April 10, 2020 — The following was released by The Office of Congresswomen Aumua Amata (R-American Samoa):
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.
“I conveyed to Secretary Bernhardt that we appreciate Interior’s swift grant of $1 million for COVID-19 protective gear for the Pacific Territories through the Office of Insular Affairs, where Assistant Secretary Doug Domenech and OIA Director Nik Pula are doing a great job,” said Aumua Amata. “My message to the Secretary is that the COVID crisis highlights the fact that food security equals national security. Now is the time to reopen commercial fishing in the American waters in the Marine Monuments as the Interior Department has recommended.”