Media Release
2 October 2025
Australian and Indonesian maritime agencies have successfully concluded Operation Jawline Arafura, a coordinated week-long patrol targeting illegal maritime activities in the Arafura Sea. Held from 20 to 25 September 2025, the joint operation involved six vessels and focused on strengthening border security and enhancing cooperation between the two nations.
Led by the Australian Border Force (ABF), Australian Fisheries Management Authority (AFMA), and Indonesian Directorate General of Surveillance of Marine and Fisheries Resources (PSDKP), this annual joint patrol aims to deter, detect and respond to illegal maritime activities, including illegal foreign fishing.
Commander of the ABF’s Maritime Border Command, Rear Admiral Brett Sonter, said that the two nations are enduring friends and neighbors, united in the mission to combat illegal fishing and illegal maritime activities. “Operation Jawline Arafura demonstrates our ability to work together to bolster our border security capabilities, ensuring a coordinated focus on combating any illegal activity where we share a maritime border with Indonesia.”
“Illegal foreign fishing represents a serious threat to both our border security and our marine environment. We will not tolerate any illegal activity in our waters, and we will continue to work tirelessly to combat this threat with our regional partners,” added RADM Sonter.
Director General of Surveillance of the Indonesian Marine and Fisheries Resources (PSDKP) Pung Nugroho Saksono stated, “PSDKP is committed to continuing its collaboration with ABF and AFMA to promote responsible fishing practices and prevent illegal activities in both Indonesian and Australian waters.”
AFMA’s General Manager of Fisheries Operations, Justin Bathurst said, “We always appreciate the opportunity to work together with our Indonesian counterparts and coordinate our operations to counter illegal fishing activity from both sides of the maritime border.”
Operational assets deployed by each agency included:
- ABF’s Cape Class patrol vessel ABFC Cape St George and a Dash 8 surveillance aircraft.
- Indonesia’s patrol vessel KP ORCA 06 with an ATR42 surveillance aircraft.
- AFMA officers embedded across Australian and Indonesian platforms.
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Photos: https://www.flickr.com/photos/kedubesaustralia/albums/72177720329413673