DILI, 28 May 2026 (TATOLI) — More than 50 foreign fishing vessels operating illegally in Timor-Leste’s waters have been detected over the past five months, according to the National Maritime Authority (AMN).
Higino das Neves, commander of the Maritime Police Unit, said that most of the vessels detected were from Indonesia, with others linked to China and Thailand.
Das Neves said the authorities plan to deploy patrol vessels in Jaco island and Betano, Manufahi municipality, and Dili to strengthen surveillance to curb illegal fishing activities.
“At the moment, we do not have large patrol vessels capable of operating in rough seas and deep waters along the southern coast,” he said.
He added that the National Maritime Authority is working with other institutions, including Customs Authority, Immigration, APORTIL, and the Ministry of Transport and Communications, to strengthen coordination in monitoring and enforcement operations in Timor-Leste’s waters.
Limited patrol capacity and inadequate monitoring of vessel movements continue to hamper efforts to combat illegal fishing, allowing foreign vessels to exploit the country’s marine resources and causing significant economic losses.
According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, illegal fishing has remained a persistent challenge in Timor-Leste in recent years.
The continued presence of illegal foreign fishing vessels in Timor-Leste’s waters recently led authorities to seize an Indonesian-flagged fishing vessel operating illegally within the country’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).
The vessel, carrying 32 crew members and about nine tonnes of illegally caught fish, was intercepted and seized by authorities.
In accordance with Timorese law, the captain was fined US$5 per day and each crew member US$2 per day for a maximum of 100 days. The vessel will be returned to Indonesia once legal procedures are completed.
In 2018, authorities detected about 107 illegal fishing vessels in the Timor Sea, with an estimated 239,460 tonnes of fish taken, valued at more than US$1 billion.
In 2019, 69 vessels were recorded, resulting in an estimated loss of 147,975 tonnes of fish worth around US$838 million.
In 2020, authorities detected 48 illegal vessels, with approximately 1,563 tonnes of fish taken, valued at roughly US$9.6 million.
Between 2024 and 2026, Timor-Leste is estimated to have lost more than US$48.5 million due to illegal fishing, with around 2,200 tonnes of fish reportedly taken from its waters.
TATOLI
