Fiji, Aug. 3 -- One of the least understood, but most successful, innovations in international fisheries law emerged not from one of the world's great powers, but from the small island countries of the Pacific.

Many people today hear about "Ship Rider Agreements" and wonder whether they compromise the sovereignty of Pacific Island countries or somehow allow foreign countries to police our waters. The answer is simple: they do not. In fact, Ship Rider Agreements are among the strongest expressions of Pacific Island sovereignty because they are built on the principle that all enforcement authority remains with the coastal State.

To understand why Ship Rider Agreements, exist, we need to go back to the birth of the modern law of the sea. ...