Indonesia and Australia have come together to discuss strengthening global fisheries management and improving compliance measures against illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing.
Delegates from the Indonesian Coast Guard (Bakamla) and the Indonesian Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries visited Australian Fisheries Management Authority’s (AFMA) Canberra office to discuss how measures can be better enforced.
The officials toured Australia as part of a three and a half week professional development course run by the University of Wollongong’s Australian National Centre for Ocean Resources and Security (ANCORS), with the visit funded by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade’s (DFAT) Australian Awards Fellowships.
A stopover at AFMA marked the final destination of their tour of Australian agencies, having completed class-based learning and practical excursions with other Australian authorities, such as Maritime Border Command.
As part of AFMA’s efforts to continually improve international relations and communication, many AFMA officers who deal directly with Indonesian fishers and operators have learnt or are learning Bahasa language to help break down language and cultural barriers.
AFMA is proactive about working closely with Australia’s neighbouring countries, including Indonesia, to better inform and collaborate on compliance measures to strengthen fisheries management.
