Senator O'Brien asked the Minister for Fisheries, Forestry and Conservation, upon notice, on 10 September 2003:

(1) What action has the Government taken to investigate and prosecute the 20 to 30 alleged regular illegal fishing operators known to the Government.

(2) (a) Is the Minister aware of allegations that the operator of the so-called `Alphabet Boats' is a well known Hong Kong-based company with a wholly-owned Jakarta-based subsidiary that services the illegal fleet; (b) what action has the Government taken to investigate these allegations; (c) what representations has the Government made to Hong Kong SAR Government, the Government of the People's Republic of China and the Indonesian Government, in relation to this company's alleged involvement in the operation of the `Alphabet Boats'.

Senator Ian Macdonald (Minister for Fisheries, Forestry and Conservation) —The answer to the honourable senator's question is as follows:

(1) When evidence of a breach of Australian fisheries law has been collected, action has been taken either through a prosecution or diplomatic representations.

(2) (a) Yes. (b) The company that is believed to manage the `Alphabet Boats' is based in Hong Kong and therefore outside Australia's jurisdiction. Attempts to interest Hong Kong authorities in investigations through Australian Federal Police liaison officers have not to date been successful. (c) Illegal fishing issues were raised with Chinese officials during a departmental Deputy Secretary's visit in March 2003 and by myself with the Chinese Vice Minister for Agriculture, Zhang Baowen, at the 23rd Food and Agriculture Organisation Meeting in November 2003. Illegal fishing issues have been raised with Indonesia on a number of occasions. Discussions on a bilateral arrangement aimed at stopping the trade of illegal toothfish through Indonesian ports have been initiated. I am hosting a visit from the Indonesian Minister for Marine Affairs and Fisheries in early 2004 where we will further discuss this issue.