Hearing scheduled for licensing system for US flagged purse seiners

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — Senator Malaepule Saite Moliga has scheduled a hearing next week Monday to discuss a House Bill that would give the Department of Port Administration authority to establish a local licensing system for US-flagged purse seiner vessels.

The House measure was introduced in the Senate yesterday for its first reading. The witnesses called were the Director for the Port Administration Fale Loi-on Fruean, Attorney General Falefatu Fainuulelei Alailima-Utu and Director of Marine Wildlife Resources Taotasi Archie Soliai. 

According to the preamble of the proposed measure the Department of Port Administration and Department of Marine and Wildlife Resources have identified a strong need to establish a local licensing system for US-flagged purse seiner vessels that will aid the territory in seeking full Small islands Developing State/ Participating Territories benefits within the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commissions.

“This act shall establish a record of locally based purse seiner vessels that regularly land tuna to American Samoa either for use in the tuna processing plant or for transshipment.”

The proposed bill will create a Chapter 6 in Title 20 A.S.C.A.

According to the proposed bill the purpose of this chapter is to issue landing licenses to locally based Purse Seiner vessels that regularly land tuna to American Samoa; either for use in the tuna processing plant or for transshipment, in support of the American Samoa tuna industry.

The Port Director shall implement duties under this chapter; such as issuing a landing license to any owner or operator of a purse seiner who submits the application and documents that are required by the Director along with payment of the required fee.

“Any landing license issued by the Department does not supersede any other license or regulatory certification needed to operate the vessel in American Samoa.”