of up to three years.
In a separate case, an Indonesian vessel intercepted near Rowley Shoals, Western Australia, on 8 August resulted in further convictions. The vessel’s master received a $5,000 recognisance order and is serving a three-month jail term for unpaid fines from previous offences.
All convicted fishers will be removed from Australia by the ABF after serving their sentences.
Since 1 July 2025, fifty-eight Indonesian fishers have been prosecuted in Darwin Local Court for similar offences.
Deputy Commander of Maritime Border Command, Linda Cappello, reinforced the government’s stance.
“Our patrols and intelligence systems are active every day across Australia’s north. The message to illegal foreign fishers is clear: do not risk your livelihood by coming to Australia to fish illegally.”
Australian authorities continue to collaborate with the Indonesian Government to curb illegal fishing through community education, targeted social media outreach, and ongoing maritime patrols.
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