Former AAG with Honolulu Lawfirm Handling LVPA Suit

3302959

An attorney handling American Samoa’s lawsuit against the National Marine Fisheries Service, US Department of Commerce and the Western Pacific Fishery Management Council over allowing longliners to fish within 12 miles from shore in local waters, preciously worked at the Attorney General’s Office.

He is Michael Iosua who was an assistant attorney general during the time that Aofa Moega Lutu was AG.

Iosua is the co counsel for the territory of American Samoa in the lawsuit over the Large vessel prohibited area amendment, with Steven S.K. Chung of the lawfirm of Imanaka Asato in Honolulu.

American Samoa Attorney General Talauega Eleasalo Ale and Assistant AG Aitofele B. Sunia are also listed as attorneys for the plaintiff, Territory of American Samoa.

The lawsuit was filed last Friday in the Honolulu Federal District Court.

It asks for an order to the National Marine Fisheries Service to vacate and set aside the final rule on the LVPA and declare that it is inconsistent with the Deeds of Cession for Tutuila and Manu’a.

Much of the claims which the plaintiff gives as the basis for its suit are similar to assertions by Governor Lolo Moliga and the Council of chiefs,descendants of the signors of the Deeds of Cession and Fono resolutions pertaining to the LVPA rule. That is the ceded area for which the United States promised to protect and preserve for the people of American Samoa cover the part of the ocean that under the NMFS rule of last month, is now longer reserved for local alia and traditional fishermen.

Under the rule change, longliners are allowed to fish within 12 miles from shore. Prior to the rule change, locally owned longliners could only fish 50 miles out.

Named as defendants in the suit are the National Marine Fisheries Service, U.S. Department of Commerce and NOAA, Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker; Western Regional Pacific Fishery Management Council Executive Director Kitty Simonds; National Marine Fisheries Service assistant administrator Eileen Sobeck; and Michael Tosatto, regional administrator of the NOAA Fisheries Service Pacific Islands Regional Office.

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,