Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — Governor Lemanu P.S. Mauga welcomed the more than 20 overseas participants to the 195th Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council meeting yesterday, the first time it is being held in the territory since October 2019. On hand as well as the Council members is Janet Coit, Assistant Administrator for NOAA Fisheries.

“You are here this week as a Council family to discuss very important issues for our nation's fisheries in the region, and our Pacific territories,” the governor reminded during his opening remarks.

“You must be mindful of the decisions that you make, Council and the federal government alike, so that the interests of small fishing communities are not disregarded. American Samoa is a fishing community that is almost totally dependent on the tuna industry. We should not be carrying a disproportionate burden and bear the brunt for fulfilling administrative commitments, whatever they may be.”

After inviting the participants to visit some of the remarkable natural attractions the islands have to offer including our National Park, the Marine Sanctuary and the beautiful outer islands in Manu'a, Rose Atoll and “maybe even Swains,” he said, “The beauty and importance of these natural resources cannot be understated. The ocean and its marine resources have sustained our Fa'asamoa for thousands of years. Our legends and cultural practices and even how we direct our daily lives revolve around the ocean and fishing. These abundant natural resource5 have provided food on our table and supported our people, especially during calamities. Our community went back to farming and fishing when we closed our borders during the COVID-19 pandemic. The ocean is what has sustained us and will continue to do so for years to come.

“Compared to Guam, CNMI and Hawaii, our nearshore and boat-based fisheries are very small in scale perhaps due to lower population and small tourism industry. But our fisheries participation is declining. Bottomfishing is down to one commercial boat. We are happy and not at all surprised that our bottomfish stocks have been recently declared NOT overfished nor experiencing overfishing given its low fishing activity. I thank the Science Center, Council and DMWR for working hard over the last few years to make that determination.

“After thousands of years, global climate change is imminent and putting pressure on our islands. Extreme weather and climate is already damaging physical infrastructure such as roads, utilities, properties, homes and opportunity costs in agriculture and fisheries. Our high vulnerability could lead to widespread food and water insecurity, increased health risks, lack of access to social services and even forced displacements in some cases. Due to climate change, the ocean that has sustained us for millennium is now threatening our daily lives. Our carbon footprint is very, very small. Yet, we are on the verge of bearing the brunt of these climate impacts due to the emissions of industrialized nations. We require more support and coordination for increased access to climate adaptation strategies, mitigation data and knowledge.

“As you are aware, our local economy is dependent on the tuna industry. It is the largest private sector employer and supports one-third of our workforce. Studies have shown that without the tuna industry, the cost of living will triple at the least. It is our responsibility as leaders to provide for the economic stability of the territory in an equitable and sustainable way for all parties, including the underserved, and marginalized indigenous people that live here.

The governor went on to talk about how the proposed rule on the Effort Limit Area for Purse Seiners (ELAPS) and the proposed National Marine Sanctuary in the Pacific Remote Islands are on course to negatively impact the tuna fleet that supports the StarKist Samoa cannery, potentially pushing them further away to a point that it will no longer be economical for them to land their catch here on island. And how this is coming not by “actions of other nations, but by our own.”

“On the ELAPS issue, I previously asked NMFS why they won't regulate the US purse seine fleet that supports American Samoa as a locally-based fleet, but I've yet to receive a response. This fleet provides about 75% of the tuna needed for the cannery production, so it is critical for the continued viability of the industry. To clearly identify this local fleet, we have created a local record of those vessels that support our economy by issuing tuna landing licenses. Thise requirement became effective on June 14^th. Thank you to those vessel owners that have supported this economy for decades. I understand that some of you are in attendance today, Fa'afetai Tele lava.

He spoke of receiving the latest data report from the NOAA Science Center that shows fishing effort and catch within Pacific Remote Islands area. This official dataset shows that the percentage of retained catch for the local purse seiner fleet in these waters was as much as 25% at one point. Most, if not all, of the fish caught in these waters is landed in the territory. More importantly, fishing effort by the purse seiners has increased over the past few years and that increasing catch continues to benefit the local cannery and came down hard on the “misinformation that has been circulated by the proponents of this sanctuary,” calling it insulting and saying it misconstrues the reality of the importance of these waters to American Samoa. “This ‘fake news’ circulated by the Pacific Remote Islands Coalition fails to recognize that almost all the fish caught in those waters are landed here in American Samoa. It provides jobs, helps build communities and more importantly puts food on the table. The fishing effort and retained catch helps sustain our fragile economy. That may not be important to them, but for me and my people — that is very, very important.”

He pointed out how the proposed sanctuary scoping meeting that was recently held on island showed the locally strong opposition and solidarity against this federal action said, “whole process seems to have been rushed without proper due diligence on what impacts this action will have. I have written to NOAA for an extension on the comment period, but again, no response.

“What saddens me the most about these federal actions is that they have been done without meaningful consultation and engagement of our people. There is no equity and justice served when the people that these federal actions will impact have no say, and no voice. These policies and actions have profound impacts on fragile communities such as ours.

“Respect is a very important aspect to the Pacific people, and I call on our federal partners to show some respect — sit down with us, talk with us and not to us. If the Administration is serious about equity and environmental justice, then I call on them to do proper due diligence. That includes an urgent need to conduct an economic impact study on both of these proposed policies and how that will affect our indigenous populations.

 “I charge this Council to put that on your agenda not only for this week, but for the future. Like we do in our culture, we bring in our elders and we hear their collective knowledge and wisdom. Hopefully, by the end of this meeting we see some light at the end of the tunnel to address and overcome these challenges.”

Gov. Lemanu closed using an ancient Samoan proverb still used today that relates to the ocean and fishing. “Aua ie naunau ile i'a, ae manumanu ile upego,” and explained that the proverb is a reminder that any action you do has consequences. It warns the fisherman not to become so hung up on the catch that he forgets the importance of keeping the net safe and secured for another day. For without the net, he will not be able to provide for his family and village.

And finally he drew the comparison between the tuna industry and a net that has provided for American Samoa for decades. “We need to protect that net and keep it safe so that opportunities for the territory is sustained. So, I call on our federal government, the Council and everyone to use your God-given wisdom. Use your foresight. But exercise extreme caution. Like the proverb says: “Aua Ie naunau ile i'a, ae manumanu ile upega.”