The twenty-eight Vietnamese fishermen who were caught illegally angling off the Far Northern coastline will be detained and trialled in Darwin.
The Australian Fisheries Management Authority (AFMA) has confirmed the international crew have been taken to immigration detention in Darwin, while the authority conducts its investigation of the matter.
The authority’s spokeswoman said the likely judicial proceedings would be conducted in Darwin Magistrates Court at a later day.
The two fishing vessels, which were found with a haul of at least 30 barrels of Beche-de-mer (sea cucumbers) remain in AFMA custody, anchored offhsore from Cairns.
The fate of these vessels will be determined as part of the investigation.
2015 Cairns Post