American Samoa’s economic development plan, compiled by a private/public sector task force appointed by the governor, has called for a review of the requirements that established the American Samoa National Marine Sanctuary due to the future of the territory’s fishing industry being threatened significantly by external actions and decisions perpetrated independently by outsiders, such as the expansion of the National Marine Sanctuary.

This was among the issues raised in the territory’s Economic Development Implementation Plan (EDIP), which outlines economic development for American Samoa between now and the year 2017.

According to the EDIP, the restrictions, management and regulatory authority granted to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration over the Sanctuaries created more layers of federal jurisdiction — that are not necessary — because the areas covered by the new sanctuaries are not under any stress or threat.

Additionally, scientific studies can be ongoing in these sanctuary areas; and if there is stress or threat to the coral, fish or the environment, then proper and actionable remedies can be implemented that will have the full support of government and the public.

Actions recommended in the EDIP, include a review by the Attorney General as to whether requirements for establishing the American Samoa National Marine Sanctuary (ASNMS) were met.

Further, the Attorney General is to determine whether the expanded sanctuary designation undermined or breached U.S. obligations to the people of American Samoa under the Deed of Cession, to conserve assets for the people or to compensate them for infringing on protected property rights.

Additionally, recommendation was made to assess popular opinion on reversing restrictive regulations of ASNMS in part or wholly, by allowing a petition process to amend existing regulatory prohibitions. For example, remove the ASNMS regulatory conservation and enforcement role and limit it to a conservation education-only role by petition.

The EDIP also calls for engaging the U.S. Department of Interior and its Office of Insular Affairs to take a proactive role in protecting marine waters and marine assets for the people of American Samoa, by having them inform NOAA and National Marine Sanctuaries that American Samoa and the federal government are under treaty obligations and that marine waters and assets protected exclusively for American Samoa under treaty obligations have yet to be defined.

It also calls on the American Samoa Delegate to the U.S. House to make a Congressional Inquiry and Study to advocate for expanded territorial sea jurisdiction (50 up to 200 miles) for American Samoa based on its remoteness, absence of voting representation in Congress and U.S. obligations to people of American Samoa under the Deed of Cession, in which American Samoa utilizes federal agency conservation services and controls permit entry and fees.

In his State of the Territory Address, which is now the executive branch’s official annual report to the Fono, Gov. Lolo Matalasi Moliga mentioned the Sanctuary briefly, saying that the future of the two canneries is being threatened by significantly changed dynamics of the fishing industry precipitated by external actions and decisions perpetrated independently by outsiders, such as the expansion of the National Marine Sanctuary.