Fagatele Bay - National Marine Sanctuary of American Samoa
Two American Samoans: National Marine Sanctuary intern Rex Lokeni and landowner and gatekeeper Pio Fuimono share why Fagatele Bay is one of the special protected areas in the National Marine Sanctuary of American Samoa.
Executive producers: Jean-Michel Cousteau and Gene Brighouse
Producer: Jim Knowlton
Filmed and Edited by Jim Knowlton
Slack Key Guitar Music: Doug Shirley and Bolo Mikiela Rodrigues
Special thanks to:
National Marine Sanctuary of American Samoa
National Marine Sanctuary Foundation
Office of National Marine Sanctuaries
This film is the first film of the American Samoa Culture and Ocean Conservation Film Series. The stories in these short films are told by Americans Samoans who share their passion for their unique culture and for protecting their ocean resources for future generations.
About National Marine Sanctuary of American Samoa
The National Marine Sanctuary of American Samoa is located in the cradle of Polynesia’s oldest culture and is thought to support the greatest diversity of marine life in the National Marine Sanctuary System, including a wide variety of coral and other invertebrates, fishes, turtles, marine mammals and marine plants. The sanctuary protects extensive coral reefs, including some of the oldest and largest Porites coral heads in the world, along with deep water reefs, hydrothermal vent communities, and rare marine archaeological resources, and also encompasses important fishing grounds, the southernmost point in the United States, and waters surrounding one of the world’s smallest atolls. The sanctuary is also the only true tropical reef within the National Marine Sanctuary System, and is the most remote location within that system. NOAA co-manages the sanctuary with the American Samoa Government and works closely with communities adjacent to the sanctuary, all within the context of Samoan cultural traditions and practices.
About Ocean Futures Society
Our mission is to explore our global ocean, inspiring and educating people
throughout the world to act responsibly for its protection, documenting
the critical connection between humanity and nature, and celebrating the
ocean's vital importance to the survival of all life on our planet.
Fagatele Bay National Marine Sanctuary Free Dive
NOAAs Office of National Marine Sanctuaries video specialist Paul Chetirkin recently shot this during a free dive in Fagatele Bay National Marine Sanctuary in American Samoa.
Hokulea: Arrival in American Samoa - American Samoa Culture and Ocean Conservation Film Series
Hokulea - Arrival in American Samoa
Nainoa Thompson explains how early Samoans figured out how to create sailing canoes that could sail hundreds of miles and they figured out how to navigate using the stars so that they could migrate to distant islands such as Hawaii. He explains how Hokulea's arrival to American Samoa is significant because he and his crew want to honor Samoans because if it wasn't for their accomplishments than Hawaii would not have been discovered. He seeks their blessing and their permission before they continue their voyage around the world on Hokulea.
Executive Producers - Jean-Michel Cousteau, Gene Brighouse
Producer - Jim Knowlton
Filmed and edited by Jim Knowlton
Music - Doug Shirley
Special thanks to:
National Marine Sanctuary of American Samoa
National Marine Sanctuary Foundation
Office of National Marine Sanctuaries
This film is the fourth film of the American Samoa Culture and Ocean Conservation Film Series. The stories in these short films are told by Americans Samoans and ocean luminaries, Jean-Michel Cousteau, Sylvia Earle and Nainoa Thompson, who share their passion for their unique culture and for protecting their ocean resources for future generations.
About National Marine Sanctuary of American Samoa
The National Marine Sanctuary of American Samoa is located in the cradle of Polynesia’s oldest culture and is thought to support the greatest diversity of marine life in the National Marine Sanctuary System, including a wide variety of coral and other invertebrates, fishes, turtles, marine mammals and marine plants. The sanctuary protects extensive coral reefs, including some of the oldest and largest Porites coral heads in the world, along with deep water reefs, hydrothermal vent communities, and rare marine archaeological resources, and also encompasses important fishing grounds, the southernmost point in the United States, and waters surrounding one of the world’s smallest atolls. The sanctuary is also the only true tropical reef within the National Marine Sanctuary System, and is the most remote location within that system. NOAA co-manages the sanctuary with the American Samoa Government and works closely with communities adjacent to the sanctuary, all within the context of Samoan cultural traditions and practices.
About Ocean Futures Society
Our mission is to explore our global ocean, inspiring and educating people
throughout the world to act responsibly for its protection, documenting
the critical connection between humanity and nature, and celebrating the
ocean's vital importance to the survival of all life on our planet.
TRAILER: The Jewel of the Ocean - American Samoa
NOAA's Office of National Marine Sanctuaries has released a short film, Penina Tutasi o Amerika Samoa: The Jewel of the Ocean -- Amerika Samoa. This film highlights American Samoa as an Eco-Place Destination for visitors, scientists and travel industries across the globe. It shares the important connection of the Samoan culture to resource management and sustainability.
Shark Protection Legislation
The American Samoa Department of Marine and Wildlife Resources takes the lead in preserving and protecting sharks worldwide. The law protecting sharks is detailed here. DMWR Director Ray Tulafono explains the law and the reason for protecting endangered species for future generation. Save The Sharks students shout out at the public hearing!
Stories from the Blue: Paula Stevenson McDonald
My concern is that our people are not doing enough to take care of our ocean, our water, our marine life, and our island. In order for it to be healthy, we need to get the word out. Paula Stevenson McDonald is the owner of South Pacific Watersports in American Samoa. Watch our video to hear her story from the blue and how she and National Marine Sanctuary of American Samoa create connections between people and the ocean.
Lafoga Alovao radio interview
Lafoga Alovao, owner of Figota O Le Sami Fish Marke, was interviewed at the October 17, 2015, Fishers Forum on American Samoa Fisheries, at the Port Administration main dock, Fagatogo, American Samoa, hosted by the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council and American Samoa Department of Marine and Wildlife Resources. Interviewers are Joey Cummings and Sa Viena of South Seas Broadcasting. Interviews played on 93KHJ.
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Fisheries Office for Law Enforcement | Wikipedia ...
This is an audio version of the Wikipedia Article:
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Fisheries Office for Law Enforcement
00:01:03 1 State partners
00:01:43 2 Laws and statutes enforced
00:06:24 3 See also
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- Socrates
SUMMARY
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The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Fisheries Office for Law Enforcement (NOAA OLE) is a federal police part of the National Marine Fisheries Service of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, headquartered in Silver Spring, Maryland. The leadership consists of Director Bruce Buckson, Deputy Director Matthew Brandt, Assistant Director Todd Dubois, and Assistant Director John Longenecker.
It was established in 1930 as Division of Law Enforcement, U.S. Fish Commission and Bureau . It is responsible for the ecosystem protection and conservation of most of national marine life. It is the only federal agency for such. As of 2011, it has more than 200 employees.
NOAA OLE is divided into six divisional offices (Northeast, Southeast, Alaska, Northwest, Southwest and Pacific Islands), led by a Special Agent in Charge, and 52 field offices, e.g., Pago Pago, American Samoa; Ellsworth, Maine; and San Juan, Puerto Rico.
Samoa Clam Intro
Our beautiful new 222-page ebook, SAVING GIANTS: Cultivation and Conservation of Tridacnid Clams (by Gerald Heslinga, 2013) is now available for download [or go to blurb.com and search for SAVING GIANTS]
References:
This video shows a CNN World News Report aired internationally in November, 1987, describing the introduction of giant clams to the reefs of American Samoa. The clams in this video (Tridacna derasa) were among several shipments of this species from the Republic of Palau to American Samoa (summarized below).
The following news article appeared in Samoa News, April 19. 1988:
[Begin Samoa News Article}
Happy as a Clam
A year and a half ago, the Office of Marine and Wildlife Resources (OMWR) embarked on a program to import 1,000 baby giant clams from Palau. These clams, which are now almost three years old, are doing remarkably well, and OMWR is looking to expand the project.
The clams were brought from the Micronesian Mariculture Demonstration Center and planted in a protected reef site opposite the village of Alofau. These clams, called Tridacna derasa, are new to Samopa but are similar to other giant clam species native to these waters.
Giant clams have long been a delicacy in Samoa, but overharvesting has caused the extinction of some species and the depopulation of others.
OMWR Chief Biologist David Itano explained the motivation behind the project: It was hoped that a successful clam farm would relieve fishing pressure from wild (clam) stocks, increase public awareness about giant clam populations, and help to reseed local reefs.
Itano added that once the clams reached maturity, they are virtually maintenance-free and could provide the residents of Samoa with a local delicacy on a continued basis. The clams require no feeding and can grow to very large size -- up to two and a half feet -- when provided with only clear, clean seawater.
Much of the success of the clam prject has been attributed to the people and village leaders of Alofau, who have protected and respected the clam nursery. Due to the success of the initial program, 3,000 more baby clams have been imported and are growing in Alofau's nursery as well as in the waters opposite Nu'uilli.
According to Itano, the project can be judged a true and permanent success if these imported clams reach maturity and produce offspring that settle on our local reefs. A natural and enhanced giant clam spawning project may be the key to providing a constant source of this favorite delicacy to the people of American Samoa.
OMWR is awaiting response to a federal grant propopsal which would allow them to import mature clams ready to reproduce before the younger clams that are currently growing in the nurseries. Future plans also call for the construction of concrete raceways to be used for spawning experiments and to increase public awareness of the project.
[End Samoa News Article}
******
Summary of Tridacna derasa shipments from Palau to American Samoa:
November 20, 1986: One thousand specimens of mean length 7.2 cm (2.8 inches)
November 12-17, 1987: Three thousand specimens of mean length 9.4 cm (3.7 inches)
September 12, 1990: 20 Broodstock specimens of mean length 27 cm (10.6 inches)
******
On April 17,1988: A shipment of 983 Tridacna derasa of mean lenght 5.4 cm (2.1 inches) was made from Palau to Western Samoa