Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — Through an Oct. 21st memorandum, Gov. Lemanu Peleti Mauga appointed two more members of the American Samoa Fisheries Task Force. The additional members are Fa’afoi Palepua, senior manager of StarKist Samoa and Joe Hamby, representing purse seiners.

Lemanu said the two “individuals will enhance the efficacy of the Task Force”.

The governor, through a memo issued two weeks ago, reconstituted the membership of the American Samoa Fisheries Task Force, which was first established in 2014 by the Lolo Administration.  He also appointed the new members, representing both the public and private sector including fishermen. (See Samoa News edition Oct. 22nd for details.)

The task force is charged with tracking all fisheries-related developments, policies, treaties, activities and any other relevant issues, with the primary goal to protect the economic security and the competitive advantages of the local canning tuna industry. 

“The Fisheries Task Force shall present its strategies and recommendations to me for review and approval prior to execution,” the governor said.