Plans are afoot to create more than 1,000 jobs by cleaning fish loins in a processing plant to be established at the Apia Wharf, and then exporting the finished product to the American Samoan canneries.It is expected that if this project goes ahead as planned, more jobs in the fishing industry are possible, Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sa’ilele Malielegaoi is quoted as saying by the Samoa News.Speaking to the Samoa Observer, Samoa Ports Authority (S.P.A.) General Manager Tufuga Fagaloa Tufuga said there is strong interest from Bumble Bee Foods to have its base at Apia Port for its loin and fishery operation.A loin processing plant is where fish are cleaned and prepared for eventual canning.However, Tufuga said any talks about a cannery in Samoa would be something for the American-based company to consider.“There are various stages or phases for such an investment and Bumble Bee is in a better position to respond whether or not a cannery will be situated in Apia,” said Tufuga.In an interview earlier this year with the Samoa News, Tuilaepa revealed that the canneries would remain in American Samoa.He said that the establishment of a fish processing plant rather than a cannery is the more logical choice for Samoa because of the stringent federal policies and criteria regarding imports.“So after the fish is processed here in Samoa, it will be taken to American Samoa which does not have to comply with all the red tape for the canning process and exported to markets in the mainland,” he said.“This will be a win-win situation for us because not only will there be jobs for our people, but also our local fishing boats will have another market for their catches.”He also revealed that the proposed fish processing plant will be established at Matautu-tai near the wharf.He said that the a Bumble Bee Foods delegation had already visited the site and that they have informed him that it is the ideal site for their proposed plant.Tuilaepa said that fishing boats will then dump their catches at the Mataututai plant for processing.He pointed out that the proposed operation may be the answer if the Yazaki E.D.S. Samoa plant at Vaitele is forced to close down after the car manufacturing plants in Australia eventually pack up and leave, and the employees at Yazaki will be left without jobs.“More than a thousand jobs will be created if this proposed fish processing plant eventuates,” said the Prime Minister.“Not only that, the fishing boats which will be unloading their catches here will no doubt need repairs and they can be dry-docked at our facilities at Satitoa.\“Also