19 Indonesian fishermen face Darwin court for trepang fishing

Nineteen illegal Indonesian fishermen walked into Darwin Local Court on Tuesday, with only one remaining behind bars following a marathon prosecution session. Read the details.

Nineteen illegal Indonesian fishermen from five different boats faced Darwin Local Court on Tuesday, with all bar one sent back home.

The fishermen were caught in various locations across the Top End between March 24 and April 1.

All nineteen pleaded guilty to using a foreign boat for commercial fishing within the Australian Fishing Zone (AFZ), with the five separate captains also pleading guilty to the second charge of having a foreign boat equipped for fishing in the AFZ.

Most illegal fishing boats are after trepang. Picture: Australian Border Force

The boats were equipped to catch trepang (sea cucumber), with varying amounts of the protected species, known for its purported aphrodisiac qualities, found on the five boats.

In her marathon sentencing, Judge Julie Franz noted the need to protect trepang from foreign fishermen.

“It’s important for Australia to protect its trepang,” Judge Franz said.

“If we do not do this, we will become like Indonesian waters where there is no trepang.”

The five captains faced a maximum sentence of two years imprisonment or 5,000 penalty units — a fine of $1,650,000.

ABF seized a record haul of trepang in Territory waters on December 18, 2024 in a separate incident. Picture: Australian Border Force

In reality, no one received the maximum penalty, with the crew and captains receiving fines ranging from $1000 to $5000, which would be payable if they were to return to Australia.

If the fine cannot be paid, the fishermen will be imprisoned for up to three months.

The five boats were also destroyed by Australian Border Force — the standard procedure with foreign vessels caught in Australian waters.

Only one fishermen, Justaug, 37, was sentenced to prison.

This is the type of fishing boats frequently used. Picture: Australian Border Force

Justaug was caught for the fourth time in Australian waters, with this offence carrying the added seriousness of breaching a good behaviour bond he agreed to on January 23, 2024.

Judge Franz said she had to “give a strong sentence to send (Justaug) a strong message to deter (him) from doing it again”.

He was sentenced to three-months imprisonment, backdated to his initial detention on March 24.

Among the group of nineteen, there were other fishermen who had been caught before, including:

• Abdul, 35 — caught in 2012.
• Lexisias, 24 — convicted January 23, 2024.
• Nunu, 37 — detained twice in 2008.
• Rizky Rivaldy, 21 — convicted January 23, 2024.

Defence lawyer Michael Drury said that all men came from a “life of poverty and low income areas”, with Judge Franz noting this in her various sentencings.

The 18 men will return to Indonesia following periods of between 14 and 22 days in custody.

A 20th man, Kasman, was detained by ABF and will face court at a later date.