Australian Border Force announce Operation Lunar for the Northern Territory

Maritime Border Command has launched a new operation in response to rising illegal fishing across the Top End, with a senior commander declaring manpower and resources will be bolstered with immediate effect.

Operation Lunar has been launched in response to a rise in illegal fishing across the Top End. Picture: Supplied.

Maritime Border Command has launched a new operation in response to rising illegal fishing across the Top End, with a senior commander declaring manpower and resources will be bolstered with immediate effect.

On Monday afternoon, the Australian Border Force announced Operation Lunar – a multi-agency operation aimed at guarding the Territory’s coastline by using assets belonging to the Australian Defence Force, ABF and Australian Fisheries Management Authority.

The announcement comes after months of repeated sightings of foreign fishing boats off the Territory coastline, which came to a head in November when two boat loads of Chinese asylum seekers were dumped on the shores of Arnhem Land.

The announcement comes after NT Agriculture and Fisheries Minister Gerard Maley called on the Albanese Government to expand its northern operations. Picture: Pema Tamang Pakhrin

In response, NT Agriculture and Fisheries Minister Gerard Maley called on the Albanese Government to expand its northern operations, revealing he had approached Northern Australia Minister Madeleine King during a visit to Canberra last month.

“I have also asked Border Force to deploy additional resources to monitor NT waters, expand surveillance technology and intelligence sharing, improve communication with NT authorities, and focus on prosecuting and deterring illegal activities,” he said at the time.

Mr Maley’s request has now been granted, with MBC now declaring Operation Lunar as a campaign dedicated at protecting the Territory’s coastline.

It is understood the new operation is modelled on the Western Australia-based Operation Leedstrum, which targets illegal foreign fishing in and around the Kimberley Marine Park.

Rear Admiral Brett Sonter warned illegal fishers “you will lose your catch”. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Martin Ollman

MBC commander Rear Admiral Brett Sonter issued a stern warning for potential illegal fishers.

“Illegal foreign fishers will not be tolerated in Australian waters and my message to them is clear: you will be found and we will intercept you,” he said.

“You will lose your catch, your equipment, potentially your vessel, and you may be arrested and prosecuted under Australian law.”

Rear Admiral Brett Sonter said Federal and Territory agencies would also work more closely with local Aboriginal communities.

“I cannot emphasise enough how important local knowledge and observations of First Nations communities is in the NT, in terms our informing our work to detect foreign fishing vessels across more than 10,000km of vast coastline.”

Northern Land Council NLC chair Matthew Ryan says the NLC “welcomes” the announcement. Picture: Fia Walsh.

Northern Land Council chair Matthew Ryan, who has been leading calls for Federal intervention, said the NLC “welcomes” an operation dedicated to the Territory.

“Protecting the Australian coastline is everyone’s responsibility and that’s why we have been having constructive conversations with the Minister for Home Affairs Tony Burke and a range of agencies, including Parks Australia, AFMA, ABF, NT Police, (and) local ranger groups,” he said.

“The NLC continues to call on the Federal Government to commit to properly resourcing our ranger groups so they can protect our valuable land and sea country.”

As of December 3, 2024, the ABF and AFMA have intercepted 156 foreign fishing vessels and have prosecuted 83 foreign fishers in Australian courts this already this financial year.