American Samoa’s director of Marine and Wildlife Resources Taotasi Archie Soliai is ecstatic that American Samoa has been granted observer status in the Forum Fisheries Agency (FFA).
The Deputy Director General of the FFA, Dr Pio Manoa, informed Soliai that the 135th meeting of the Forum Fisheries Committee endorsed the request from American Samoa to be an observer at the Forum Fisheries Committee Meetings (FFCM).
The mission of the Forum Fisheries Agency is to strengthen national capacity and regional solidarity for sustainable fisheries.
Soliai said, “This was a long time coming, and certainly brings American Samoa closer to the discussion table that pertains to the fisheries in the Pacific. The tuna stocks are a regional stock since they are migratory, and being in the room with our Pacific colleagues to discuss and manage these resources is a milestone achievement.”
Soliai explained that FFA is a crop agency of the Pacific Islands Forum and is a very close-knit organization that works collaboratively to manage fisheries in the region.
“Although this is an Observer status, it is only the beginning. We are proud of the inclusivity and approval and are eager to contribute to these discussions.”
Soliai thanked Governor Lemanu Peleti Mauga for supporting DMWR’s request for this initiative, and for FFA for granting the request.