The Abbott government has been rebuked by Japan and New Zealand for ditching Australia's commitment to closely monitor its catch of the endangered southern bluefin tuna.

Australia had undertaken to bring in a stereo video monitoring system to more accurately measure its live catch following Japanese claims that Australian fishers were falsely counting their take of the highly prized fish.

Fisherman harvest southern blue fin tuna from their enclosures 20km out to sea from Port Lincoln. Credit:DAVID MARIUZ

The parliamentary secretary for agriculture, Richard Colbeck, has shelved the proposal, claiming its $600,000 cost was unwarranted in an industry worth $150 million a year in exports.

Australia takes 5151 tonnes of southern bluefin a year - the lion's share of a 12,449-tonne global catch split between nine nations. The fish is listed as critically endangered by environment group the International Union for Conservation of Nature.