Ron Boswell (Queensland, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Fisheries, Forestry and Conservation, Senator Eric Abetz, the fishermen’s friend. Will the minister update the Senate on how the Howard government’s tough apprehend-and-destroy approach to illegal fishing is beginning to pay dividends. Is the minister aware of any alternative policy?

Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Fisheries, Forestry and Conservation) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Can I thank another friend of the fishermen, especially Queensland fishermen, Senator Boswell, for that interesting and very important question. Late on Thursday night in a joint operation overseen by border protection command, officials boarded a Taiwanese registered longliner. The vessel was boarded 64 nautical miles inside the Australian fishing zone, some 226 nautical miles north-north-east of Lord Howe Island, and was directed to port by AFMA officials under suspicion of having engaged in illegal fishing in Australian waters. I am advised that initial estimates put the catch at 25 to 30 tonnes of mixed fish such as marlin, swordfish, shark, tuna and mackerel species. Investigations are ongoing.

While it is indeed unusual for a boat of this type to be apprehended where it was, the apprehension does prove one thing: if you come into Australian waters to steal our fish, you risk your boat and you risk your freedom, be it in the north, far south or the east coast, as it was on this occasion.

Most significantly, the evidence is that our tough approach of apprehending and destroying illegal fishing boats is working. Last year a record 365 illegal fishing boats were seized and destroyed in our northern waters. Can I thank the Indonesian delegation in the President’s gallery for the support of the Indonesian government in this regard. Sightings of illegal fishing vessels in our northern waters are down 40 per cent compared to 2005—this, despite an increase in surveillance flights. I am pleased to report that three months into this year the trend continues. To 20 March this year, sightings are down by almost 80 per cent compared to the same period last year.

Senator Boswell would be pleased to know that in the Gulf of Carpentaria there have been just 36 sightings this year—a decline of about 90 per cent. I am sure Senator Scullion would be pleased to know that there has been just one shark boat spotted off the Northern Territory this month. And I am sure Senators Ellison, Johnston, Adams, Campbell, Eggleston and others from Western Australia would be pleased to know—

Honourable Senator:

Honourable senator interjecting—

Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Fisheries, Forestry and Conservation) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

And Senator Lightfoot. They would all be pleased to know that there have been just two sightings off Western Australia. Let me be clear: there are positive signs that the Howard government will not take its foot off the pedal. We will continue our no-nonsense approach to drive these numbers even lower. Nonetheless, the facts are clear: our policies are working. In fact, even the state Labor governments agree. Late last year they described the results of our policies as ‘very encouraging’. It seems that only federal Labor and Mr Bevis persist in the denial of the facts, carping from the sidelines when clearly they have no idea of the reality on the water. But here their actions speak louder than words. For example, at the recent estimates, Labor’s fisheries spokesman, Senator O’Brien, did not ask a single question about illegal fishing—not one. And since I have been minister, there has not been one question in this chamber from those opposite about the issue of illegal fishing. So it is time that Labor acknowledged the success of our approach and stopped carping— (Time expired)