The head of the Parties to the Nauru Agreement says member countries are hiking fishing fees as part of measures to recognise a resource that is going up in value.
The eight nations that make up the PNA are raising the fees they charge purse seiner tuna boats by 33 percent.
From next year, the fishing day fee for foreign fishing vessels will rise from 6000 to a minimum of 8000 US dollars per boat.
The chief executive of the PNA, Dr Transform Aqorau, says if foreign companies want to fish in Pacific waters they must pay what is asked of them.
"As resource owners, we would like to be able to get a fair share of the value of the fishery. It's ours and I don't see any reason why we should be getting the poor end of the deal."
Dr Transform Aqorau says rising fees is not an unreasonable demand as the major beneficiaries of the fishery continue to be those companies who catch the fish and process it.
