The Australian Border Force (ABF), BAKAMLA (Indonesian Coast Guard), the Directorate General of Surveillance for Marine and Fisheries Resources (PSDKP), and the Australian Fisheries Management Authority (AFMA) are marking the fifth coordinated maritime patrol on the Indonesia – Australia maritime boundary.
Since 2018, these joint patrols between Maritime Border Command (MBC), which sits within the Australian Border Force, BAKAMLA, PSDKP, and AFMA aim to combat and mitigate illegal activities impacting the prosperity of our countries. This patrol is a key part of the commitment to strengthening maritime security, as part of the Maritime Plan of Action which implements the Indonesia-Australia Joint Declaration on Maritime Cooperation.
“The COVID-19 pandemic has not impacted our ongoing cooperation, the strength of Australia and Indonesia’s maritime security arrangements and ability to coordinate efforts on-water is seen today through the achievement of the fifth Operation (Gannet 5)” said VADM A’an Kurnia, Chief of BAKAMLA.
The GANNET 5 is part of continued efforts by Indonesia and Australia to safeguard our territorial waters. The upcoming operation will be carried out through integrated communication among the involved agencies, information exchange, and a joint coordinated patrol by vessels from BAKAMLA, PSDKP, and MBC.
The primary operational objective for GANNET 5 is to detect, deter, and combat illegal activities at sea and also to strengthen the cooperation between the related Indonesian and Australian agencies. The focus for this operation includes; illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing; people smuggling and human trafficking; environmental protection, and transnational serious organized crimes that occur within the joint operational area. The key geographical focus for this operation is the eastern region of Indonesia that shares a maritime boundary with Australia.
