A high-level delegation from Indonesia's Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries (MMAF), Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Indonesian Embassy in Canberra is attending a VMS Pilot Program Coordination Meeting at the Australian Fisheries Management Authority (AFMA) headquarters from 22 to 25 September 2026. The opening session was also attended by senior officials from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) and the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF).
The VMS Pilot Program is being delivered by MMAF and AFMA under Australia's Combating Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing and Promoting Sustainable Fisheries in Southeast Asia (SEA IUU Fishing) Program. The pilot aims to strengthen Indonesia's capacity to monitor artisanal fishing vessels using VMS, improve compliance with fisheries management arrangements, deter unauthorised fishing in other countries' exclusive economic zones, and enhance fisher safety. It will also help inform Indonesia's assessment of the feasibility of scaling up VMS to a broader program for artisanal fishers.
This work supports Australia's broader objectives to strengthen maritime partnerships in Southeast Asia and uphold international law in the region.
Over the course of the meeting, participants have engaged in open and practical discussions on the progress of the pilot, including findings and lessons learned to date, analysis of VMS data, and what these findings mean for the next stage of Australia and Indonesia's cooperation.
This work contributes to our shared efforts to combat illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing in the region. It also provides an opportunity to consider how our VMS cooperation can support broader regional fisheries management frameworks, including the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission and other relevant Regional Fisheries Management Organisations.
The meeting also provided an opportunity to look beyond the VMS pilot and explore other areas where Australia and Indonesia can strengthen cooperation. This includes VMS capacity building, risk-based compliance approaches, and the potential use of forensic capabilities to better understand the supply chains and financing networks associated with IUU fishing activities. During the week, MMAF also had the opportunity to meet with DFAT and Maritime Border Command to discuss the ongoing partnership on maritime security.
Discussions throughout the meeting made great progress on identifying practical outcomes that strengthen Australia and Indonesia's collective efforts to combat IUU fishing and promote sustainable fisheries in the region.
