> "...apparently Japanese fishing captains are not renowned for their ability to listen to sweet reason."
The Oz Navy are regularly called to defend our international waters against fish poachers - many of whom aren't from Japan.
Seizing ships on the high seas is a good business to be in. A couple of years ago the jack tars intercepted and impounded two Norwegian built fishing boats that were helping themselves to our (increasingly rare) Patagonian Tooth Fish. The boats were escorted to Fremantle and forfeited to the Crown (ie the country). The pair of them were worth a total of around $25 million - one was quite new.
Bean mentioned the possibility that our ships may be restricted in how far south they travel for fear of cracking. I hadn't heard of this and, considering the regular jaunts a LONG way south the navy makes to grab fishing boats and round the world yacht race sailors, I'm unsure of its validity. I think there'd definitely be some sort of insurance clause for non-navy vessels what with the danger of icebergs etc.
stales
