A report by the nature organisation, WWF, says Australia and New Zealand could better support Pacific countries in an effort to crack down on illegal fishing.
The WWF report on sustainable fishing was timed to coincide with the U.N. fish stocks meeting in New York.
The report, called "Follow the Leader", has made a number of recommendations, including the need for better compliance and enforcement, and working together to trace fish from when it's caught to when it's sold on markets.
"The Oceans Programme manager for WWF Australia, Ghislaine Llewellyn, says better monitoring of the high seas is essential."
One of our key recommendations is for developing countries, especially those with experience in managing fisheries like Australia and New Zealand to help provide some targeted support to the developing states so that they are better represented at meetings, that they have a strong voice and have experience in negotiating policy and have their own opportunity to develop a sustainable fishing fleet.
Ghislaine Llewellyn, of WWF Australia
Outcomes from the UN meeting included a call to the US for more assistance, a scrapping of subsidies, a reduction in the size of fishing fleets and increased efforts to conserve fish stocks through regional organisations.
