American Samoa’s delegation has shared with delegates of a federal task force issues impacting local coral reefs such as Climate Change and the fishing vessel grounded since last year on the reefs off Coconut Point in Nu’uuli.
The 35th US Coral Reef Task Force Meeting from Feb. 12-19 in Washington D.C. included the USCRTF Business Meeting where Gov.
Lolo Matalasi Moliga addressed the gathering. Department of Marine and Wildlife Resources (DMWR) director Dr. Ruth Matagi-Tofiga also attended the meeting as well as side meetings of the USCRTF’s All Island Committee (AIC) for which she is the point of contact for American Samoa.
“I really applaud the effort of the AIC in providing a strong jurisdiction voice in the federal process to conserve coral reefs. Also to emphasis that we have local priorities that should be addressed,” Matagi-Tofiga said Wednesday from D.C., adding that Kristine Bucchianeri, Coral Coordinator with CRAG/DMWR also represented American Samoa in the AIC meetings.
AIC is composed of states and territorial agencies, along with the Freely Associated States, working together with federal agencies and partners to better manage and protect coral reef ecosystems for present and future generations.
The AIC meetings started Feb. 12 and issues that were highlighted in a week-long meetings for American Samoa are the threats to local coral reef ecosystems from Crown of Thorns Starfish (COTS), causing extensive reef degradation throughout Tutuila and the derelict vessel removal of the longliner that ran aground in Nu’uuli, according to the DMWR director.
Speaking at the USRTF Business Meeting on Thursday, the governor highlighted the impact of Climate Change on the local ecosystem, sea level rising, coral bleaching, changes in rain patterns and risk of tropical storms, according to a statement from the ASG delegation.
Additionally, the governor commended US Interior Assistant Secretary for Insular Areas, Esther Kia’aina for her role in assisting American Samoa in its Climate Change Initiative, and making funding available for American Samoa in its response to Climate Change.
The governor also informed the USCRTF that American Samoa has anti litter legislation coupled with the Island Wide Cleanup Committee (IWCC) in its land and water based cleanup efforts to reduce marine debris throughout the territory.
Matagi-Tofiga says the Fagaalu Priority Watershed of the USCRTF was also highlighted and she thanked federal agencies — such as the Interior Department, US Environmental Protection Agency and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) — and all local agencies for their extensive support in implementing a rain garden to reduce rain runoff to the ocean.
Additionally, sediment pools have been installed to reduce sediment flow to the ocean. The USCRTF is co-chaired by Eileen Soebeck Assistant Administrator for NOAA fisheries and Lori Faeth DOI Deputy Secretary for policies and international affairs.