Earlier this month, AFMA’s National Surveillance and Response Section celebrated a decade of delivering specialist fisheries advice to aerial surveillance and at sea enforcement platforms to support investigations into cases of illegal fishing.
In 2006, Australia’s response to maritime security threats underwent a major rethink, brought about in part, because of an escalation in illegal foreign fishing vessels operating in Australia’s northern waters and more than 360 apprehensions in one year.
The restructure resulted in an extension of maritime security operations to include specialist agencies with responsibilities for activities in the maritime domain. Part of AFMA’s response was to recruit a team of officers to represent AFMA in the Australian Maritime Border Operation Centre within Maritime Border Command (MBC). Working closely with AFMA fisheries officers in the field and investigations teams, these officers are on call to respond and advise the operational command on issues relating to illegal fishing in the Australian Fishing Zone (AFZ).
Over the past ten years, the team has contributed to a number of successes in the fight against IUU fishing, including: seeing a significant reduction in the number of apprehensions of foreign fishing vessels fishing for sharkfin across northern Australia, putting all of the known IUU vessels fishing for toothfish out of action, and providing mentoring and support to our Pacific partners through regional command centres.
Over the years, team members have come from varied backgrounds but have all continued to ensure that AFMA continues to play its part in the broad agenda of maritime security, delivering the Australian government’s strategy on combating IUU fishing.