Why did this man risk crocodiles, storms and prison to fish in Australian waters?

Deep inside Darwin’s high-security prison, Indonesian fisherman Dora Hamidun recounts the horrors of a deadly crocodile attack and tropical storm on her journey to Australia.

He is a repeat offender who was caught illegally fishing 11 times in Australian waters over 20 years and is currently serving a four-month prison sentence.

Despite the results, Dora says poverty has forced her to continue sailing to Australia’s northern waters in fragile wooden boats in search of precious seafood.

He is one of many Indonesians detained each year for illegal fishing and wants to tell his story.

dora’s story

Last year, Dora and her crew were caught with 40kg of illegally harvested sea cucumbers in the Lowry Shoals Marine Park off the coast of Western Australia.

At the time, his lawyer said they were repeat offenders who “should have known better” and four of them were jailed.

The native sea cucumber, known as trepan, is a delicacy abroad and a popular target for Indonesian sailors like Dora.

However, this is not a recent phenomenon; Indonesians have been traveling to Australia for centuries to fish and trade with indigenous peoples.

The ABC was granted access to Darwin Prison to speak to Dora, provided the interview was supervised by the Department of Corrections.

Dora said through an interpreter that he was the captain of the ship and that he and his crew battled bad weather on their way to Australia.

“This trip was very dangerous because the rain was relentless and the winds and waves were very high,” he said.

Dora has been standing on water ever since she left school in the fifth grade to take the place of her recently deceased father.

“If you were to see my parents over there, you would probably cry,” Dora said.

“I am also taking care of my mother and the house, and most of the wooden foundations of our house have been destroyed.”

This year alone, border authorities have seized 21 illegal foreign fishing vessels and seized more than 3.5 tons of trepan.

A special operation was launched to address the problem in Queensland.

When Dora and his crew were caught last year, they were making about $500 each.

“Lots” of crocodiles

Mr Dora said the weather was not the only danger, claiming he once saw a crocodile kill a crew member near the Tiwi Islands, 80km north of Darwin.

“The crocodile grabbed my crew member’s leg, then the four of us jumped on the crocodile, and then I poked it in the eye,” he said.

Dora said the man escaped, but despite the crew’s efforts to rescue him, he later died at sea.

The ABC could not independently confirm the death, but environmental anthropologist Natasha Stacey said it was very likely.

Professor Stacey recently co-authored a report commissioned by the federal government to investigate why fishermen like Dora continue to make dangerous voyages.

”[Indonesian] “People realize that fishing is a risky business and the benefits don’t always outweigh the costs,” she said.

“I heard that several fishermen were attacked by crocodiles and at least once someone died.”

He said the reasons for illegal fishing vary and that Indonesian fishermen are often mistakenly seen as a “homogeneous” group.

codependency

Professor Stacey also investigated the impact on illegal fishing of ‘patron-client relationships’, where boat owners provide credits in exchange for continued services from fishermen.

“These conditions are so prevalent that it is very difficult for community and household members to escape them,” she says.

Professor Stacey was able to confirm that Dora’s trip was financed by a famous boat owner from Pepera, a small fishing village on Rote Island.

Ms Dora said her boss had “power” over her and owned dozens of boats operating illegally in Australia.

“If the boss says go look for trepangs, I’ll go look for trepangs, because we’re just fishermen,” he said.

economic development

Professor Stacey’s report recommended further Australian-led community development programs in Indonesia to address illegal fishing.

The Australian Fisheries Management Authority (AFMA) said it was taking a multi-pronged approach and was using the report to inform enforcement, community engagement and diplomatic efforts.

AFMA acknowledged that improving livelihoods is an “important consideration”, but said the report “covers a wide range of issues, many of which are outside AFMA’s jurisdiction”.

The ABC understands Dora will be released on May 14 and return to Indonesia.

He believes the prospect of future travel to Australia is not entirely within his control.