A Pacific fisheries meeting is being urged to consider a ban on vessels transferring their catch to other ships at sea, saying it encourages illegal fishing.
The Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WFPFC) meeting on fish stock protection will be asked to change regulation to curb illegal fishing.
"Transferring catch from one boat to another at sea - known as transshipment - is only legal in certain circumstances and the WCPFC has to be informed before and after it takes place. However, we know the practice is being used in many circumstances to hide illegal catches," said Lagi Toribau, Greenpeace Australia Pacific's oceans campaigner.
"Transshipment at sea must be banned for tuna longliner vessels, as is already the case for purse seiners. All vessels should be required to to offload their catch in the ports of Pacific countries."
The environmentalist group also wants the 'high seas' closed to all fishing.
