Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — In a Sept. 8 memorandum, Gov. Lemanu P.S Mauga called on cabinet members for their full support and participation in the Pacific Remote Islands Area (PRIA) national marine sanctuary designation workshop to “defend our local economy”.

According to the governor, the American Samoa Government in conjunction with U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) will host the workshop today, Tuesday, Sept. 12 and tomorrow, Wednesday, Sept. 13 at Gov. Rex Lee Auditorium.

“This workshop is one of the last opportunities for us to support the American Samoa fishing industry and reiterate [my] staunch opposition to the marine sanctuary designation,” Lemanu told cabinet members. 

“Our local cannery depends on your participation in this event,” the governor declared. He explained that the workshop will begin at 8:30a.m each day and conclude at 4:30p.m.

Today, September 12, there will be a public forum from 5:00PM- 7:30PM.

There are five-breakout sessions during the public forum, and one of them explores the importance of commercial fishing and onshore processing at the cannery to the American Samoa economy, according to the draft agenda of the workshop.

As each department prepares for this event, the governor requested cabinet directors to consult with Taotasi Archie Soliai, director of the Department of Marine and Wildlife Resources on their presentations and relevant data.

We appreciate your support as together we defend our local economy,” the governor told cabinet members.

A draft copy of the workshop agenda was also included with the governor’s memo and the document highlights three goals of the workshop:

• Connect with Pacific Island communities and create space to learn about individual views concerning the proposed national marine sanctuary designation for the Pacific Remote Islands;

• Consider how the proposed sanctuary would benefit and/or impact Pacific Island communities with economic, cultural and historic ties to the region; and

• Gather information, perspectives, and knowledge from local communities and the territorial and state governments.

The objective of the first-day of the workshop, in which ASG and NOAA will be providing opening statements, is to ensure all participants meet each other and understand the purpose and desired outcomes of the workshop.

Five “federal partners” along with the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council are listed to participate in the workshop, with the first-session, dealing with “understanding of the sanctuary designation process.”

One of the afternoon sessions today, according to the draft agenda, is briefings from the U.S Pacific territories, to ensure workshop participants have the opportunity to dialogue with officials from the territories to understand how the proposed sanctuary designation could affect the territories.

Objective for day-two of the workshop tomorrow, Sept. 13: Develop a holistic understanding about socioeconomic opportunities and challenges in American Samoa. And one of the sessions for day-two focuses on: “Understanding How Fisheries Support Food and Economic Security for American Samoa and the U.S.

Lemanu has long publicly declared his opposition to the PRIA designation, and has also shared that opposition with direct communications with federal officials including two letters to U.S. President Joe Biden.

The governor has argued — among other things — that the restrictions on commercial fishing that will result from this designation would cripple the single largest private industry in American Samoa’s economy — referring to the tuna cannery.

Lemanu had also voiced his concern that American Samoa was not consulted prior to the federal government’s action on Mar. 21, 2023.

StarKist Co. has also publicly declared its opposition on this designation.