The French navy is reported to have intercepted two so-called blue boats fishing illegally off New Caledonia.
Photo: RNZI/Supplied by Frank Aote’e
According to Les Nouvelles Caledoniennes, the boats, which are believed to be from Vietnam, were caught near the island of Belep on Thursday morning, with beche-de-mer on board.
The French High Commission has told the news site that the boats and their 30 crew are being towed to Noumea.
Earlier this year there were multiple arrests in New Caledonia where French naval surveillance spotted dozens of boats in operation.
Several Vietnamese captains caught in New Caledonia are serving jail sentences while a large number of sailors have been deported.
Earlier this year, the Forum Fisheries Agency said the Vietnamese blue boats should be labelled reef robbers for their persistent illegal activities around Melanesian islands.