American Samoa Governor says US must protest fishing zone

The American Samoa Governor wants the US Government to dismiss a call for longliners to be allowed to fish in the territory's Large Vessel Protected Area.

Lolo Moliga has asked the US Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker to reject the Western Pacific Fishery Management Council's resolution to allow longliners access.

If the council's resolution is approved it would temporarily allow vessels of 15 metres or longer to fish within 20 kilometres of the territory's shores.

At the moment the area up to 80 kilometres offshore is reserved for alia fishing.

Governor Lolo this allows the indigenous population to nurture and practice traditional methods of fishing using canoes, alias and other traditional vessels, an art that he says is fast disappearing.