May 18, 2020 — The long-awaited project to build a dock for larger American Samoa fishing vessels broke ground on 7 April, and had a groundbreaking ceremony on 7 May, according to a press release from the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council.
The new berthing area extends the current dock by 450 feet, and will grant the longliner fleet in the area its first dedicated space. Local longliners currently berth “opportunistically” at the main Pago Pago port, StarKist, and Malaloa facilities, but can frequently be required to move when container ships and cruise liners require them to relocate.