The Fish Market, under the jurisdiction of the Commerce Department, will soon have a new manager, who is reported to be a local businessman, and it will operate as a private business, according to the American Samoa Community Activities and Issues Report, presented at this week’s 168th meeting of the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council in Honolulu.

As previously reported by Samoa News, locally based Tautai o Samoa Longline and Fishing Association was awarded early this year the contract by DOC to operate and manage the Fish Market, located at the Fagatogo Market Place.

Tautai o Samoa was one of the three bidders for the project but later rescinded its proposal citing among other things the high lease rate set by DOC. The lease was to be valid Apr. 1, 2016 to Mar. 30, 2019 with a rate of $1.35 per square foot valued at $1,66.25 in monthly lease payments. Tautai o Samoa was also required to procure three separate insurance policies totaling $1.2 million. (See Samoa News edition June 7 for details.)

Regarding the Fish Market Lease, the American Samoa Community Activities and Issues Report says it “will have a new manager soon.” It notes the fish market, funded by the Council, “and controlled by the local Department of Commerce, will be leased to a local businessman who the department has identified as the new market manager. The fish market will operate under its new management as a private business.”

While the original plan for the fish market was to have it operated as a cooperative by local fishermen, the reports states that there have been difficulties and the previous two managers of the market have cited expensive fees and operating costs as the reason for not continuing.

The report noted that Tautai o Samoa was awarded the lease early this year, but “rescinded their offer due to what they felt was unreasonable rent and insurance requirements.” It notes the government asked Tautai to pay nearly $2,000 in monthly rent, and required an insurance policy in excess of $1 million.

While the fish market remains closed and the previous two managers have continued their operations elsewhere, there is no official announcement on the timeframe for the re-opening of the Fish Market, or the details of the lease agreement with the new manager, or the new business owner the report points out.

The fish market and the “inability of the local government to successfully utilize” the facility was also cited in a report submitted to the Council by its American Samoa Archipelago Fishery Ecosystem Plan (FEP) Advisory Panel, which met on Sept. 23 to discuss several issues.

According to the report, members discussed how the market has been run only as a private business and the original vision of having a local fishermen’s cooperative run the market and share costs with support of the government has never been realized. Previous managers were described as having been unable to cover the costs required for rent and operations and that was why they gave up on operating the fish market.

And it was revealed at the meeting of DOC’s plans to lease the market to a new manager in the near future, and also that it will once again be operated as a business as opposed to a fishermen’s cooperative run by a group of fishermen or the local fishing association.

FISHERMEN DAY

Another fishery issue cited in both reports is the successful “Fishermen Day” held Sept. 10 coordinated and planned by DOC and the Marine and Wildlife Department to assist some of the local fishermen with making the public aware that fresh fish is available to purchase from fishermen of the alia and spear fishing fisheries.

A large quantity of fish was sold that morning and one alia owner sold over $1,000 before the first hour of the event was done. Seafood vendors from the business community were also invited to participate in the event.

According to the reports, the goal of the event was to highlight the small boat and spear fisheries, and assist fishermen in selling their catch.

“The hope was that by letting the public know that there are fishermen who provide fresh fish, there would be a higher demand for fresh fish products with local consumers,” according to the reports.

Additionally, the event was “planned as a response to the need of local small boat fishermen to have support from the local government in marketing, and both fishermen and consumers have inquired about why the Council funded Fagatogo Fish Market was not utilized as the hub for such a program.”