The conservation group, Sea Shepherd, sees the termination of its marine surveillance agreement with Palau as an opportunity to boost protection of Pacific regional fish stocks.
Palau ended its agreement with Sea Shepherd for providing surveillance in its waters after receiving a counter offer from Japan.
The group's president says he hopes that reaching agreements with other Pacific nations will mean that Japan, whose whalers have clashed regularly with Sea Shepherd, also offers them a patrol vessel and surveillance support.
Paul Watson says Pacific Island countries need all the help they can find to protect the stocks in their exclusive economic zones.
"That's their big treasure, their EEZ. The poachers just go in there and run rampant. We had the same problem in the Galapagos before we moved in and we've cut poaching down there significantly. The oceans are being plundered - left. right and centre. There's more illegal fishing going on in the world than legal fishing."
Paul Watson
