Local News
![American Samoa members at this week’s opening of the 171th Meeting of the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council. [l-r] Marine and Wildlife director Va’amua Henry Sesepasara, StarKist Samoa official Toatasi Archie Soliai and Christinna Lutu-Sanchez of Longline Services Inc. Va’amua, Taotasi and Lutu-Sanchez are American Samoa members on the Council. [SN file photo]](https://samoanews.com/sites/default/files/styles/teaser/public/field/image/ASG%20delegates%200373web_0.jpg?itok=AX-c605c "American Samoa members at this week’s opening of the 171th Meeting of the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council. [l-r] Marine and Wildlife director Va’amua Henry Sesepasara, StarKist Samoa official Toatasi Archie Soliai and Christinna Lutu-Sanchez of Longline Services Inc. Va’amua, Taotasi and Lutu-Sanchez are American Samoa members on the Council. [SN file photo]")
The Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council has approved a preferred recommendation that would, again, seek to reduce the size of the Large Vessel Prohibited Area (LVPA) in American Samoa waters, with Council member Va’amua Henry Sesepasara casting the only “no” vote.
The LVPA reduction...
New solutions to help protect and preserve the Hawaiian and American Samoa marine sanctuaries and monuments will be developed through a multi-year agreement between Liquid Robotics and NOAA’s Office of National Marine Sanctuaries (ONMS) Pacific Islands Region (PIR).
At the core of the long-term...
Supply of fish remains a challenge for StarKist Samoa, which hopes that things will improve before year’s end or into the new year, says cannery executive Taotasi Archie Soliai, who is one of American Samoa’s three members on the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council.
Taotasi gave a...
![A group photo of Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council members, with local officials, following the official welcoming 'ava ceremony on Tuesday at the Fale Samoa in Utulei for the 171st Meeting of the Council hosted by American Samoa. [photo: Aoelua]](https://samoanews.com/sites/default/files/styles/teaser/public/field/image/Council%20_AVA_.jpg?itok=G7i37iPT "A group photo of Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council members, with local officials, following the official welcoming 'ava ceremony on Tuesday at the Fale Samoa in Utulei for the 171st Meeting of the Council hosted by American Samoa. [photo: Aoelua]")
While appreciative of funds for local fishery investments from the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council, Gov. Lolo Matalasi Moliga says such investments should be guided by local established priorities and not dictated by the Council.
In his written remarks read by Marine and...
![Congresswoman Aumua Amata is in town this week hosting several town hall meetings to discuss recent events in Congress, take questions, and hear from constituents in American Samoa. [Courtesy photo]](https://samoanews.com/sites/default/files/styles/teaser/public/field/image/Thank%20you%20for%20joining%20me%20at%20the%20Town%20Hall%21.jpg?itok=3EG_hvwk "Congresswoman Aumua Amata is in town this week hosting several town hall meetings to discuss recent events in Congress, take questions, and hear from constituents in American Samoa. [Courtesy photo]")
Congresswoman Aumua Amata this week is hosting several town hall meetings to discuss recent events in Congress, take questions and hear from constituents in American Samoa.
“It’s always so good to be home with our people, and talk with you about all that’s happening here in American Samoa and in...
![In this Samoa News file photo, breadfruit starts were available at a Farm Fair in American Samoa. [SN file photo]](https://samoanews.com/sites/default/files/styles/teaser/public/field/image/breadfruit%20lorez7613web.jpg?itok=K9KQUXxz "In this Samoa News file photo, breadfruit starts were available at a Farm Fair in American Samoa. [SN file photo]")
The 2017 Samoa Pacific & Global Breadfruit Summit concluded last week in Apia with a resounding thank you to Samoa for a hosting job well done. The Summit theme, "Home of the Ma'afala" resonated with participants who came from around the Pacific, Caribbean, Asia, Africa, the US and Canada in...
![Federal firearms instructor, Ernie Haleck during his remarks at a ceremony held yesterday to announce the 41 local police officers that are now certified to carry weapons. [photo: AF]](https://samoanews.com/sites/default/files/styles/teaser/public/field/image/ernie%20haleck_0072.jpg?itok=dzp16f37 "Federal firearms instructor, Ernie Haleck during his remarks at a ceremony held yesterday to announce the 41 local police officers that are now certified to carry weapons. [photo: AF]")
Federal instructor and trainer, Ernie Haleck, has certified forty-one local police officers to carry weapons while on duty.
Samoa News should point out that certain police officers — such as those in Vice & Narcotics Tactical Unit — are on call 24/7, which means they are armed 24/7; this would...
Pacific Islanders in Communications (PIC), a nationally-funded organization based in Honolulu, strives to promote filmmaking as a storytelling medium among the indigenous populations of Hawaii and the US Pacific Territories. For the past several decades, PIC has presented a yearly showcase at the...
![C M Y K Page 6 samoa news, Wednesday, October 18, 2017 Members of the ASG scholarship board appeared before the House Education & Scholarship Committee yesterday morning to discuss the issue of delayed checks for students attending school off island. [photo: AF]](https://samoanews.com/sites/default/files/styles/teaser/public/field/image/scholarship%20board.jpg?itok=ys6SUg_s "C M Y K Page 6 samoa news, Wednesday, October 18, 2017 Members of the ASG scholarship board appeared before the House Education & Scholarship Committee yesterday morning to discuss the issue of delayed checks for students attending school off island. [photo: AF]")
The House Education & Scholarship Committee held a hearing yesterday morning with members of the ASG Scholarship Board, to discuss complaints from parents of students — government scholarship recipients — who claim that there are delays in the issuance of checks to pay for their tuition.
The...
The American Samoa Power Authority “takes seriously its customers ability to pay and has worked hard to reduce its costs to keep electric rates affordable,” wrote ASP A board chairman Fonoti Perelini Perelini in a letter to Gov. Lolo Matalasi Moliga.
The governor had written to the Board late last...