Saving Seafood

U.S. Fights for American Fishing in the Pacific, Leads Electronic Monitoring of International Fleets

December 12, 2025 — Tuna and technology took top priority—and top wins—for the United States at the 22nd Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission meeting. It was held December 1–5, 2025, in the Philippines.

Led by Andrew Lawler, NOAA’s Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for International Fisheries, the U.S. delegation:

  • Protected American Samoa and U.S. troll interests in the South Pacific albacore fishery
  • Fought for the economic viability of Hawaiʻi’s long line fleet targeting bigeye tuna
  • Secured the lead to develop an electronic monitoring measure for adoption at next year’s meeting

“The U.S. delegation worked very hard together to achieve these wins and, quite frankly, knocked it out of the park,” Lawler said. “We ensured a robust opportunity for our commercial fishing interests while enhancing conservation of our shared fishing resources.”

Read the full article at NOAA Fisheries

American Samoa Secures Landmark Victory at WCPFC22, US Makes Progress on Commitments for 2026

December 6, 2025 — The following was released by the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council:

The 22nd Regular Session of the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC22) meeting concluded Friday with a unanimous decision securing the long-term future of the South Pacific albacore fishery, a major gain for the American Samoa longline fishery managed by the Western Pacific Fishery Management Council.
By consensus, WCPFC members adopted a new management procedure (MP) that could reduce overall South Pacific albacore catch by about 10-12% from recent years to approximately 56,000 metric tons in commission waters. The decision is expected to ease oversupply and improve market conditions for small island fleets, including American Samoa, which saw some of the worst economic conditions on record in 2024. It also meets a key requirement to maintain Marine Stewardship Council certification that allows the American Samoa longline fishery to sell albacore to the local StarKist cannery at a premium price.
“This management procedure has been nearly a decade in the making, and the U.S. Pacific territories took it over the top with their steadfast support,” said Kitty Simonds, Council executive director. “It is a critical step to stabilize the albacore fishery and the island economies and food security that depend on it.”
Council member Nathan Ilaoa, director of the American Samoa Department of Marine and Wildlife Resources, championed a more conservative approach during negotiations. “When operational costs are high and catch rates are low, the only fleets that can continue to operate are those receiving substantial subsidies,” Ilaoa said. “That creates a critical inequity for the American Samoa longline fleet and other small island domestic fleets.”
Representatives from Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands supported American Samoa and other Pacific Island delegations. “These positions are consistent with protecting island food security and economies,” said Council member Chelsa Muña, director of Guam’s Department of Agriculture.
Next year, WCPFC members will negotiate an implementing measure and catch allocations to fully operationalize the new albacore MP.
The U.S. delegation, led by NOAA’s Drew Lawler, advanced priorities for Council-managed fisheries, including work toward a bigeye tuna management procedure that considers purse seine as well as longline impacts, and a commitment to adopt a conservation and management measure on electronic monitoring in 2026.
“Members of the U.S. and territorial delegations viewed his leadership as a vast improvement over previous years and said this year’s delegation presented a much stronger unified front,” Simonds said.

Feds wade closer to mineral lease in US waters

November 11, 2025 — The Trump administration is inching closer to opening U.S. waters to the first mineral lease sale in decades amid booming industry interest and growing anxiety among environmental groups.

The Interior Department’s Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, or BOEM, on Monday said it has identified areas off the coast of American Samoa for a mineral lease, and is seeking information about holding a lease sale off the shores of the Northern Mariana Islands.

The step signals agencies are moving forward with reviewing activity tied to deep-sea mining in U.S. waters, right as companies line up for permission to plumb the ocean depths for minerals both in domestic and international waters.

Read the full article at E&E News

Guam, CNMI marked as ‘critical habitats’ for threatened corals species

July 18, 2025 — Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands, together with select areas of American Samoa, Hawaii and remote parts of the Pacific, have been designated as critical habitats for five threatened coral species.

The final rule, issued by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, states that 18 specific marine habitats in American Samoa, Guam, the CNMI, the Pacific Remote Island Areas, and Hawaii — encompassing a total of about 237 sq km — are named critical habitats pursuant to the Endangered Species Act.

NOAA denied the U.S Navy’s request to exclude the Ritidian Point Surface Danger Zone complex in Guam from critical habitat designation.

The final rule takes effect on August 14.

Critical habitats are areas occupied by endangered species and possess the physical or biological features essential to their conservation.

Areas designated “critical habitats” may require special management considerations or protection to support the recovery of endangered corals.

The designation does not create new restrictions that close off these areas.

Read the full article at Marianas Variety

Voices from the Sea: Shaping the Future of Fishing in American Samoa

June 23, 2025 — The following was released by the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council:

The Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council is coming to American Samoa to hear directly from the people who know the ocean best—the local fishermen. Through a series of community meetings, the Council aims to gather first-hand insights about the changes being seen in local waters and the real-life challenges faced by the fishing community. This effort is part of a two-year initiative to build stronger partnerships and support the future of fishing in American Samoa.

Key Discussion Topics: Shark depredation; Seasonal changes in fish spawning; Juvenile fish abundance; Barriers to sustaining fishing livelihoods; Access and harbor issues; Market challenges; and Executive Order 14276 – Restoring American Seafood Competitiveness: Among other provisions, directs NOAA to review marine national monuments, including Rose Atoll, to ensure alignment with national seafood priorities

Meeting Schedule:

Manu‘a Residents on Tutuila Island – Tues, June 24, 6 p.m. – 8 p.m. (SST)

Sadie’s by the Sea Conference Room, Goat Island Cafe, Utulei Village

Ofu & Olosega Islands Residents – Wed, June 25, 1 p.m. – 3 p.m. (SST)

Conference Room at EOB, Ofu Village

Ta‘u Island Residents – Thurs, June 26, 10:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. (SST)

ASG Building by the High School, Faleasao Village

Tutuila & Aunu‘u Residents – Fri, June 27, 5 p.m. – 7 p.m. (SST)

DYWA Conference Room, Tafuna Village

In addition, the American Samoa Council Advisors meeting will also be held Saturday, June 28 from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. (SST) at the Flying Fox Gastropub, Pava‘ia‘i Village.

The American Samoa Regional Ecosystem Advisory Committee meeting will be held Monday, June 30 from 9 a.m. to noon (SST) at the Sadie’s by the Sea Conference Room, Utulei Village.

Major agenda items for both meetings include an overview of the Council’s community consultation efforts; fishery issue discussions on deep-sea mining, shark depredation, marine national monuments and recent executive orders, and climate change impacts in American Samoa.

You can provide public comments on EO 14276 at these meetings, and you can also send comments to the Council office at info@wpcouncil.org by July 15, 2025. Would you like to see the boundary of the Rose Atoll Marine National Monument reduced from 50 nm offshore? Your voice matters as we work together to navigate changes and enhance the fishing community’s future.

The monument prohibits all commercial fishing and other extractive activities within its boundaries. However, subsistence fishing by local communities and recreational fishing are allowed and subject to certain restrictions and regulations. For example, recreational fishing is allowed for pelagic species such as tuna and billfish, but is prohibited for bottomfish and other reef-associated species.

For more information, contact Felix Penalosa (felix.penalosa@wpcouncil.org) or Nate Ilaoa (pavafox684@gmail.com), and visit www.wpcouncil.org/marine-spatial-management.

About the Council

The Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council is one of eight regional councils established under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act to manage fisheries in the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). The Council is responsible for developing and implementing fishery management plans for waters surrounding Hawaii, American Samoa, Guam, the CNMI and U.S. Pacific Remote Island Areas. The Council works to promote sustainable fisheries, protect marine ecosystems and support the livelihoods of fishing communities through science-based decision-making and stakeholder engagement.

WPRFC approves mandatory electronic monitoring of longline vessels

June 13, 2025 — The Western Pacific Regional Fishery Council (WPRFC) has authorized mandatory electronic monitoring of all commercial longline vessels operating in the Hawai‘i and American Samoa fisheries.

With the number of human observers dwindling due to limited funding, the council determined that it was necessary to adopt electronic monitoring in order to adequately track the fisheries’ operations and ensure compliance with the Endangered Species Act (ESA) and Marine Mammal Protection Act.

Read the full article at SeafoodSource

Policymakers to Reauthorize the Young Fishermen’s Development Act

June 11, 2025 — Representatives Seth Moulton (D-MA), Nick Begich (R-AK), Jill Tokuda (D-HI), Aumua Amata Coleman Radewagen (R-American Samoa), and Jared Golden (D-ME) have introduced a bill to reauthorize the Young Fishermen’s Development Act for an additional five years.

The Young Fishermen’s Development Act’s national competitive grant program supports the training and education of the nation’s next generation of commercial fishermen. The program authorizes grants of up to $200,000 per year (for up to three years per project) through NOAA’s Sea Grant Program to support new and established local and regional training, education, outreach, and technical assistance initiatives for young fishermen.

The program, which was signed into law in 2021, is currently authorized through 2026. Congressmen Moulton and Begich’s bipartisan bill would extend the authorization of the program for another five years, to 2031.

Read the full article at ECO Magazine

Bipartisan bill strengthening South Pacific Tuna Treaty passes in House

May 16, 2025 — Congresswoman Uifa’atali Amata is welcoming bipartisan passage by the U.S. House of Representatives of a bill she sponsored, with Congressman Ed Case (D-HI) as the original cosponsor, the South Pacific Tuna Treaty Act, H.R. 531.

The bipartisan legislation provides congressional direction to fully implement the South Pacific Tuna Treaty, which has been diplomatically negotiated among the U.S. and 16 Pacific Islands nations. Amata’s bill was passed by the House in 2024 but had not yet passed the Senate as the 118th Congress closed out later that same year. In contrast, in the current 119th Congress, the House is passing the bill much earlier in the two-year Congressional session.

“As the representative of the beautiful islands of American Samoa in the South Pacific, a marine economy which depends on fishing, I welcome broad support in Congress for implementing our treaty with our regional friends and neighbors in the South Pacific,” said Congresswoman Uifa’atali. “This bill implements U.S. international diplomacy to help ensure that our tuna agreements improve operations and flexibility for our fleet – America’s last true distant water fishing fleet. I especially appreciate working with Chairman Bruce Westerman and Congressman Case on this priority.”

Natural Resources Committee Chairman Bruce Westerman (R-Ark.) said, “Not only does this bill provide regulatory certainty for fisheries, but it also formalizes what is currently a Memorandum of Understanding, further cementing the strength of the South Pacific Tuna Treaty. I thank Rep. Radewagen for her work on this important piece of legislation.”

Read the full article at Samoa News

Fishing industry says Trump’s Pacific monument order is about fairness, economy

April 23, 2025 — When President Donald Trump signed an executive order allowing commercial fishing in the Pacific Islands Heritage Marine National Monument last week, a familiar face stood to his left in the Oval Office.

The executive director of the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council was there. Kitty Simonds has served on the council for decades. She’s the first Native Hawaiian woman to lead the agency.

Simonds said she attended at the invitation of American Samoa U.S. House Delegate Aumua Amata Coleman Radewagen, who had been writing to the administration about the plight of the territory’s fishing industry.

Speaking to The Conversation on Tuesday morning, Simonds shared the viewpoint of the commercial fishers who will now be allowed to operate in waters at least 50 miles offshore.

Opponents fear the order will hurt conservation efforts. Simonds said it’s about fairness for U.S. longliners in Hawaiʻi, Guam and American Samoa.

Read the full story at Hawaii Public Radio

A monumental win for American Samoa’s tuna industry on the 125th Anniversary of Cession

April 22, 2025 — Governor Pulaalii Nikolao Pula today [April 17, 2025] issued a statement of strong support and appreciation following President Donald J. Trump’s Executive Order amending the Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument to allow commercial fishing between 50 and 200 nautical miles.

The decision restores access to historic U.S. fishing grounds in the central Pacific—areas critical to the continued operation of the American Samoa-based U.S.-flagged purse seine fleet and vital to the economic security of the Territory.

“Today is a monumental day for the people of American Samoa,” said Governor Pula. “On the 125th anniversary of the Deed of Cession, when our forefathers chose to join the American family; President Trump has reaffirmed that partnership by honoring his commitment to support American industry and stand with small, remote communities like ours.”

Read the full story at Samoa News