Job losses at Starkist a real threat for American Samoa

Transcript

American Samoa's largest private sector employer has warned thousands of people could be out of work if there are no fish deliveries to its cannery by next week.

The warning from the fish processing firm StarKist comes following the closure of the high seas to US purse seiners meaning the entire American Samoa fleet has had to fish much further afield and have its catch processed elsewhere.

Our correspondent in Pago Pago Monica Miller told Sally Round the warning is being taken seriously.

MONICA MILLER: The purse seiner owners that we have talked to vouched that, I mean they were warning about this even last year that if nothing is done about securing access for tuna boats in waters close to American Samoa that it would come to this. So when you talk to people in the industry they are quite serious.

SALLY ROUND: Has any date been given for the possible loss of all these jobs?

MM: No what the statement said and this statement is filed with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in support of a petition by Tri Marine International which owns the second cannery, the newer canary in American Samoa, for a emergency role that would allow the purse seiners that deliver half of their catches to the American Samoa canneries to fish in the high seas. So what they said was while they have inventories in storage if by August 17th they don't have anymore fish deliveries they face this real possibility.

SR: So they are holding out some kind of hope that there might be a change of heart here?

MM: Yes there is a rallying effort by what is called the government task force on fisheries to get all the businesses that are tied to the tuna industry and mind you about 80 percent of the economy of American Samoa is tied to the canneries, to support the Tri Marine International petition with NOAA.

SR: With 2000 people possibly out of work, how is the local government reacting, I mean, and what are the possible effects on the economy?

MM: The government hasn't said anything yet about StarKist's announcement because it only came in this morning. It will be quite disastrous. In previous instances even closed down for maintenance that you see the retail sector is affected, a lot of the businesses that supply the tuna boats I mean it will really affect their sales and also the presence of the fishing fleet in the territory enables the fuel suppliers to reduce utilities the cost of fuel here in the territory and we are told that we have one of the lowest in the Pacific. But when you say what impact will it have, I mean 2000 people will not have pay cheques and a lot of the people that work for the canneries it is not just one person they have sometimes it is both parents working and some of their children working there it is going to be disastrous.

SR: And are there any other industries that can soak up these people in American Samoa?

MM:  No not at all and there is no unemployment benefits as well. Families will be able to perhaps get some vouchers for certain programs that are available for their children to buy food but it is, I mean the amount is very meagre.