Australia Will Seize Illegal Fishing Boats - AP

[hatrack]

CANBERRA, Australia — "Foreign ships that fish illegally in Australia's Antarctic zone can now be seized after a court upheld a landmark ruling aimed at stopping poachers in the country's territorial waters, the federal government said recently.

A Federal Court judge in the western city of Perth dismissed an appeal Friday by the owners of a Russian-flagged ship who argued that the Australian government acted unlawfully when it confiscated the vessel in the Southern Ocean two years ago.

The court's dismissal of the appeal underscores Australia's resolve to fight poaching, Fisheries Minister Ian Macdonald said. "Yesterday's decision ... supports the government's view that if a foreign fishing vessel is sighted illegally fishing in Australian waters, then that vessel, its equipment, and catch are automatically forfeited to the commonwealth and become the property of the commonwealth," said Macdonald.

Justice Robert French ruled the vessel, the Volga, was guilty of illegally fishing in the Australian Fishing Zone, after it was found with about 136 metric tons (150 U.S. tons) of Patagonian toothfish on board."

EDIT

http://www.enn.com/news/2004-03-16/s_14047.asp

[Earth_First]

1. Another victory...

kudos!