20 



My extensive experience, both with the Department and the 

 Western Pacific Council, leads me to believe that, just as the De- 

 partment aids Samoan villages with their fishery management, the 

 Council would be well suited to aid us in comanagement of our 

 fishery resources if the Magnuson Act is amended to allow commu- 

 nity-based fishery development programs throughout the Amer- 

 ican-flag Pacific Islands. 



If ingenuous Pacific islanders intend to manage fishery projects, 

 they will need direct monetary and technical assistance. They will 

 also need aid in developing, managing, and monitoring their fish- 

 eries. 



Development of fishery requires direct financial, training, and 

 management assistance. Samoans entering such a contemporary 

 fishery will need specialized training, with equipment obtained 

 through financial assistance and skills derived from the technical 

 assistance. A training program must be created to translate cash 

 and technical manuals into effective, knowledgeable fishermen. The 

 indigenous community fishery projects must find an appropriate 

 agency to coordinate tne technical assistance program. 



As the policymaking institution for fishery management within 

 the United States Western Pacific EEZs, the Council would be an 

 excellent resource, working in cooperation with State or territorial 

 agencies like the Department of Marine and Wildlife Resources in 

 American Samoa for these developing fisheries. These groups, espe- 

 cially the Council, are equipped with all the necessary fishery in- 

 formation and background to assist the indigenous fishery develop- 

 ment projects. The Council has always worked toward a sustain- 

 able development of its fisheries, as mandated by the Magnuson 

 Act. 



In short, Mr. Chairman, the Council's resources would be almost 

 as big a blessing to the indigenous fishermen of American-flag Pa- 

 cific Islands as the ocean resources they will be managing. The 

 Council, together in consultation with appropriate local agencies, 

 will be indispensable comanagers. 



We Samoans are seafaring people who have always depended 

 heavily on our fishery resources. We have a long history of offshore 

 and nearshore fishing and fish are important to our culture and its 

 continuity in many ways. This legislation will allow indigenous Pa- 

 cific Islanders to exercise their cultural and social traditions and 

 regain some of level of self-determination over their resources, their 

 environment, and themselves. It will merely raise Pacific Islanders 

 to the level of respect and responsibility already accorded to main- 

 land Native Americans. We too are natives on land that is now 

 part of America. 



I fully support this legislation and believe that Pacific Islanders 

 deserve legal acknowledgement of our control over our marine re- 

 sources and technical and financial support for community-based 

 development of our fisheries. 



Once again, Mr. Chairman, I thank you for the opportunity to 

 testify before your committee this morning. 



[Prepared statement of Mr. Tulafono appears in appendix.] 



Senator Inouye. Thank you very much, Mr. High Chief. 



May I now call upon Mr. Buddy Keala. 



