American Samoa News

2025 April

President Trump signs Executive Order allowing American Samoan Fishermen to fish again in our own waters.

The White House

April 17, 2025

UNLEASHING OPPORTUNITY IN THE PACIFIC: Today, President Donald J. Trump signed a proclamation to unleash American commercial fishing in the Pacific Ocean—a key component of the America First Fishing Policy.

  • The proclamation opens the Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument (PRIMNM) to commercial fishing, boosting the economy of American Samoa.
  • It allows U.S.-flagged vessels to fish commercially within 50 to 200 nautical miles of the PRIMNM’s boundaries.

EMPOWERING AMERICAN COMMERCIAL FISHERMEN: President Trump believes that removing unnecessary restrictions on American fishermen will strengthen the U.S. economy, support local communities, and restore fairness to an industry disadvantaged by overregulation and foreign competition.

  • The PRIMNM was first established by President Bush in 2009 and then expanded by President Obama, closing off over 400,000 square miles of the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone in the Pacific.
  • The ban on commercial fishing within the PRIMNM did little to guard fish populations against overfishing, as tuna and other pelagic species are migratory in nature and do not permanently reside within the PRIMNM.
  • As a result of the prohibitions on commercial fishing, American fishing fleets have lost access to nearly half of the United States’ Exclusive Economic Zone in the Pacific Islands.
    • This has driven American fishermen to fish further offshore in international waters to compete against poorly regulated and highly subsidized foreign fleets, most notably from China.
    • By supporting honest American fishermen, we combat the rampant illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing by foreign fleets.
  • This disadvantages United States commercial fishermen and is detrimental for United States territories like American Samoa, whose private sector economy is dependent on the fishing industry.
    • American Samoa is home to the only Buy American-compliant tuna processing facility for U.S. military rations and school lunch programs.
    • This cannery is the largest employer on the island, providing about 5,000 jobs.  In fact, the cannery accounts for 99.5% of American Samoa’s exports and 84% of the private employment in the territory.

ADVANCING U.S. ECONOMIC INTERESTS: President Trump’s actions to revitalize commercial fishing are part of his broader strategy to unleash the full potential of the American economy by prioritizing deregulation and cutting red tape.

  • President Trump launched a 10-to-1 deregulation initiative, ensuring every new Federal rule is justified by clear benefits and accompanied by much larger deregulatory measures.
  • President Trump established the National Energy Dominance Council to cut red tape, enhance private sector investments, advance innovation, and streamline the permitting process across all forms of American energy.
  • President Trump established the “Department of Government Efficiency” to examine how to streamline the operations of the Federal Government, eliminate unnecessary programs and wasteful spending, and reduce bureaucratic inefficiency.
  • President Trump has already reduced unnecessarily large governmental entities and terminated numerous harmful Biden expansions of governmental authority.

2025 February

Congresswoman Aumua Amata is fighting for American Samoa's offshore fishing rights which have been abused by foreign fishing vessels

The new American Samoa Governor Pulaali'i Nikolao Pula, Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum and Congresswoman Aumua Amata.

February 21, 2025         The American Samoa Congresswoman, Aumua Amata has addressed the need for the US to enforce the fishing limit up to 200 miles offshore of American Samoa, which has been taken over by foreign fishing vessels, from China and Korea. These were her remarks today.

"I gave remarks Wednesday at IGIA, hosted by the Department of the Interior at their DC headquarters, focusing on fishing restoration and the need to remember U.S. Nationals in national policy decisions.

Thank you to Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum, Governor Pulaali’i Nikolao Pula, the governors and congressional representatives from the other territories, and interagency officials, including Scott Cameron, Senior Advisor to the Secretary Exercising the delegated authority of the Assistant Secretary for Insular and International Affairs; and Alex Meyer, Director, White House Office of Intergovernmental Affairs.

My remarks referenced my recent letter to President Trump, copied to key officials, on the urgent need to reopen fishing in the Pacific Marine Monuments.

“The proposal to re-allow fishing in the Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument between 50 & 200 miles offshore – something your predecessor, Secretary Zinke, proposed the last time President Trump was in office in 2017 – is necessary to protect the United States fishing industry. Large swaths of the Pacific Ocean have been cut off from fishing access, and this process has been expanded upon again and again without scientific merit and without proper input from the communities and fishermen who are most affected.

“This is also a matter of National Security, as Illegal and Unreported Fishing and Chinese dominance in the region has only increased while the US fleet continues to shrink. To that end, I believe it is imperative for the safety of American Samoa, the United States, and the Pacific for a permanent Coast Guard station to be established in American Samoa. The white hulls of the Coast Guard are one the best deterrents to Chinese malign influence in the South Pacific. American Samoa has the best deep-water port in the South Pacific and can easily host multiple cutters.

“Related to protecting our fishing and security interests is the need to prop up our island’s economies. I have legislation, H.R. 399, that would make the American Samoa Economic Development Tax Credit permanent. Initiatives such as these, which encourage businesses to invest in the otherwise isolated territories, are important to keep us on par with the rest of the country. Each of the governors here today have spoken to their island’s unique challenges and priorities, but the need for continued economic development is something we all have in common as remote islands on a global stage.

“With Mr. Howard Lutnick’s confirmation as Secretary of Commerce, I look forward to working with the Dept. of Commerce, DOI, and the rest of the new administration on these important issues facing our Pacific Island Territories.

“Another thing that I ask the Administration to keep in mind is American Samoa’s unique relationship with the United States. Despite our status as US Nationals rather than US Citizens, we owe our permanent allegiance to the US and remain dedicated to this country’s ideals. As the administration moves forward with their new policies to reform Medicaid or other key benefits for quote unquote ‘citizens,’ please don’t overlook this small but loyal group of Americans due to our technical designation. The 125-year relationship between American Samoa and the federal government is one built on mutual respect and recognition – a relationship I am sure this new Administration intends to continue.”

My speech thanked federal officials for listening to the territories’ governors, and thanked the DOI for hosting the 2025 Plenary Session of the Interagency Group on Insular Areas."

Congresswoman Aumua Amata.