Policy and maritime experts have said desperation led Indonesian fishers to their deaths off Australia's North West coast last week and called for the tragedy to be a deterrent to others.
The dramatic ordeal of 11 Indonesian men surviving with little or no food and water for six days on sandy Bedwell Island, in the Rowley Shoals, before being rescued late on Monday has made national news.
However, the death toll from Cyclone Ilsa's record-breaking transit through the Indian Ocean is rising, with another two boats and their crew missing, feared drowned.
One of the survivors swam for 30 hours, tied to a large plastic container, before he washed up on Bedwell Island, 300 kilometres west of Broome, while at least eight other crew members remain unaccounted for.
The rescued fishermen were transferred from Broome to Darwin on Wednesday.
Risks little deterrent
Griffith University's Paul King has been visiting Indonesia for 30 years and for the past 12 has researched the Indonesian fishing industry, including in port villages on Rote Island.
Dr King described the latest drownings as a tragedy, especially during the Muslim holy period of Ramadan.
"The families would be devastated their fathers and sons won't be coming home," he said.
But Dr King said there was little to deter fishermen from making the risky journey 800 kilometres from home because they are often desperate to provide for their families.
"[Fishing provides] family income, household income, education for the children, for food, and a reasonable standard of living for their families," he said.
In 2018 there were 210 Indonesian fishermen in Australian detention, many of them from Papela – the same village caught up in the recent Rowley Shoals tragedy.
Debt traps fishing families
Dr King said high prices for delicacies such as shark fin, trepang and reef fish across Asian markets would continue to lure fishermen to go to greater lengths.
"The other problem is that sometimes they have debt to the boss of the boat," he said.
"Some of the bosses actually support the families while the fishermen are at sea and that debt has to be repaid when they return.
"If they do have a good fishing trip, they can pay off most of the debt. But if they don't have a good fishing trip, they're left with that extra debt.
"They're caught in a debt trap … a cycle. They have to go and travel again."
Dr King sees education of younger generations as a key to breaking that cycle, whereby they can become teachers, civil servants or have a career in the tech industry or e-commerce.
"Instead of surveillance and rescue that is happening at the moment, try and move some of that money into these program developments and support, especially for the current generation," he said.
History and culture at play
Professor Fred Benu is a lecturer at Nusa Cendana University in Kupang and said cultural and social factors were also involved.
"The historical evidence points to a regular use of Ashmore Reef by Indonesian fishermen since … sometime between 1725 and 1750," Professor Benu said.
"[For] some traditional fishermen from Rote Island, [fishing in Australian waters] is part of their socio-economic perspective."
Professor Benu said climate change and fish shortages have also forced fishermen to travel "further and further".
"To solve the problem, we have to introduce some alternative livelihood for the local people," he said.
"Too many times we have the same tragedy."
Professor Benu wants both governments to join with non-government organisations to find a solution.
"We already have an agreement between Indonesia and Australia, but we cannot just ... put the agreement on the table and tell the local people that this is the agreement," he said.
"The most important thing is that the local fishermen have to be included … so they can tell their perspective and we can hear from them."
Warning to other fishermen
John Coyne is the head of the strategic policing and law enforcement program at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute.
He said the loss of life should be used by the Indonesian government as a deterrent to other would-be fishers in Australian waters.
"It ought to be used to send some very clear messaging … to highlight this tragedy and the fact that it is related to a series of bad decisions," Dr Coyne said.
"Is it a failure by the Indonesian government in terms of regulating its fishing fleet and regulating safety standards, both by setting those standards and enforcing them? Absolutely.
"On one side, yes, there is a personal responsibility — and I'm a firm believer in personal responsibility. On the other one, is the responsibility on government to communicate and regulate these issues."
Dr Coyne said the rescued fishermen endured a harrowing experience.
"The idea of floating for 10, 20, 30 hours in saltwater in a variety of conditions, day and night, exposed to the possibility of sharks — what a horrendous experience to have," he said.
"To be alone without food and water or to be with a group without food or water for six days, shows the personal strengths of those people involved. It does take a great deal of courage to survive those things."
