The Samoa Tuna Processors Plant in Atu’u has been sold to StarKist Co.
This was confirmed by the President of Inter-Oceanic Properties LLC, which owns STP, Mr Joe Hamby who said that the sale was completed on January 27, 2026.
Mr Hamby who was in the territory this week said that StarKist exercised their purchase option that was negotiated in the sublease signed in 2018 for the STP plant.
“This is great news for American Samoa,” said Mr Hamby, “as it shows StarKist’s continued investment in tuna production in the territory.”
The STP facility is on government land and StarKist President and CEO Mr Edward Min and the cannery’s Legal Counsel Scott Meese were in the territory this week to discuss the lease with ASG.
The STP plant was opened in January 2015 closed down in December 2016.
StarKist Samoa has been using the plant for packing and labeling of cans and pouches of tuna. The cannery intends to begin its pet production line at the facility later this year.
Mr Hamby’s company has purse seiners based in American Samoa and managed by Samoa Fishing Management.
He shared some of the challenges that US fishing boats are facing. He said US flag purse seines are competing with highly subsidized fleet e.g. the Chinese and they need the support of the American Samoa Government and the US Government to keep their heads above water.
“Right now, the playing field is uneven. We must fix that..” said Hamby. “Specifically, we need the U.S. Government to regulate the American Samoa based U.S. flag boats as a Small Island Developing State/Territory fleet with respect to management under the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission.” He added, “And we need the U.S. Government to reopen the Marine National Monuments to fishing for highly migratory species, like tuna. President Trump signed an executive order to do just that, but the Courts prevented that from happening for want of due process. We urgently need NOAA to start the process of reopening the closed areas. This will improve fish supply to StarKist.”
Photo: Then Governor Lolo Moliga cutting the ribbon for the Samoa Tuna Processors Plant in January 2015.
