Fate of fish, crew undecided
28/08/2003 23:31  - (SA)  

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Poacher: Aus praises SA help No escape for poachers

Carel van Dyk, Die Burger

Cape Town - The fate of the captain and crew of the Viarsa 1 has not been decided yet.

Deputy director of marine and coastal management Horst Kleinschmidt confirmed on Thursday that the Viarsa 1 has 85 tons of Patagonian toothfish worth almost R3.7m on board.

Australian patrol vessel Southern Supporter gave chase on August 7 when Viarsa 1 was spotted in Australian territorial waters.

The poacher ship was chased more than 7 000km in 21 days - an Australian maritime record. The SA Agulhas and John Ross salvage tug joined the chase.

The three-week hunt on the high seas ended on Wednesday evening when Australian and South African fisheries officials boarded and seized the ship.

Australian coastguard spokesperson Chris Schofield said the captain was a Uruguayan citizen and the crew from various South American countries. He did not know the captain's identity.

Schofield said the charges against the captain and his crew were still being investigated.

The ship's owners could be fined more than R2.5m and the captain and crew jailed up to a year.

"We can also impound the ship, confiscate the catch and auction it," he added.

According to Philip Connole, spokesperson for the Australian fisheries minister Senator Ian MacDonald, the crew were being questioned to establish who could be prosecuted.

When asked if a dispute existed between the Australian and Uruguayan governments about where the Viarsa 1's crew should be tried, he said: "We will work through the process together with Uruguay and would like the trial to take place in Australia."

According to Kleinschmidt, Viarsa 1 and Southern Supporter are currently on their way to Cape Town.

Viarsa 1 will then be taken to Fremantle, Australia. They are expected to arrive at the end of September.

SA Agulhas was expected to join them by Thursday evening or on Friday to provide supplies. Thereafter the research vessel will return to Marion Island to complete its work there.

South African tugboat the John Ross is expected in Cape Town as early as Saturday evening.

- Die Burger

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