National security policymakers in Australia need the advice and expertise of academics, and academics need to do more to engage with those in a position to put their ideas into practice, Anthony Bergin writes.

The dynamiting of reefs, plus overfishing, illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing, and the impacts of climate change are all having an impact on fish stocks in the contested waters of the South China Sea. Anthony Bergin takes a look at what Australia could do about it.