Fisheries
The most important natural resource of American Samoa is fisheries and the ocean in general.
More on Fisheries
Amata and Dean of the House Congressman Don Young of Alaska
Washington, D.C. – Congresswoman Uifa’atali Amata voted in the Natural Resources Committee for the American Fisheries Advisory Committee Act of 2021, H.R. 3128, which was passed and will be sent to the full House of Representatives. Congresswoman Amata was the sole original cosponsor upon the bill’s introduction in June by Dean of the House Congressman Don Young (R-Alaska).
Washington, D.C. – Tuesday, Congresswoman Uifaatali Amata welcomed President Trump's signing into law of the bipartisan Young Fishermen's Development Act (H.R. 1240), which she co-led as an original cosponsor in a group of four, joining its author, Dean of the House, Alaska Congressman Don Young, Congressman Jared Golden (D-Maine) and Congressman Seth Moulton (D-Massachusetts). A Senate companion effort was led by Senator Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska). Each of these lawmakers has a strong fishing tradition in their Districts.
Washington, D.C. – Wednesday, Congresswoman Uifaatali Amata welcomed the announcement by U.S. Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross that the Economic Development Administration (EDA) is awarding a $4.4 million grant to American Samoa to support commercial fishing workforce development and economic diversification efforts.
Washington, D.C. – Thursday, Congresswoman Aumua Amata is welcoming a $2,553,194 CARES Act grant for coronavirus relief for American Samoa's fishermen.
The news is part of a national announcement by Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross allocating $300 million in fisheries assistance. Congress provided this funding in Sec. 12005 of the CARES Act, to States, Tribes, and Territories with coastal and marine fishery participants who have been negatively affected by COVID–19.
Washington, D.C. – Wednesday, Congresswoman Aumua Amata was able to bring up the need to reopen fishing access as a matter of national food security during a call with Secretary of the Interior David Bernhardt.
Congresswoman Amata brought up directly two aspects of American Samoa's fishing industry during the discussion: Reopening access to waters, and the currently unavailable observers for fishing vessels, requesting that the observer on board requirement be waived.
Washington, D.C.—Thursday, Congresswoman Aumua Amata is urging President Trump to reopen fishing access as a matter of national food security during the worldwide economic and health crisis.
"At this time of global re-evaluation of world health and economics, I simply write to say that food security equals national security. Please use your Executive Order to immediately reopen the Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument (PRIMNM) to commercial fishing," Aumua Amata states in her urgent letter to the President.
Washington, D.C. – Wednesday, Congresswoman Aumua Amata hailed Committee passage of a bipartisan bill to strengthen the future of fishing. She is an original cosponsor of the bill and was pleased to vote for it on Wednesday in the Natural Resources Committee, where it passed by unanimous consent. The bill promotes the development of the next generation of commercial fishermen with new federal grant support.
Washington, D.C. – Thursday, Congresswoman Aumua Amata believes that Justice must be served in the court proceedings of StarKist, but that the people of American Samoa who rely on the cannery must be treated justly as well.
Uosigitone, D.C. – O le vaiaso ua te'a nei na fono ai le Tamaitaifaipule ia Aumua Amata ma le Komiti mo Alamanuia Faalenatura faatasi ma le Failautusi o le Initeria ia David Bernahardt i le paketi ma aiaiga, ma na faamamafa ai e le tamaitaifaipule manaoga tau fagotaga o Amerika Samoa.
Washington, D.C. – Last week, Congresswoman Aumua Amata and the Natural Resources Committee conducted a budget and policy hearing with Secretary of the Interior David Bernhardt, and she placed a focus on American Samoa's fishing needs.