A meeting of the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council this week has deferred taking final action on the rebuilding plan for the federally managed bottomfish complex in American Samoa. The council and will organize an intercessional meeting for the week of Oct. 18, 2021.
Several Council members expressed their dismay at the low catch limit alternatives and the potential fishery closure.
Archie Taotasi Soliai, Council Chair and Director of the American Samoa Department of Marine and Wildlife Resources said the extra time would allow him time to consult with the governor on the coordinated management of the bottomfish fishery in territorial and federal waters.
“We carefully balance the economic development aspirations with sustainable management of the bottomfish resource based on available scientific information,” Soliai said.
“The territory is working with local communities to develop a Territorial Bottomfish Fishery Management Plan that is in line with Fa’a Samoa, the Samoan identity and way of living.”
Howard Dunham, Council member from American Samoa and President of the American Samoa Alia Fishing Association said, “Fishing is how we keep in touch with Fa’a Samoa…our God-given right and our way of feeding our communities.
“We need to revive our alia fleet instead of further marginalizing a small underserved fishing community. Some alia still use wooden reels because modern reels are expensive.”
A press release from the Council points out that American Samoa has a population of approximately 58,000 people, with more than 54% living in poverty.
The Council requested that the NMFS Stock Assessment Program separate the shallow- and deepwater-bottomfish into separate stock complexes in its next assessment.
It also requested that the data workshop sharing information with the American Samoa fishing communities currently planned for November 2021 be held in-person.
