Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA —  The Department of Marine and Wildlife Resources signed a cooperative agreement with the village of Fagasa on Tuesday, June 4,  2024. The agreement solidifies the village’s consensus to join the Community-based Fisheries Management Program and the establishment of their village Marine Protected Area (MPA), a subsection of Fagatele within Fagasa village.

The signing also follows several meetings with the village council and commemorates the start of a co-management approach with the Department over the marine resources in Fagasa’s village MPA.

As part of the consultations, the village Fisheries Enforcement Committee (FEC) and Fisheries Management Advisory Council (FMAC) have been set up for the development of the village MPA by-laws and Fisheries Management Plan; including the monitoring and enforcement of management measures within the village MPA.

The Department recognizes the leading role of Fagasa in this partnership and congratulates the village for their marine stewardship efforts.

Relevant trainings and projects, biological monitoring surveys, educational outreach and awareness activities etc. continue to support the technical and advisory role of DMWR.

Fagasa has declared 67,654 square yards of its Fagatele coastal waters for 5 years closure with no fishing activities allowed by village residents and outsiders, effective June 4th 2024.

For more information on the village MPA, please contact DMWR on phone number 633-4456.