The conference in Australia's island state of Tasmania will highlight the plight of the Patagonian toothfish, which has been illegally fished around Australia's remote sub-Antarctic possession of Heard Island.

Legislator Sharman Stone hailed Indonesia's decision to attend the Commission for the Conservation of Antacrctic Marine Living Resourcesmeeting, which opens Monday in Hobart.

"It is significant that Indonesia, being a neighbour to the Antarctic and to the Southern Ocean, is now participating as a member of CCAMLR," said Stone, parliamentary secretary to the minister of the environment.

"For illegal fishing it is also important because they do their best to try and ensure that the catch documentation scheme is valid when they have a lot of the fished catch offloaded in Indonesian ports."

The two-week meeting of representatives from 20 countries is due to end on November 7.

It comes after a high-profile 21-day chase across the southern Atlantic for a Uruguayan-flagged vessel, the Viarsa I, which was suspected of illegally fishing for toothfish.

The boat was finally captured and brought to Australia, where its crew are facing criminal charges.

Stone said Australia, which has a large Antarctic territory, was determined to stop illegal fishing.

"Australia is determined to make it too tough for poachers," she said in a statement. "Illegal fishing is particularly frustrating for those countries who insist their nationals take a responsible approach to sustain fish stocks through catch limits in the Southern Ocean.

"The Australian government is determined to ensure toothfish and other species survive, but we cannot achieve this outcome alone."

TERRA.WIRE