Vietnamese Poachers

New Caledonia jails Vietnamese poachers

Their boats were intercepted by the French navy off Belep last week and escorted to Noumea.

The captains were immediately tried and imprisoned while the 30 crew would be deported to Vietnam.

The boats were found to have beche-de-mer on board as well as shark fins, which are reportedly worth about $US700 a kilogramme.

Shark finning is prohibited in New Caledonia.

Earlier this year, New Caledonia and other areas in Melanesia were targetted by dozens of Vietnamese blue boats.

 

 

 

Photo: AFP A Vietnamese "blue boat". 

Vietnamese poachers up for sentencing in Solomon Islands

Do Van Va, Vo Van Vi, and Nguyen Nguyen were charged under various sections of the Fisheries Management Act 2015 and Fisheries (Amendment) Regulation 2009.

The maximum penalty for their offences range from $US1,2000 to $US1.5 million or five years imprisonment.

The three captains and their crews were caught by police on 26 March of this year for taking beche-de-mer and other marine resources from the Indispensable Reefs south of Rennell Island.

Some crew members were deported from Solomon Islands after they were convicted of poaching.

 

New Caledonia catches more Vietnamese poachers

According to the public broadcaster, a French surveillance aircraft spotted two boats near Ouvea after which a naval vessel intercepted them to escort them to Noumea.

Reports said a Vietnamese fisherman, who was in a serious condition after a suspected diving accident, was immediately taken off and flown by helicopter to hospital.

Two other blue boats were seen near Belep and the navy succeeded in catching one of them.

A week earlier, French surveillance teams helped Solomon Islands catch three blue boats fishing illegally.

Vietnamese captain to be tried in New Caledonia

Reports from New Caledonia say the man was presented to a judge and remanded in custody.

His vessel was intercepted by the French military last week near the Chesterfield Islands which lies about 500 kilometers off the main island.

The navy vessel took the 17 crew on board and sailed them to Noumea.

Last month, the captains of three Vietnamese blue boats were jailed for illegal fishing.

Their crew however escaped on two boats from Noumea.

 

Photo: AFP A Vietnamese "blue boat". 

New Caledonia still searching for Vietnamese poachers

The captains of the vessels were jailed last week for illegally fishing in New Caledonia's waters but their crews fled from Noumea despite the authorities disabling their navigation gear.

According to the public broadcaster, a naval commander of the French navy has been told by Australia that the two vessels have not entered its zone.

The commander said the vessels may have headed north towards Papua New Guinea or Vietnam.