Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — Congresswoman Uifa’atali Amata is hailing President Trump’s Proclamation restoring fishing waters, which will expand options for the U.S. tuna fleet out of Pago Pago Harbor. President Trump made the Proclamation on April 17th, coinciding with American Samoa’s 125th Flag Day, which celebrates the first official raising of the U.S. flag in American Samoa in the year 1900.

In a press release, Uifa’atali Amata, who requested action on this important issue, was delighted to be at the White House for the President’s Proclamation, and thanked President Trump personally for restoring fishing for Pacific Island communities in the Pacific Remote Island Marine National Monument (PRIMNM) between 50- 200 miles offshore.

“Thank you, President Trump! This sensible Proclamation is important to the stability and future of American Samoa’s economy, but it also is fantastic news for U.S. food security,” said Congresswoman Uifa’atali. “The vast Pacific Islands area cannot fall under the domination of an increasingly aggressive CCP. Instead, President Trump’s key action strengthens our American fishing fleet and helps combat malign activities by the CCP with increased U.S. fishing presence along with Coast Guard operations.” 

According to Uifa’atali’s press release, the President’s Proclamation boosts American commercial fishing presence and economic activity in the Pacific islands region; helps reassert U.S. commitment and energetic presence in the Pacific; helps reduce I.U.U. fishing; combats malign activities by the CCP in the region based on U.S. commercial and Coast Guard presence; and enhances the nation’s food security by securing our supply chain of healthy tuna, serving our Buy America school lunch and military K-rations, and reducing unnecessary reliance on imported fish.

“Our U.S. fleet of law-abiding, thoroughly regulated fishermen is preferable to dependence on other nations supply, and highly preferable to the Illegal, Unregulated and Unreported fishing practices that are a problem in our shared ocean. The American fleet is part of the solution, not the problem. I appreciate this strong, patriotic, common sense, and economically wise decision by President Trump,” concluded Uifa’atali Amata.

Uifa’atali added special thanks to Governor Pulaali’i Nikolao Pula, Lt. Governor Pulumataala Ae Ae, Jr., Taotasi Archie Soliai, Taulapapa Will Sword, Seuta’atia Kitty Simonds, Ricardo da Rosa, Erik Kekoa Kingma, John Myking, and Sean Martin.

In a video of the event, Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council Executive (WPRFMC) Director Seuta’atia Kitty Simonds, Congresswoman Uifa’atali Amata, and Council Vice Chair Taotasi Archie Soliai are seen at the Oval Office as President Trump signs the Executive Order concerning the PRIMNM. (A video of the event can be found on https://youtu.be/rbAAql5wXHg?si=bfur2wLMvx_JFVdW)

“The Council welcomes the President’s Proclamation that will allow two major U.S. fisheries in the Pacific Ocean back into U.S. waters,” said Taulapapa William Sword, Chair of the WPRFMC,, in a Council press release. He went on to say this decision is aligned with the Council’s long-held stance that sustainable U.S. fisheries can coexist with marine conservation goals.

On April 17, 2025, The White House issued the following press release:

White House Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Unleashes American Commercial Fishing in the Pacific

UNLEASHING OPPORTUNITY IN THE PACIFIC: Today, President Donald J. Trump signed a proclamation to unleash American commercial fishing in the Pacific Ocean—a key component of the America First Fishing Policy.

• •        The proclamation opens the Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument (PRIMNM) to commercial fishing, boosting the economy of American Samoa.
• •        It allows U.S.-flagged vessels to fish commercially within 50 to 200 nautical miles of the PRIMNM’s boundaries.

EMPOWERING AMERICAN COMMERCIAL FISHERMEN: President Trump believes that removing unnecessary restrictions on American fishermen will strengthen the U.S. economy, support local communities, and restore fairness to an industry disadvantaged by overregulation and foreign competition.

• •        The PRIMNM was first established by President Bush in 2009 and then expanded by President Obama, closing off over 400,000 square miles of the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone in the Pacific.
• •        The ban on commercial fishing within the PRIMNM did little to guard fish populations against overfishing, as tuna and other pelagic species are migratory in nature and do not permanently reside within the PRIMNM.
• •        As a result of the prohibitions on commercial fishing, American fishing fleets have lost access to nearly half of the United States’ Exclusive Economic Zone in the Pacific Islands.
  • o       This has driven American fishermen to fish further offshore in international waters to compete against poorly regulated and highly subsidized foreign fleets, most notably from China.
  • o       By supporting honest American fishermen, we combat the rampant illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing by foreign fleets.
  • •        This disadvantages United States commercial fishermen and is detrimental for United States territories like American Samoa, whose private sector economy is dependent on the fishing industry.
  • o       American Samoa is home to the only Buy American-compliant tuna processing facility for U.S. military rations and school lunch programs.
  • o       This cannery is the largest employer on the island, providing about 5,000 jobs.  In fact, the cannery accounts for 99.5% of American Samoa’s exports and 84% of the private employment in the territory.

ADVANCING U.S. ECONOMIC INTERESTS: President Trump’s actions to revitalize commercial fishing are part of his broader strategy to unleash the full potential of the American economy by prioritizing deregulation and cutting red tape.

• •        President Trump launched a 10-to-1 deregulation initiative, ensuring every new Federal rule is justified by clear benefits and accompanied by much larger deregulatory measures.
• •        President Trump established the National Energy Dominance Council to cut red tape, enhance private sector investments, advance innovation, and streamline the permitting process across all forms of American energy.
• •        President Trump established the “Department of Government Efficiency” to examine how to streamline the operations of the Federal Government, eliminate unnecessary programs and wasteful spending, and reduce bureaucratic inefficiency.
• •        President Trump has already reduced unnecessarily large governmental entities and terminated numerous harmful Biden expansions of governmental authority.

BACKGROUND

In 2014, President Obama increased the Pacific Remote Island Marine National Monument (PRIMNM) from the original 80,000 square miles under President Bush to an unbelievable 490,000 square miles; and extended the fishing ban from 50-200 miles.

For perspective, the original PRIMNM area created was the size of Minnesota (80,000 sq. miles); and President Obama increased it six-fold adding the equivalent of California (260,000 sq. miles) and Texas (150,000 sq. miles) and eliminating fishing in the process. This PRIMNM area and fishing ban is five times the size of all the Great Lakes combined! In fact, it is roughly 20 percent the size of the lower 48 states and the smallest 20 states would fit in the PRIMNM area with its fishing ban in open ocean waters.

There was never any science justifying this fishing ban. Restoration of fishing from 50-200 miles will not negate any protections for existing inland waterway, beach, coral, or any other near-shore fishing species, flora or fauna.