Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — Congresswoman Uifa’atali Amata is correcting a misunderstanding that reopening some waters to fishing somehow may have caused the seabed mining issue, in a press release, dated Saturday, June 7, 2025.

“In fact, the two executive orders by the President are separate, and he already had the authority to issue a seabed order before the fishery decision,” the release notes.

“To be clear, the fisheries decision did not open Pacific waters to seabed mining,” Uifa’atali states. “I understand the confusion because of the timing of the two separate decisions.

“While both decisions have U.S. and Pacific long term security implications in preventing China’s dominance, one decision did not cause the other, nor did it have any bearing on the legality or authority of the critical minerals order.”

She states that “the fisheries order is a success I’ve been working for throughout my entire time in Congress, to help secure our fishing and local economy.

“On the other hand, the critical minerals order is not something I called for at any time, nor did I endorse or advocate for it.

“Instead, I have many questions, and our people have many concerns and even fears.”

She explains, “as your representative, I am calling for the DOI to sit down with ASG and answer all the many questions, as well as the public comment period that the law will require.

“I stand with our people, and I am actively listening in multiple town hall and round table discussions.

“I will continue hearing from you, reporting back to you, and representing your concerns to the administration,” Uifa’atali concluded.

Samoa News notes it’s possible the confusion could also be the result of the letter, dated May 26, 2025, that former Gov. Lolo M. Moliga wrote to Congresswoman Uifa’atali, asking that she consider the negative impact of deep-sea mining near the waters of American Samoa.

In his letter, Lolo commends Uifa’atali for her the relentless perseverance and tenacity that she displayed in her quest to opening up of fishing grounds banned by federally established Marine Sanctuaries, and asked that she now “lead our charge to ward off money-grabbing enterprises at the peril of our people,” in the issue of deep-sea mining.