Australia And France Signs Fish Treaty

[kantong]

Australia and France sign fish treaty

January 09, 2007 12:00

AUSTRALIA and France have signed a new treaty aimed at protecting valuable fish stocks in their Southern Ocean territories.

The agreement expands operations against illegal fishing through joint patrols by the countries.

The sub-Antarctic waters are a popular hunting ground for poachers plundering valuable hauls of patagonian toothfish and other stocks.

Australian Fisheries Minister Eric Abetz, who signed the treaty with his French counterpart in Paris last night, said the agreement would result in closer co-operation in the fight against illegal fishing.

"This new treaty provides for substantial co-operative enforcement benefits for both countries," Senator Abetz said.

"For example, the agreement will allow French officers on an Australian patrol vessel to apprehend an alleged illegal fishing vessel in the French territory's Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ)."

Both nations already share fisheries and customs staff in joint patrols under an agreement signed in 2005.

The new deal allows for broader surveillance operations covering waters managed by the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources, of which France and Australia are members.

Australia and France retain remote island territories in an area some 4000km southwest of Perth.

Australia has control over the Heard and McDonald Islands, while France has the Kerguelen, Amsterdam and St Paul Islands.

The treaty is part of Australia's effort to stamp out fish poaching in the region, including a five-year allocation of $217 million to patrol the Southern Ocean.

Senator Abetz said while widespread incursions by Indonesian boats remained a problem in Australia's northern waters, no illegal fishing vessels were seen in the southern EEZ last year.

source: www.

Edited January 9, 2007 by kantong

[clutch]

Senator Abetz said while widespread incursions by Indonesian boats remained a problem in Australia's northern waters, no illegal fishing vessels were seen in the southern EEZ last year.

source: www.

Thats great, now how do we get rid of the French.......just seems plain wrong that they have ANY territorial waters down here