While Bumble Bee Food LLC cannery is looking at setting up operations in neighboring Samoa, the San Diego-based company is also showing interest in American Samoa’s fish suppliers, who have been invited to attend a luncheon tomorrow.

Bumble Bee’s public relations office didn’t immediately respond yesterday to Samoa News email questions and request for comments on this interesting event, which comes at a time when the locally based U.S. fishing fleet is faced with increased expenses in operations and stiff competition from a heavily subsidized Chinese fleet.

Among the locally based fleets are the longliners and purse seiners owned by Tri Marine International, whose local operations includes Samoa Tuna Processors Inc. Samoa News wasn’t able to confirm at press time if Tri Marine’s fishing fleet is on the invitation list for the luncheon.

A Bumble Bee invitation sent out to the local fishing industry states that, as a “courtesy to the fish suppliers in American Samoa” the company’s vice president of resourcing, Kevin McClain and vice president of loin operations, Brett Butler “would like to invite you to join us for lunch to discuss events affecting our industry, and get to know the US market’s leading albacore provider.”

The luncheon is set for 11:30a.m. tomorrow (Friday) at the Don’t Drink the Water restaurant.

It should be noted that Butler resigned more than a year ago as general manager of StarKist Samoa. At the time, there was a lot of speculation that Butler was heading to Bumble Bee, which is still going through an acquisition process by Thai Union, owner of Chicken of the Sea International.

Bumble Bee’s luncheon has raised questions as to what the company is up to — and if they are trying to secure some of the local fish suppliers for their planned operations in Samoa.