Australian Navy catches illegal fishing boat.

[gf0012-aust]

A-Dig. The pics above you are correct on. I am getting confused over another issue in 2001 involving a "run in" with the patagonian fish stealers. We used the South African Spec Forces and aust "troops" to seize and hold a vessel in a Sth African EEZ

There is another one involving SAFS and Sth African Fisheries Officers using the John Ross. (Ocean going tug). One of the reports talks about "was taken over by about 40 Australian troops who were on South African boats about 540km away" which appears to be a bit of poetic journalistic license. 40 troops would be enough to seize the QE2 let alone a fishing vessel.

IIRC It was SASpecFor, SA Fisheries Officers and Aust Fisheries Officers. No SASr guys involved in that one due to timing and location.

Apparently we have used the Sth Africans twice on these incidents. The Viarsa also involved a Brit fisheries vessel from the Falklands as well.

And I have maligned the paraguyans unnecessarily, it was the Uruguyans who were involved.

Now I have totally confused 3 separate fisheries intercepts with one incident!

Sorry folks if I have completely detroyed a seamless intervention!

 

[Aussie Digger]

You're probably right, I do recall an article (Australian & New Zealand Defender Magazine, not sure which edition) which stated that SASR troopers had flown to South Africa and had at least taken part in the Operation if not commanded it. They usually have pretty good sources for defence related stuff including plenty of ex and current SF troopers...

 

[shamsi]

Oh and they've started scuttling these boats. The fisherman were just buying them straight back otherwise... The Courts are now enforcing these matters and awarding costs against the companies involved in this enterprise in an attempt to make it a more expensive game than the money they can make out of it...

I remember MSA in a country I am from used to have great "Fish Parties" after such chase and capture EEZ ops. Sometimes I miss those King Prawns!