Overall Outcomes Of Operation Kurukuru

Overall Outcomes Of Operation Kurukuru

Operation Kurukuru 2009 resulted in 21 boardings of vessels, levying of a $10,000 fine and 3 apprehensions of vessels which were escorted to port for further investigation. The 4 aircraft involved in the operation flew a total of 85 hours and covered approximately 800,000 square nautical miles.

Covering an area of approximately 10 million square kilometres - including the Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZ) of Cook Islands, Kiribati, Niue, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tokelau, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu – Operation Kurukuru 2009 involved fisheries surveillance and enforcement staff from all of these countries working together with their counterparts from Australia, New Zealand, France and US over 10 days of surveillance.

Surveillance was conducted by individual countries within their respective EEZ’s using 7 Pacific Class Patrol Boats (from Cook Islands, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, Kiribati and Vanuatu) and 1 French Patrol Boat. This was supported by aerial surveillance provided by 4 Maritime Patrol Aircraft (2 P-3 Orions supplied by Australia & New Zealand, a Guardian supplied by France and a Hercules C-130 from the US Coast Guard).

Outcomes From Tuvalu, Kiribati, Solomon Islands

Tuvalu

In Tuvalu, 1 Korean Flagged FFV the “Dae Yang” was fined USD $10,000 for misreporting of its discarded species on its log books. The vessel was located by the Tuvaluan Patrol Boat HMTSS TE MATAILI with the assistance of the USCG C130 that was providing aerial surveillance of the Tuvaluan EEZ.

During the boarding of the vessel, it was discovered that they had breached the conditions of their license and had committed an offence under the Tuvalu Marine Resources Act 2006, by misreporting their discarded species. The vessel was held by TE MATAILI whilst the Tuvaluan Department of Fisheries – Fisheries Surveillance Unit, negotiated with the vessels parent company CPK Fishing Company Limited. A fine in accordance with the Act of USD $10,000 was imposed on the Fishing Company, and after payment of the fine, HMTSS TE MATAILI released the foreign fishing vessel.

Kiribati

On the last day of Operation Kurukuru, the patrol boat TEANOAI was close to a vessel of interest and pursued it across 400 nautical miles despite shortage of water and radar defect on the TEANOAI.

They boarded the Sung Hui and found fresh shark fins on board and her crew has stated that they were fishing on Sunday evening 23 Aug 09 (Gilbert EEZ). The ship's master denied the allegations however the Patrol Boat crew are now collecting all evidence with view towards a prosecution.

Kiribati boarded a total of 16 vessels during Operation Kurukuru and 4 were issued final warnings.

Solomon Islands

The Patrol Vessel RSIPV AUKI apprehended two foreign fishing vessels which had been operating in Solomon Islands EEZ and Archipelagic waters during Operation KuruKuru 09. Both were escorted back to Honiara where they are currently the subject of a fisheries investigation.

ENDS

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