Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — “Fisheries sustains our livelihoods in all aspects of our lives" was the core message that reverberated through the remarks of Lt. Gov. Lemanu Peleti Mauga, who opened the 180th meeting of the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council yesterday in Pago Pago, American Samoa, according to a press release issued yesterday afternoon. However, Tautai O Samoa Longline & Fishing Association disagrees, saying there is no local support for the longline fisheries and further none of these entities will “blink twice” if they disappear. 

The press release notes that Congresswoman Aumua Amata's opening remarks echoed those of the Lt. Governor. "Fishing has sustained us for our entire history," she said."Fishing forms the backbone of our local economy." She noted that the U.S. purse-seine fleet, which provides tuna to the American Samoa-based cannery, pays up to $2 million annually per vessel in access fees to fish in foreign exclusive economic zone (EEZ) waters. Restoring the ability of U.S. fishermen to access U.S. EEZ waters that are now closed due to marine national monument regulations "remains the Interior Department's clear recommendation," she added. "It is my priority to get this important decision onto the President's agenda."

Amata said that the Chinese longline fleet has soared to more than 500 and now catches 45 percent of the South Pacific albacore, while the American Samoa longline fleet has dropped from 60 vessels to 13 active vessels. "The US must be alert to the actions of China, monitor how that affects our fleet, and be constantly active and engaged in the Pacific region," she said.

Mike McDonald from the American Samoa Department of Commerce provided a report on the importance of the cannery to the American Samoa gross domestic product (GDP). According to the report, if the cannery were to shut down it would be a $200 million loss annually, which represents one third of the Territory's GDP. The report said the cannery provides 25 percent of the territory's jobs and effectively subsidizes the cost of freight and fuel to American Samoa, as the cost of both would be significantly more if that cannery were not in the Territory.

Va'amua Henry Sesepasara, director of the Territory's Department of Marine and Wildlife Resources (DMWR), reviewed fishery development and fishery data collection efforts. 

TAUTAI O SAMOA LONGLINE & FISHING ASSOCIATION RESPONDS

In response to the joint statement issued by the Council, the ASG and Congresswoman Amata, Christinna Lutu-Sanchez, American Samoan owner of U.S. longline vessels from Utulei village and current President of Tautai O Samoa Longline & Fishing Association said, “What a bunch of baloney those statements are! 

“The heading highlights the importance of fisheries to this US territory, yet NONE of our local leaders have stepped up to support the U.S. longline fleet owned and operated by American Samoans in American Samoa, the only true commercial fishery owned by American Samoans that delivers to Starkist and the last U.S. longline south pacific albacore fleet.”

Lutu-Sanchez pointed out that “all the local leaders beg the US government to open waters to the U.S. distant water fleet (the purse seiners), yet object to the temporary amendment to the LVPA. Nothing has happened since the Council passed this amendment. The ASG, nor any of the locally elected leaders have extended support to the local longline fleet since the beginning of their respective administrations. 

“Meanwhile, because the Council is a political body and the NMFS are government entities, they will also tip-toe around the issue of the survival of the local longline fleet and will not blink twice if it disappears. 

“We, the American Samoan longline owners have finally accepted the fact that no one really truly cares what happens to this fishery, and we are left to battle it on our own. 

“We have not attended any of these Council meetings held in American Samoa simply because of this realization.  Our data and information is good for their reports generated, but there is no sincere intent to support this U.S./ AS fleet,” she stated.