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New Zealand and Australia should do more to help Pacific Island nations prevent illegal fishing off their shores, environmental group Greenpeace says.
At the Pacific Tuna Forum in Port Moresby yesterday, Greenpeace Pacific's Oceans Team leader Nilesh Goundar said island nations could not combat pirate fishing.
Australia and New Zealand, with the United States and European countries, could assist in surveillance, funding and training to combat illegal fishers, who accounted for 20 per cent of the world's catch, he said.
Greenpeace is calling for 50 per cent less fishing across the Pacific tuna fisheries to protect stocks, especially overfished bigeye and yellowfin tuna.
Mr Goundar said Australia and New Zealand with their air and naval resources helped with aerial and surface surveillance in the Pacific but could do more to curb illegal fishing and protect tuna stocks.
Australia had a programme of supplying patrol boats to Pacific nations, but there were limitations on their use such as high fuel prices, said Mr Goundar.
- AAP, NZPA
