The Government has signed a major international agreement designed to prevent illegally caught fish being landed in ports.
The Port State Measures Agreement is the first binding treaty with a specific focus on illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing.
The global value of such fishing is estimated at between $6 billion and $13 billion. Fisheries Minister Phil Heatley says that that's up to 10 times the value of this country's annual seafood exports.
Illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing undermines efforts to conserve and manage fish stocks, Mr Heatley says, and also has a negative impact on social and economic opportunities, food security and the environment.
