Border protection authorities have reportedly picked up five boats over the past 24 hours off WA’s northern coast.
A fishing tour operator from Kuri Bay, nearly 400km north of Broome, told the ABC they had reported the boats to authorities after seeing them among the mangroves.
It’s unclear whether the wooden vessels were in Australian waters for illegal fishing or people smuggling.
The Australian Border Force and new Home Affairs minister Tony Burke have been contacted for comment.
There has been a huge swell in illegal fishing in the wake of the pandemic due to tourism operations shutting down and soaring prices for sea cucumber and shark fins.
In June, authorities arrested 15 Indonesian fishers and captured two boats in a single operation as part of an ongoing crackdown.
Some security experts and the Opposition have raised concerns the uptick in illegal fishing ventures could be disguising people smuggling boats.