Opening vast marine reserve in Pacific waters to commercial fishing draws mixed reactions
Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) Governor Arnold Palacios commended Western Pacific Fisheries Council and American Samoa US Delegate Uifa'atali Amata Radewagen for persua

![U.S. Delegate Amata Coleman Radewagen (left) of American Samoa joins President Donald Trump as he signs a proclamation in the Oval Office at the White House on April 17, 2025 in Washington, DC. The proclamation expands fishing rights in the Pacific Islands to an area he described as three times the size of California. [Photo: AFP / Win MCNAMEE] Amata with Trump and others](https://samoanews.com/sites/default/files/styles/teaser/public/field/image/amata_with_trump_copy.jpg?itok=LLYiKOtT)






![In early 2020 Amata joined with the NPS crew, US Mint Director David Ryder and NPS Regional Director Stanley Austin on a visit to our National Park. [courtesy photo] Amata and others](https://samoanews.com/sites/default/files/styles/teaser/public/field/image/amata_with_nps_others.jpg?itok=8W3bem9D)

![Pope Francis in his open coffin during the rite of the Confirmation of the Death of the Pontiff at the Chapel of Santa Marta in The Vatican. [Photo: AFP/ Vatican Media] Pope Francis in his open coffin](https://samoanews.com/sites/default/files/styles/teaser/public/field/image/pope_francis_coffin_copy.jpg?itok=2YitqJ0c)