Poverty made worse by the pandemic is helping to fuel a surge in Indonesian fishing boats illegally entering Australian waters. But the deaths of nine fishermen earlier this year has raised fears that more Indonesians will drown in Australian waters.
abc.net.au/news/why-indonesian-fishermen-sneak-into-australian-waters/101321960On the island of Rote in West Timor, Meji Nafi prays before an empty grave in her front yard.
"The custom here is when someone dies at sea we have a grave to remember him by, so children and grandchildren know their father or grandfather has drowned." So traumatic was his ordeal he still can't talk about it, and none of the three survivors will ever set foot in a fishing boat again."The risks are too high. Now I just work around the village, doing construction work."
The bodies of the men who drowned at sea were never recovered, despite an intensive rescue operation. But lucrative and rising prices for fish and other marine species are also a key factor driving illegal fishing.Most fishermen, including the 12 crew on the Kuda Laut, are fishing for trepang or sea cucumber, which can fetch more than $AUD20 each, or $AUD40 a kilogram.Sea cucumber is a delicacy in Chinese restaurants, where a typical dish canSea cucumbers can fetch high prices because they are seen as a delicacy in some cultures.
Authorities in Rote fear the drop in incomes along with higher prices for marine species will lure even more Indonesians who lack sea-faring skills onto the high seas, and lead to more drownings."The number of poor people has increased. The huge problem is the economic conditions here, which means many people still go out despite the bad weather," he said.
"What is of concern here is that a lot of the fishing being undertaken in this recent spurt of activity is occurring in marine protected areas, which have been established under Australian environmental law to protect the biosecurity, biodiversity, and the ecosystems in those particular areas," Mr Venslovas said.