The local Chamber of Commerce has urged the U.S. National Oceania and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to support Tri Marine International’s petition seeking an emergency exemption on the 2015 limit on fishing efforts by U.S. purse seine vessels, saying that the Lolo Administration’s efforts to improve the fragile local economy is continually being undermined by the decision making process of outside organizations.

“American Samoa is a small island developing (SID) Territory with an economy that is heavily dependent on the tuna industry,” wrote Chamber Board of Directors chairman David Robinson. “As such, it is entitled to claim this exemption for its tuna purse seine fleet, the same as the other SID States and Territories.”

Tri Marine has a petition with NOAA for exemption of the U.S. flagged purse seiner fleet, which delivers 50% of its catch to the local canneries, to allow them to fish in the US exclusive economic zone (EEZ) and on the high seas.

These specific fishing areas are now closed to fishing by the U.S. purse seiner fleet until the end of 2015, and the deadline to submit comments on Tri Marine’s petition is no later than Aug. 17.

In the Chamber letter, Robinson explained that the two tuna canneries and the purse seine and longline fishing industry have been the backbone of the local economy for years. Additionally, the canneries are the largest private sector employer and have provided direct employment for up to 5,000 people in their plants over the years.

Further, many other private sector employers in the consumer retail and service sector such as fuel suppliers, provision suppliers and shipyard repair facility and services are tied to tuna industry expenditures.

Robinson also pointed out that the canneries are faced with increasing operational costs. For example, escalating minimum wage appears to be imminent, increased competition from low cost countries continues, and potentially new federally negotiated Free Trade Agreements all add to their difficulties.

“These influences will surely reduce the competitiveness of canned tuna production from American Samoa canneries and consequently require that they lower staffing levels and close certain production lines,” he explained.

For the locally based fishing industry, Robinson says they are also facing continual increases in costs of operation and unacceptably low fish prices. Further, daily license fees continue to rise, fishing areas are shrinking and fishing days are reduced, impacting their ability to deliver a sustainable amount of fish to the local canneries to enable them to maintain an economic level of production.

Robinson said the Lolo Administration has been actively engaged in trying to strengthen and improve the “fragile economy” of the Territory by attracting new investment here in the face of a decline in real Gross Domestic Product and population in recent years.

“It is frustrating to say the least when these efforts are being continually undermined by outside organizations in decision making processes which have not always included our Administration or given it the chance to put forward its views and articulate the adverse impacts prior to the decisions being made,” he said.

“The main stay of our economy is under threat and the Chamber urges your organization to support the petition to exempt purse seiners that are part of American Samoa’s purse seine tuna fishery,” he said.

In closing the Chamber requested that NOAA immediately engage in dialogue with the Lolo Administration, the local canneries and local fishing industry to avoid what is looking like a potentially damaging limitation, which “will severely and negatively impact our already struggling economy in the short and medium terms.”

Meanwhile, local resident and businesswoman Patricia Letuli also supports Tri Marine’s petition.

Letuli, in her comments posted yesterday in the federal portal [www.regulations.gov] said the limits on the purse seiner fleet’s fishing ability affects the whole territory. She explained that the export of product from the tuna canneries “is our only export”.

She said fishing limits in the Pacific fishing industry “not only affect the ability of the canneries to operate and provide employment to the people of our small island, but filters to all of the businesses that supply the canneries with their goods and services and supply the fishing vessels with numerous services.”

“When taken into consideration, the businesses that have been created due to cannery operations, the fishing industry is by far the largest employer in American Samoa,” she said. “To limit the fishing abilities of the fishing vessels to provide product to our canneries and threaten their continued existence in American Samoa would be devastating to the welfare of the people of American Samoa.”