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American Samoa Government - PR001-06242026
Posted: June 24, 2026
American Samoa Participates in U.S. Tuna Treaty Consultation, Announced as Host of Next Meeting in March 2027
WELLINGTON, New Zealand - American Samoa participated as a member of the United States delegation to the U.S.-Pacific Island Parties Tuna Treaty Consultation Meeting in Wellington, New Zealand on June 22, 2026.
The meeting brought together representatives of the United States and Pacific Island Parties to the South Pacific Tuna Treaty to discuss continued cooperation on sustainable fisheries, economic development, maritime security, monitoring, control and surveillance, licensing, and Treaty implementation.
During the consultation, the United States delegation emphasized the importance of the Treaty to both the U.S.-flag purse seine fleet and American Samoa’s tuna industry. U.S. Head of Delegation Deputy Assistant Secretary Dr. Ruth Perry, American Tunaboat Association Executive Director Bill Gibbons-Fly, State Department representative Rachel Ryan, and American Samoa Head of Delegation and Department of Marine and Wildlife Resources Director Nathan Ilaoa all stressed the same core message: the U.S.-flag purse seine fleet and the American Samoa tuna industry are uniquely connected and must remain viable together.
The delegation emphasized that the success of the U.S.-flag fleet directly supports American Samoa’s cannery, port, workforce, local businesses, and broader economy. At the same time, American Samoa provides a critical U.S. Pacific platform for the fleet through its port services, processing capacity, infrastructure, and connection to the regional tuna supply chain.
“The U.S.-flag purse seine fleet and the American Samoa tuna industry need each other to survive,” said Director Ilaoa. “When the fleet is healthy, fish move through our port, our cannery is supported, and Samoan families feel the benefits. When the fleet struggles, American Samoa feels it too. We are on the same side of this Treaty, not opposite sides.” The United States delegation also announced that American Samoa will host the next U.S. Tuna Treaty Consultation Meeting in Pago Pago in March. This will be the first time American Samoa has hosted the high-level consultation.
On behalf of Governor Pula’ali’i Nikolao Pula and the American Samoa Government, Director Ilaoa welcomed the announcement and thanked the United States delegation and Pacific partners for the opportunity to host.
“For American Samoa, hosting the next consultation is more than hosting a meeting,” Director Ilaoa said. “It is an opportunity to welcome our partners to the place where the Treaty connects directly to our cannery, our port, our fishing industry, our workers, and our families. Tuna is not just policy for us. Industry viability is economic survival, and it is also part of our connection to the wider Pacific region.”
Director Ilaoa also noted that American Samoa participates as a U.S. Participating Territory and a small island developing economy with many of the same concerns and burdens shared by Pacific Island partners.
“We share many of the same concerns as our brothers and sisters around the table,” Director Ilaoa said. “As a fishery-dependent island economy, American Samoa carries a disproportionate burden when tuna fisheries struggle. Our domestic longline fleet, which targets South Pacific albacore, is also facing serious challenges under current conditions. These are Samoan families living in the Territory, and their future must remain part of the broader tuna conversation.”
Governor Pulaaliʻi commended Director Ilaoa for his representation of American Samoa at the consultation and welcomed the announcement that the Territory will host the next meeting.
“Director Nathan Ilaoa continues to be a strong advocate for American Samoa’s interests in regional fisheries discussions,” Governor Pulaaliʻi said. “His leadership and engagement at this consultation reflect our commitment to ensuring that American Samoa remains an active and respected voice in matters that directly impact our economy, our workforce, and our future. We appreciate the work he has done alongside our federal and regional partners in New Zealand, and the American Samoa Government looks forward to welcoming the United States delegation, Pacific Island Parties, and regional stakeholders to Pago Pago next March for this important consultation. The Territory will use this opportunity to share its Samoan hospitality, culture, and firsthand experience as one of the Pacific’s most tuna-dependent economies.”
The Office of the Governor reaffirmed American Samoa’s commitment to working with the United States, Pacific Island Parties, and regional partners to support a strong Treaty, sustainable tuna fisheries, maritime security, and economic stability for fishery-dependent island communities.
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Auai Amerika Samoa i le Fonotaga o le U.S Tuna Treaty Consultation, ma Fa’alauiloa ai le tatou Talimālō i le fonotaga a sau ia Mati 2027
UELIGITONE, Niu Sila - Na auai Amerika Samoa e avea ma sui usu-fono o le Iunaite Setete i le fonotaga a le U.S Pacific Islands Parties Tuna Treaty Consultation i Ueligitone, Niu Sila, ia Iuni 22, 2026.
O lenei fonotaga na aumai fa’atasi ai sui ese’ese o le Iunaite Setete ma Pātī mai i atumotu o le Pasefika, e o’o i le South Pacific Tuna Treaty e talanoa i le fa’aauauina o le galulue fa’atasi i le fa’atumauina o fagotaga, ati’ina a’e o le tama’oaiga, leoleoga o le maritima, nofo va’ava’aia, pulea ma mata’ituina, fa’a-laiseneina, ma le fa’atinoina o le maliliega.
A o faia le feutaga’iga, na fa’amamafa e le au usufono mai le Iunaite Setete le tāua o le maliliega i le U.S flag purse seine fleet ma le fale gaosi apa tuna o Amerika Samoa. O le ta’ita’i o le au usufono mai le U.S, o le sui failautusi, Dr. Ruth Perry, o le Fa’atonu o le Asosi o le American Tunaboat ia Bill Gibbons-Fly, o le sui mai le Matagaluega o le Setete ia Rachel Ryan, ma le ta’ita’i o le au usufono mai Amerika Samoa, le Fa’atonu o le Matagaluega o le Gataifaile ma Puna’oa o le Vaomatua ia Nathan Ilaoa, na fa’aalia uma latou taofi tutusa: o le va’a o le U.S flag purse seine ma le fale gaosi ‘apa i’a e feso’ota’i lelei, ma e tatau ona ola fa’atasi.
Na fulisia le fa’amamafa a le au usu fono i le manuia o le va’a o le U.S flag i le lagolagoina o le Fale gaosi ‘apa i’a a Amerika Samoa, o le Uafu, Aufaigaluega o le Malo, Pisinisi Tuma’oti, ma le tamaoaiga i lona lautelega. I le taimi fo’i lea, o lo’o saunia e Amerika Samoa se fausaga a le U.S Pacific i le va’a e ala i auaunaga i le Uafu, fa’agasologa e ono gafatia, o le galuega fausia, ma feso’ota’iga i le vaega o le itulagi e maua mai ai le fesoasoani mo le tuna.
“E mo’omia e le va’a o le U.S flag purse seine ma le Fale gaosi apa i’a o Amerika Samoa na galulue fa’atasi ina ia mafai ai ona ola”, saunoaga lea a le Fa’atonu ia Ilaoa. “Afai e soifua maloloina le va’a, e solo lelei i’a i lo tatou uafu, e lagolago le fale gaosi apa i’a, ma e lagona e aiga le manuia. Afai e mafatia le va’a, e lagona fo’i e Amerika Samoa. O lo’o tatou auai uma le agaga e tasi i lenei maliliega, ae lē fa’atui’ese.”
Na fa’alauiloa fo’i e le au usufono mai le Iunaite Setete, o le a fa’atautaia e Amerika Samoa le isi fonotaga e uiga le feutaga’iga o le U.S Tuna Treaty i Pago Pago ia Mati. O le a avea lea ma se taimi muamua ia Amerika Samoa ona talimālō i lenei fonotaga maualuga.
I le avea ma sui o le Kovana ia Pulaali’i Nikolao Pula ma le Mālō o Amerika Samoa, na taliaina e le Fa’atonu ia Ilaoa ma fa’afetaia le au usufono mai le Iunaite Setete ma pa’aga mai le Pasefika mo le avanoa e talimālō ai.
“Mo Amerika Samoa i le talimālō i le fonotaga a sau, e le na’o le auai i fonotaga”, Saunoaga lea a Fa’atonu Ilaoa. “A’o se avanoa e fa’afeiloa’i ai tatou pa’aga i le nofoaga e feso’ota’i ai le maliliega aga’i i le fale gaosi ‘apa i’a, o tatou Uafu, o tatou faiga fagota, o tatou aufaigaluega, ma o tatou aiga. E le na’o se aiaiga le Tuna ia matou. O le olaola o pisinisi o le olaola lea o le tamaoaiga, ma o se vaega foi lea o la tatou fesootaiga ma le itulagi lautele o le Pasefika”.
Sa fa’asoa fo’i le Fa’atonu ia Ilaoa, o lo’o auai Amerika Samoa ma usufono mo le Teritori o le U.S ma o se motu itiiti o lo’o ati’ina a’e le tama’oaiga, fa’apea ai ma isi o atugaluga ma avega mamafa e pei ona fa’asoa mai ai pa’aga o atumotu o le Pasefika.
“Matou te fa’asoa tutusa i nei atugaluga ma uso ma tuafafine o lo’o i luga laulau”, Saunoaga lenei a Fa’atonu ia Ilaoa. “I le avea ai ma se atunu’u e fa’alagolago i faigafaiva, o lo’o tau’aveina e Amerika Samoa se avega mamafa tele pe a faigata ona maua le tuna. O la matou va’a fagota i totonu o le atunu’u, lea e fa’atatau i le itu i saute o le Pasefika, o lo’o feagai fo’i ma lu’itau matuia i tulaga o lo’o iai nei. O aiga Samoa ia o lo’o nonofo i le Teritori, ma e tatau ona tumau pea lo latou lumana’i o se vaega o talanoaga lautele e uiga i le tuna”
Na tu’uina atu le fa’amālō a le Kovana ia Pulaali’i Nikolao Pula i le Fa’atonu ia Ilaoa mo lona avea ma sui o Amerika Samoa i lenei feutaga’iga, ma sa ia fa’aalia lona fiafia o le a talimālō Amerika Samoa i le fonotaga a sau.
“O lo’o fa’aauau pea ona avea le Fa’atonu ia Nathan Ilaoa ma se tagata e lagolagoina malosi le manuia o Amerika Samoa i talanoaga e uiga i faigafaiva o le itulagi,” o le saunoaga lea a le Kovana. “O lana ta’ita’iga ma le auai i lenei feutaga’iga ua atagia mai ai latou ta’utinoga, e fa’amautinoa ai o lo’o tumau pea Amerika Samoa o se leo malosi ma fa’aaloalogia i mataupu e a’afia ai le tama’oaiga, aufaigaluega, ma lo tatou lumanaʻi. Matou te talisapaia le galuega ua ia faia fa’atasi ma a tatou pa’aga Feterale ma itulagi i Niu Sila, ma o lo’o tulimata’i atu le Mālō o Amerika Samoa e talia le au usufono a le Iunaite Setete, Vaega o Atumotu o le Pasefika, ma pa’aga faaitulagi i Pago Pago ia Mati o le tausaga fou mo lenei feutaga’iga tāua. O le a fa’aaogaina e le Teritori le avanoa e fa’asoa atu ai lona talimālō, aganu’u, ma lona poto masani tu’usaʻo o se tasi o tama’oaiga o le Pasefika e sili ona fa’alagolago i le iʻa o le tuna.”
Na toe fa’amaonia e le Ofisa o le Kovana le tautinoga a Amerika Samoa e galulue fa’atasi ma le Iunaite Setete, Vaega o Atumotu o le Pasefika, ma pa’aga fa’aitulagi e lagolago ai se Feagaiga malosi, faigafaiva o le tuna, saogalemu o le gataifale, ma le mautū o le tama’oaiga mo nu’u ma motu e fa’alagolago i faigafaiva.
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