WA: Navy security party to help toothfish operation
A Royal Australian Navy security contingent is on its way to South Africa to help escortback to Australia a Uruguayan trawler accused of poaching fish.
Defence Minister ROBERT HILL says 27 navy personnel will board the Viarsa, which wasapprehended on Thursday almost 2,000 nautical miles southwest of Cape Town.
The navy contingent will relieve Australian Customs and Fisheries officers who arecurrently on board the trawler.
The Australian officials pursued the Viarsa across the Southern Ocean for 21 days beforeapprehending it -- the longest chase in Australian maritime history.
Senator HILL says the navy security party will return the Viarsa to Fremantle, a journeyexpected to take several weeks.
The vessel is suspected of illegally fishing in Australian waters and is believed tohave 85 tonnes of highly-prized Patagonian toothfish on board.
Its crew is under arrest and may be charged with failure to obey the direction of anofficer, which carries a jail term of up to 12 months.
They face maximum penalties of $500,000 if found to have poached fish illegally fromAustralian waters.
AAP RTV alm/jas
KEYWORD: TOOTHFISH (PERTH)
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