The fight over fishing access in Rose Atoll, American Samoa’s most protected waters, in context

The future of fishing access around Rose Atoll is uncertain after the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council voted in March to restore commercial fishing access to waters surrounding the marine national monument. The wildlife refuge is 130 nautical miles east of Pago Pago Harbor in American Samoa. The recommendation would allow commercial fishing between 12 and 50 nautical miles from Rose Atoll, removing restrictions that have been in place since the monument was established in 2009. 

Rose Atoll was designated a National Wildlife Refuge in 1973 and later became part of the Rose Atoll Marine National Monument through a presidential proclamation issued in 2009. The monument is home to one of the most pristine coral reef ecosystems within United States jurisdiction. The area supports a variety of marine species and serves as an important habitat for wildlife. 

Council Chair Nathan Ilaoa argued that the recommendation would help support American Samoa’s fishing industry and local economy. Commercial fishing and fish processing remain among the territory’s largest industries, with many local jobs tied directly or indirectly to tuna harvesting and processing. 

“In 2009, a large part of American Samoa’s EEZ was closed without consultation, and our people have carried that loss ever since,” Ilaoa said after the council’s decision. “This action does not remove the monument; it supports local fishermen, the cannery and the small businesses that depend on a viable fishing economy.”

The council’s recommendation comes after continued opposition from territorial governments. Earlier this year, Swains Island Representative Su’a Alexander Jennings introduced an American Samoa House Concurrent Resolution urging federal agencies to maintain existing protections around Rose Atoll and reject efforts to expand commercial fishing access. 

The resolution was later approved by the American Samoa Fono, who argued that protections around the atoll reflect traditional Samoan resource management practices and conservation efforts. Known in Samoan as Nu’u o Manu, Muliava, One’one Sa o le Tuimanu’a, Rose Atoll holds significant cultural and historical significance. Generations of Samoans have treated the area as a protected space through customary tapu practices that limited fishing and resource extraction. 

The debate over Rose Atoll is also relevant in broader federal discussions about commercial fishing access in Pacific marine monuments. On June 11, President Donald Trump issued a proclamation removing certain monument-based prohibitions on commercial fishing, arguing that existing federal fisheries laws provide sufficient protections for marine resources while allowing greater economic opportunities for commercial fishing communities. 

While the council voted in March to recommend reopening waters around Rose Atoll, federal agencies must still take additional steps before any changes are implemented. The recommendation comes as the Trump administration moves to expand commercial fishing access in several Pacific marine monuments, including waters surrounding Rose Atoll. NOAA Fisheries and other federal agencies will continue evaluating the recommendation before determining whether existing management measures should be modified. American Samoa continues to decide how to balance economic opportunities and environmental protection of marine resources.