The administration bill, which establishes the licensing of purse seiners that land their fish in American Samoa, has been approved by the House of Representatives in 3rd reading.
The bill received unanimous approval, the same as in the Senate.
The Department of Port Administration will issue the licenses to land fish for US purse seiners that sell their fish to the local cannery. The licenses cost $500 and the fees are assigned to Port Administration, to cover processing and administration of the licensing program.
Director of Marine and Wildlife Resources, Archie Taotasi Soliai, said that the licensing program will aid the territory in its efforts to seek full benefits and privileges as a Small Island Developing State (SIDS)/Participating Territories within the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC).
This is the world body that regulates commercial fishing in the Pacific.
The US purse seine fleet that supplies the local cannery and supports the economy is not currently recognized as an American Samoa-based fleet. In that regard, they face limitations on the number of days that they can fish in regional waters.
The development of this licensing system is regarded as the first step towards efforts to gain full recognition and benefits of U.S. fishing vessels that are based in American Samoa, as vessels that supply a SIDS jurisdiction and not be treated as a US fleet.
That designation will remove current limitations on fishing days for US purse seiners that are locally based and that supply StarKist Samoa.
