A group of Indonesian fishermen who were wrongfully held at a Darwin detention centre for several weeks have returned home to their families.

The Australian government admits it was a terrible mistake, as Louisa Rebgetz reports.

"The Australian Fisheries Management Authority apprehended a number of fishermen in waters north of Darwin last month. They destroyed at least four boats and took the men to the Berrimah detention centre. On Thursday 55 of the fishermen were cleared of the charges. The federal government has agreed to reimburse the men but some of them say it's not enough. Spokeswoman for the Greens, Kerry Nettle says its a disgrace. 'Their families probably don't know they've been detained, probably thought they'd been lost at sea so its a horrendous situation for these people.' Fisheries Minister Tony Burke says the mistake won't mean a more lenient approach to patrols. 'We still have to have a strong position on illegal fishing.' Most of the fishermen flew out of Darwin this afternoon."

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