Australian Border Force seizes foreign vessel in Torres Strait

The Australian Border Force (ABF) has seized a foreign fishing vessel suspected of illegal activity in the Torres Strait. The vessel and its crew were located near Little Adolphus Island on August 21 following community reports.

During the boarding, officers discovered evidence of suspected fisheries offences, including 700 kg of salt used for preserving catch and various fishing equipment. No marine life had been caught at the time of the seizure. Following consultation with the Australian Fisheries Management Authority (AFMA), the crew was detained and will be transported to Darwin for investigation regarding potential violations of the Torres Strait Fisheries Act 1984.

This action is part of Operation Broaddstaff, a multi-agency initiative launched in February 2026 to combat illegal foreign fishing in Far Northern Queensland and the Torres Strait. Since the start of the year, the ABF has intercepted 24 foreign fishing vessels in these waters, 14 of which have been destroyed.