Australia detains Vietnamese fishermen pushed out of South China Sea

March 10 (UPI) -- Chinese activities in the South China Sea may be pushing Vietnamese fishermen from their traditional fishing waters, according to an Australian press report.

ABC News reported Friday a group of Vietnamese fishermen who were intercepted in February near the Australian coast had strayed from more familiar waters because of territorial disputes in the South China Sea.

Three fishermen on one Vietnamese boat were detained in Darwin, Australia, this week, after catching massive quantities of sea cucumber near an Australia marine park, according to the report.

"We've seen a recent spike in activity in Australian waters by Vietnamese vessels," said Peter Venslovas of the Australian Fisheries Management Authority. "We've had 13 apprehensions in the last 11 months. And that is a recent phenomenon."

A court in Darwin heard testimony from the fishermen, hailing from relatively impoverished backgrounds. Their stories suggested they were being hustled out of the South China Sea, particularly near areas around the disputed Spratly Islands, according to the report.

China has been militarizing the islands in recent months, although Vietnam and other neighboring countries also claim the territory.

A total of nearly 30 fishermen were intercepted on two boats near Australia's Queensland coast on Feb. 15, and 14 of them were in court this week for what Australian authorities have described as illegal activity in territorial waters.

Of the group, 11 were given suspended prison sentences because they are first-time offenders. Two were sentenced to four months in jail, and another was sentenced to six months.

The United States has condemned Chinese activities under the current Trump and former Obama administrations, and according to Philippine analyst Richard Heydarian, Washington could make a "more aggressive, more sustained and counter push against the Chinese," ABS-CBN News Channel reported Friday.

"This is a generally good things for [the Philippines] especially now," Heydarian said.

The Philippines is also a claimant to the Spratly Islands.