Smooth sailing for Australia's automatic forfeiture of foreign fishing vessels

Environmental and Planning Law Journal

Volumn 22, Issue 3, 2005, Pages 169-173

  Gullett, Warwick ^a  

^a UNIVERSITY OF WOLLONGONG   (Australia)

Author keywords

[No Author keywords available]

Indexed keywords

EID: 36049040898     PISSN: 0813300X     EISSN: None     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: None     Document Type: Editorial

References (41)

1. Olbers v Commonwealth (No 4) (2004) 136 FCR 67; 205 ALR 432 at 449; [2004] FCA 229.
2. R v Lijo [2004] WADC 29.
3. Lijo v the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions [2003] WASCA 4.
4. Olbers Co Ltd v Commonwealth (2004) 148 A Crim R 547; 212 ALR 325.
5. [2004] FCAFC 262, Olbers v Commonwealth (No 4) (2004) 136 FCR 67; 205 ALR 432
6. [2004] FCA 229, Olbers v Commonwealth (No 3) [2003] FCA 651, Olbers Co Ltd v Commonwealth (No 2) [2003] FCA 177, Olbers Co Ltd v Commonwealth [2002] FCA 1269.
7. Russian Federation v Australia) (Prompt Release) (Judgment) (2002) ITLOS Case No 11 (the Volga Case).
8. See Gullett W, "Prompt Release Procedures and the Challenge for Fisheries Law Enforcement: The Judgment of the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea in the Volga Case (Russian Federation v Australia)" (2003) 31 FL Rev 395.
9. United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, opened for signature 10 December 1982, 1833 UNTS 3; ATS 1994 No 31; ILM 21 p 1261 (entered into force for Australia and generally 16 November 1994), Art 73.
10. Olbers Co Ltd v Commonwealth (2004) 148 A Crim R 547; 212 ALR 325; [2004] FCAFC 262.
11. Olbers v Commonwealth (No 4) (2004) 136 FCR 67; 205 ALR 432; [2004] FCA 229.
12. Olbers v Commonwealth [2005] HCA Trans 228 (per Hayne and Callinan JJ).
13. Gullett W, "Developments in Australian Fisheries Law: Setting the Law of the Sea Convention Adrift?" (2004) 21 EPLJ 169 at 173-176.
14. See also Baird R, "Coastal State Fisheries Management: A Review of Australian Enforcement Action in the Heard and McDonald Islands Australian Fishing Zone" (2004).
15. Deakin LR 91 and Baird R, "Testing the Waters: Fine Tuning the Provisions of the Fisheries Management Act 1991 (Cth) applicable to foreign fishing boats" (2004) 32 UWALR 63.
16. Fisheries Management Act 1991 (Cth), s 106G(3)
17. Olbers Co Ltd v Commonwealth (2004) 148 A Crim R 547; 212 ALR 325 at 331.
18. Olbers Co Ltd v Commonwealth (2004) 148 A Crim R 547; 212 ALR 325 at 332.
19. LOSC, Art 111(4).
20. Olbers Co Ltd v Commonwealth (2004) 148 A Crim R 547; 212 ALR 325 at 332.
21. R v Lijo [2004] WADC 29.
22. Olbers Co Ltd v Commonwealth (2004) 148 A Crim R 547; 212 ALR 325 at 332.
23. Olbers v Commonwealth (No 4) (2004) 136 FCR 67; 205 ALR 432 at 457.
24. [2004] FCA 229.
25. With respect to this last point, the declaration in s 87(2) and 87(3) that a pursuit is not taken to be terminated or substantially interrupted only because officers onboard the pursuit vessel have lost sight of the vessel they are pursuing, or have lost output from a radar or other sensing device, is a qualification not found in LOSC.
26. Likewise, the statement in Art 111(4) of the LOSC that a pursuit can only commence "after a visual or auditory signal to stop has been given at a distance which enables it to be seen or heard" has not been included in the Fisheries Management Act 1991 (Cth).
27. LOSC, Art 62(4).
28. Of note, coastal states may not provide penalties of imprisonment or corporal punishment for violations of fisheries laws by foreigners: LOSC, Art 73(3).
29. Commonwealth Constitution, s 51(xxxi).
30. Olbers v Commonwealth (No 4) (2004) 136 FCR 67; 205 ALR 432 at 456.
31. [2004] FCA 229.
32. Olbers Co Ltd v Commonwealth (2004) 148 A Crim R 547; 212 ALR 325 at 335.
33. Olbers Co Ltd v Commonwealth (2004) 148 A Crim R 547; 212 ALR 325 at 334.
34. Commonwealth Constitution, s 51(x).
35. Commonwealth Constitution, s 51(xxix).
36. Commonwealth Constitution, s 51(i).
37. Olbers Co Ltd v Commonwealth (2004) 148 A Crim R 547; 212 ALR 325 at 335.
38. Olbers Co Ltd v Commonwealth (2004) 148 A Crim R 547; 212 ALR 325 at 335.
39. Olbers Co Ltd v Commonwealth (2004) 148 A Crim R 547; 212 ALR 325 at 334.
40. Ian MacDonald (Minister for Fisheries), "New Chapter in Maritime Law: Attempt to Claim Back the Volga rejected" (Press release, 13 March 2004).
41. Note that s 87 limits the operation of s 84 seizure powers, including s 84(ga) automatic forfeiture seizures, for seizures outside the AFZ to where there has been a pursuit consistent with s 87. However, this would be of no avail to a dispossessed owner because at the time of the seizure they would not have been the owner of the vessel and therefore could not challenge the manner it which in was seized.