American Samoa gifts tons of tinned tuna to Tokelau

Apia, 12 May 2017 (revised 24 May 2017)
PalletsTuna-450
Some of the gifted 14 pellets of tinned tuna are awaiting shipment to Tokelau in the Apia port.

It may seem like taking coal to Newcaste, but Tokelau
was very happy to receive a large lot of tinned tuna
from the American Samoa Government on 10/11 May in
Apia. 

Fourteen pallets of tins, that is about 15 cubic metres,
were delivered to the Customs holding area at Apia port 
on Wednesday. The pallets are being shipped to
Tokelau on the next available freight ship and divided
among the three atolls Atafu, Nukunonu and Fakaofo.
The amount is the equivalent of several years of
imported tinned  tuna by the nation of about 1,500 souls.

On Thursday 11th, a small delegation visited the Office of the Council for the Ongoing Government of Tokelau in Apia, to officially hand over the generous gift to the Tokelau people. American Samoa Governor Lolo Moliga was unable to attend but his Chief of Staff, Mr Fiu Saelua spoke on his behalf. He expressed the hope that the gesture would be the beginning of a regular dialogue between the two Territories.

The Director of the American Samoa Department of Commerce, Mr Keniseli Lafaele endorsed that view, as did Mr Fa’afoi Palepua, General Manager of Samoa Tuna Processors in Pago Pago.

Indeed it was his company in the Trimarine group that provided the gift of tuna to the American Samoa Government, to present to Tokelau. American Samoa has a huge capacity to process tuna; and so the large Exclusive Economic Zone of Tokelau is of great interest to them.

General Fono, Fatupaepae delegate for Nukunonu, Mrs Lepeka Perez accepted the gift on behalf of the Tokelau government. She thanked the American Samoa government and people, and the Trimarine group for the donation that pay homage to the Polynesian custom of sharing and reciprocity.

AmSam3some-300
The delegation from American Samoa to the
Tokelau-Apia Liaison Office comprised (from left):
American Samoa Governor Chief of Staff,
Mr Fiu Saelua; Director of the American Samoa
Department of Commerce, Mr Keniseli Lafaele; and
General Manager of Samoa Tuna Processors in Pago Pago,
Mr Fa’afoi Palepua.
AmSam6-450
The delegation from American Samoa with senior Tokelau officials (from left): American Samoa Governor Chief of Staff, Mr Fiu Saelua; Delegate to the General Fono from Nukunonu, Mrs Lepeka Perez; Director of the American Samoa Department of Commerce, Mr Keniseli Lafaele; General Manager of Samoa Tuna Processors in Pago Pago, Mr Fa’afoi Palepua; Mr Aleki Silao, Advisor to the Tokelau Public Service Commissioner; Mr Seiuli Aleta, Acting General Manager, Office of the Council for the Ongoing Government of Tokelau.




(*) For the detail, see http://www.tokelau.org.nz/Bulletin/September+2016/2014+imports+final.html


Original article published in Samoa Observer, 20 May 2017

 

Tokelau is located 500 - 600 km north of Samoa and
American Samoa and is blessed with productive tuna
fisheries in its Territorial Sea and Exclusive Economic
Zone (EEZ).

Tokelau manages its EEZ tuna purse seine
and long-line fisheries by way of the highly successful
Vessel Day Schemes (VDS) managed by the Parties to
the Nauru Agreement (PNA). Revenue for its EEZ fisheries
is now Tokelau’s major source of income that makes a
major contribution to the social and economic wellbeing
of its people.

While the people of Tokelau are keen fishermen themselves,
there is no local fishing fleet. Only small sized boats for
fishing both inside the lagoon and in the deep water just
outside the atolls.

Yet imported tinned tuna is a very popular consumption item
also, as a study of Tokelau imports from Samoa in 2014 has
highlighted: In the one year, imports from Samoa included
5000 kg nett of tuna in oil. (*)

One pallet of tins has about 800 kg of tuna in them, so the
generous gift of 14 pallets from American Samoa would
cater for over two years’ consumption in Tokelau at the 2014
rate. There’s likely to be a tin fish feast – a challenge to come
up with the best dish at World Food day (16 October) perhaps?

For more information please contact: 
Dr J.A. ("iapi") Jasperse, Tokelau Apia Liaison Office, Apia,
Samoa, 
Email iapi.jasperse@tokelau.org.nz. Ph +685 7294913.


See/hear also item on ACB news: American Samoa gifts 'two years worth of tinned tuna' to Tokelau http://www.abc.net.au/news/programs/pacific-beat/2017-05-22/american-samoa-gifts-two-years-worth-of-tinned/8546136

And see
in Asia Pacific Report: American Samoa tuna cannery closure prompts fisheries gifts to Tokelau http://asiapacificreport.nz/2017/05/29/american-samoa-tuna-cannery-closure-prompts-fisheries-gifts-to-tokelau/