The Cook Islands Court of Appeal is hearing an appeal against the government's Purse Seine Fishery Plan and its partnership with the European Union.
Under a partnership deal signed in 2016, the Cook Islands was to receive nearly $US7 million over a four year period in return for providing access to four European flagged purse seine fishing vessels targetting skipjack tuna.
The traditional chiefs' body, Aronga Mana O Te Au O Tonga and the environmental group, Te Ipukarea Society, said the government needed to conduct environmental assessments on the impact of the fishery plan but failed to do so.
Both groups said, they, as key stakeholders, should also have been consulted.
They further contended that the government had not properly enforced its own regulations with regard to fish aggregation devices, or FADs.
Their concerns were dismissed in an earlier High Court ruling of which they are now seeking a judicial review.
The Court of Appeal's decision is not expected before July.