Tag Archives: Congresswoman Aumua Amata
Congresswoman Aumua Amata pleased with recommendations on marine monuments
Congresswoman Aumua Amata is pleased with Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke’s recommendation that President Trump consider expanding access to fishing in certain marine monuments. The Interior Secretary’s final recommendations include allowing traditional fishing and commercial fishing rights in three marine monuments, including the Pacific Remote Islands monument and the Rose Atoll monument. Aumua says in a statement this a major step forward in efforts to restore fishing rights in American Samoa. click here to read the story 10:50
Congresswoman appeals the prohibition of American fisherman in National Marine Monuments
Congresswoman Aumua Amata has stressed to U.S. Department of Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross the importance of removing the prohibition of American fisherman to fish in the waters of the National Marine Monuments. Aumua reports from Capitol Hill, “My conversation with Secretary Ross was about the need for American fishermen to be able to fish in waters that have been designated as Marine Monuments.“ While I think we can all agree about the importance of the National Marine Monuments, how they protect our pristine waters and coral reefs; the lack of consultation with the local American Samoan community and the fishing industry at large, has created detrimental effects on our economy. Read the rest here 08:28
Trump asked to remove all marine monument fishing prohibitions established by the past two administrations
The request is from the chairman of the House Committee on Natural Resources, Congressman Rob Bishop, and American Samoa’s Congresswoman Aumua Amata. The letter says prohibitions on commercial fishing in marine monuments, or reserves, has impacted the US fishing fleet as well as forcing one cannery operation in Pago Pago to close. According to the two Republicans, closing US waters to domestic fisheries is federal overreach and obstructs well managed, sustainable US fishing industries in favour of foreign counterparts. The letter says over half of US waters in the Pacific have been closed to commercial fishing by a stroke of the pen without specific evidence, socioeconomic analysis, or a deliberative and public process. Link 08:10
House Committee approves territorial waters protection
A bill that includes an amendment by Congresswoman Aumua Amata for protection of territorial waters from federal regulations has been approved by the House Natural Resources Committee. The congresswoman’s amendment specifically prohibits the Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of Commerce from restricting fishing access in any state or territorial marine waters, or the Great Lakes, under the jurisdiction of the National Park Service or the Office of National Marine Sanctuaries unless the restrictions have been developed with and approved by the US Fish and Wildlife Agency of the affected state or territory. Read the rest here 13:25
