President Donald Trump has ended years of controversy and restored fishing rights in the Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument with the signing of a proclamation. KHJ News Washington D.C. correspondent Matt Kaye reports…
President Trump signed the proclamation at a White House ceremony, in an act requested by Congresswoman Uifa’atali Amata, who witnessed the signing in person.
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(Transc.) Amata: “Thank you, Mr. President, for this great announcement. And thank you so much for your awesome leadership in giving back to American Samoa what had been taken away from us at that time.”
President Trump: “In just one day, just took away three Californias.”
Amata: “Yes…”
…the final size of the Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument.
President Trump’s action caps years of efforts by Amata to reverse the PRIMNM fishing restrictions, which started when President Obama expanded the monument created by President Bush, sixfold.
Amata called the proclamation “absolutely great news for our fishermen…and cannery,” telling the president…
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(Transc.) Amata: “This is such a wonderful gift to American Samoa. And of course, it’s also Holy Week beginning today…and so, thank you for returning to our indigenous people this wonderful gift of our traditional fishing grounds.”
The president’s signing also coincides with American Samoa’s 125th Flag Day, which Amata says was a coincidence since the signing was originally schedule a day earlier.
The proclamation restores fishing rights between 50 and 100 miles offshore of the remote islands and Amata says is key for American Samoa’s economy and U.S. food security.
Amata spoke to us after the White House ceremony…
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(Transc.) Amata: “It also puts more US vessels in these waters, which limits illegal fishing…so that we know, so much of it takes place.”
Congresswoman Amata says, “The vast Pacific Islands area cannot fall under the domination of an increasingly aggressive CCP.”
She argues the law-abiding and regulated U.S. fleet is “preferable to dependence on other nations’ supply…and illegal fishing practices.”
She adds restored fishing well offshore of the remote islands won’t pose environmental harm, and “there was never any science justifying the fishing ban.”
Harkening back to past statements and speeches, Amata concludes, “The American fleet is part of the solution, not the problem.”
Also present at the signing were Taulapapa Will Sword and Taotasi Archie Soliai from American Samoa. Soliai presented the ulafala he was wearing to President Trump.
