Fed: 197 illegal fishermen caught in Australian waters

AAP General News (Australia)
04-05-2006
Fed: 197 illegal fishermen caught in Australian waters

PERTH, April 5 AAP - Almost 200 suspected illegal fishermen are being detained in Australia,
after a major sea and air operation off the Northen Territory coast.

Customs Minister Chris Ellison said Operation Breakwater had led to the arrest of 23
fishing vessels and 197 fishermen, including eight juveniles.

"There were some resistance in relation to this operation ... in some cases shots were
fired," Senator Ellison told reporters in Perth.

"But we now have 197 crewmen that have been apprehended and, as I say, 125 of them
are at Baxter in South Australia, the remaining being processed in Darwin."

AAP jp/bd/cjh/jlw

KEYWORD: FISHING

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