The bill might not win support, and the PNA has averted defections before through vigorous diplomacy.

WSJ: David Walter: The Great Pacific Tuna Cartel

In the future, this might involve requiring fleets to bring their catch to PNA ports for canning.

WSJ: David Walter: The Great Pacific Tuna Cartel

The PNA also moved to extend its restrictions on skipjack fishing to cover fishing for sashimi-grade tuna such as bigeye and bluefin.

WSJ: David Walter: The Great Pacific Tuna Cartel

Malsol during the PNA's annual meeting, held earlier this month in Palau.

WSJ: David Walter: The Great Pacific Tuna Cartel

"China has been one of our big brothers, " said Nannete Malsol, a Palauan who this month completed a yearlong term as PNA chair.

WSJ: David Walter: The Great Pacific Tuna Cartel

The question is, can the PNA pull off its grand vision?

WSJ: David Walter: The Great Pacific Tuna Cartel

Despite hosting the PNA annual meeting just a few weeks ago, he announced last Monday that he was submitting a bill to ban all commercial fishing in the country's waters.

WSJ: David Walter: The Great Pacific Tuna Cartel

If vessels want to catch the tuna in the PNA's rich waters, they must agree to host an independent monitor onboard and stay out of designated high seas pockets that extend for 1.7 million square miles.

WSJ: David Walter: The Great Pacific Tuna Cartel

The PNA says it aims to be most sustainable tuna fishery in the world, partly because it's the right thing to do, but also because in the long run overfishing would be terrible for PNA states' livelihoods.

WSJ: David Walter: The Great Pacific Tuna Cartel