MPA Program Newsletter

V O L 4 . , N O . 3 J U N E 2 0 1 2 F A G A T O G O , A M E R I C A N S A M O A

Amouli Climate Resiliency and Responses Plan

Participants during the Amouli Climate Resilience Workshop in

During the meetings that Arielle Levin, Fatima SauafeaLeau, Tumau Lokeni, Solialofi Tuaumu and Sione Lam Yuen Jr had with the Amouli Climate Resilience Committee, the committee and representatives from each government agencies were revising the climate resiliency plan, and the plan is going to be finalizing in 2012. There are three main objectives in this climate resiliency plan for the village of Amouli; 1) By 2013, three Emergency and Disaster Shelters are established and secured, with an Emergency Response Plan, to provide medical treatment, emergency responses and help to families and individuals during events of natural disasters, 2) By 2013, Village spring water sources are mapped, well managed, cleaned and maintained by the village council to secure clean drinking water for the community and 3) By 2013, a Marine Protected Area is established with a management plan that includes climate change impacts to coral reefs and reef resilience.

In 2009, a climate related socioeconomic assessment was conducted by Dr. Supin Wongbusarakum at the village of Amouli. Amouli village is situated near the coastline at the eastern side of the Island of Tutuila, American Samoa. The community of Amouli is concerned about the impacts of climate change on their inhabitants.. The community strives to achieve greater resiliency to these impacts through advanced planning and preparation. A range of Government Agencies worked together to give presentations on the different impacts of climate change to communities at the church hall in Amouli. A Participatory Learning and Action (PLA) workshop was held with the village of Amouli on July 28th -29th, 2011 in Amouli village as the second part of the project. Approximately sixty people attended the workshop from ages 5 to 70; Elder Rev. Leatulagi was there along with the youth and some people from the community of Amouli. It was through the PLA process that each person learned that they can do something to mitigate against the impacts of climate change. Throughout the workshop, the community learnt about their own environment and is better able to identify local needs and implement appropriate strategies to meet those needs. In addition, the PLA approach provided the opportunity for the Amouli community to take ownership of the planning process, as well as to help build local accountability to implementing the responses and actions proposed in their village resiliency plan. After this workshop Arielle Levine and Fatima Sauafea-Leau formed an Amouli Climate Resilience Committee so they can share ideas about having an Action Plan for the village of Amouli. Throughout this whole process, we have been having meetings with the Amouli Committee to try and finalize their action plan so government agencies can help the village with any assistance they need to protect their community from Climate Change.

Department of Marine and Wildlife Resources Marine Debris Project

Joshua Tuaumu, Tafito Aitaoto, Saolotoga Tofaeono and Fale Tuilagi after Marine Debris Survey in the village of Fagasa on December 2011

This DMWR project is funded by NOAA-NMFS HCPO division and has 2 goals, a short term goal to remove the tsunami generated debris from the marine environment around Tutuila Island using local surveyors and marine salvage contractors. The longer term goal is to reduce the accumulation of trash and potential future impacts from marine debris in the coastal zone, which will be accomplished by creating Trash Free Territory community groups which will organize regular community cleanups in specific adopted areas around the island. Education and Outreach materials will also be developed as part of the project to raise awareness and address the coastal and marine trash problems around Tutuila.

DMWR Fisheries staff undertook 7 days of marine debris surveys around Tutuila between November 2011 to January 2012. The majority of debris consisted of metal roofing, tires and household objects, and the debris hotspots include Fagasa, Seetaga and Amanave. Survey data at each location includes the description of marine debris and the depths and GPS location where each piece was found. Photographs and videos were taken at each site to aid the documentation process and the development of a Marine Debris Removal Action Plan. The plan will be implemented by a salvage and debris removal contractor between February-March 2012.

2 25th International Congress for Conservation Biology (ICCB 2011)

Marine-Life Reserves News, Vol. 4, No. 3, June 2012

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Utulei Coastal Clean-Up Day Friday January 13, 2012

A group of scientist discussing different ways where communities can work together to better their MPAs.

Participants from National Park Services American Samoa, Environmental Protection Agency, Parks and Recreation, American Samoa Community College and the Department of Marine and Wildlife Resources. Thanks for making this Clean-Up a Success!

To launch the education and outreach portion of the Marine Debris project, DMWR organized an interagency coastal cleanup day at Utulei Beach Park on Friday 13th January 2012. The clean-up was undertaken with the assistance of the American Samoa Aquatic Agency, the National Park of American Samoa, CRAG, Environmental Protection Agency, Dept. of Public Works, Dept. of Parks and Recreation, and ASPA. 90 participants worked together to remove a total of 350lbs of trash from the coastal area and a total of 600 lbs from the ocean using a combination of snorkeling and SCUBA equipment. Marine debris included a large metal anchor, metal objects, cinder blocks, and about 300 glass bottles, whereas on land, the majority of trash consisted of glass bottles, soda cans, and plastic waste. Further inter-agency events will be organized over the following 12 months to complement the Trash Free Territory community group activities and develop ways to reduce trash and debris in the coastal and marine environment.
Sione and Chey pulling in the marine debris at Utulei Beach on DMWR field day

On December 2nd to the 4th 2011, Sione Lam Yuen Jr attended the 25th International Congress for Conservation Biology Conference in New Zealand. The highlight for the conference in 2011 was the first International Marine Conservation Think Tank session before the main conference that was held on December 5th to 9th at the convention center in Auckland, New Zealand. Sione Lam Yuen of the No-take MPA Program participated in the Improving Effectiveness of Community-Managed Marine Protected Areas for Biodiversity Conservation, Fisheries Management and Climate Change Adaptation sessions during the Marine Think Tank. International participants including Pacific islanders shared ideas, thoughts and techniques on how to develop effective community based fisheries management in villages. Topics discussed during the conference include the length of time to close an area in order for it to be effective, allowable fishing methods, fishing regulations and recommended size for MPAs as well as species of fish that are protected relative to the MPA size. Approximately 50 participants attended the conference. Participants were divided into groups based on their respective community size by which they work with. Sione learned that designing an MPA is looking at different species of marine resources that are found in different sizes of MPAs. He also learned that working together with the community can improved the effectiveness of having a CommunityManaged Marine Protected Area and for biodiversity conservation and fisheries management.

Fagamalo No-take MPA sign installed in May 2012.

Oscar Elton Sette Fisheries Research in American Samoa from March 12-26 2012

Marine-Life Reserves News, Vol. 4, No. 3, June 2012

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Deploying the Conductivity, Temperature and Depth (CTD) device, to measure salinity of the ocean, temperature and depth of water.

Research Cruise SE1201 The NOAA Research Ship Oscar Elton Sette in American Samoa from March 12-26 2012

On March 12 to 26 2012, a research team made up of several Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center (PIFSC) groups (Ecosystems and Oceanography Division, Scientific Operations, and Life History Program) and collaborators from the University of Hawaii Department of Oceanography and Joint Institute for Marine Atmospheric Research, the American Museum of Natural History, the American Samoa Department of Marine and Wildlife Resources, and the NOAAs Teacher at Sea Program set sail to carry out a fisheries research focusing on 3 offshore banks of American Samoa from the NOAA Ship Oscar Elton Sette. The purpose was to understand the oceanographic characteristics of the selected sites and the life history of bottom-fish species in the area. The offshore banks being surveyed include Northeast Bank, Two Percent bank and South Bank. Surveys conducted over the course of the cruise includes small boat operations, CTD (conductivity, temperature, depth), Cobb mid-water trawls, plankton tows (Mini-manta, IKMT, and 1-meter ring net), and BotCam deployments. Small boat operations were conducted on a daily basis depending on the weather, with the aim to catch selected bottomfish species for sampling and recovery of the BotCam. Physical properties of the sea water such as salinity, temperature, depth, as well as the oxygen level between each layers of the ocean surveyed were measured using the CTD device. Cobb mid-water trawls, plankton tows (Mini-manta, IKMT, and 1-meter ring net) were employed as well to collect species of interest for research. Preliminary results of the research are available on the following links: http://www.hawaiieod.com SE1201_ProgressReport_03292012.pdf http://www.hawaiieod.com/ SE1201_ProgressReport_03212012.pdf http://www.hawaiieod.com/ SE1201_ProgressReport_03162012.pdf More detailed analyses of the results are yet to be available. The research was a success to the extent that no one was injured during the cruise and the objectives were accomplished. It is hoped that the same research team would once again set sail for another similar quest to further understand the marine environment as it assist in formulating management strategies necessary for protecting the marine resources for the future generations.

This is the Issacs-Kid mid water trawl net (IKMT). This net is towed for 1 hour to get fish larvae and micro plastics on the surface of the water. From left to right; Mills Dunlap, along with Tafito Aitaoto and Ryan Nichols bottom fishing to get fish for BioSampling Project on Oscar Elton Sette

Ryan Nichols and Meagan Sundberg at their station which is BioSampling. They are collecting Otolith and Gonads to determine fish age and life history of fish.

Jonathan Saunders and Donald Kobayashi are preparing the BotCam for deployment at Muli Seamount for the first time.

Sharptail Mola; Masturus lanceolatus caught in the Cobb Trawl on 03/15/2012.

Taema Bank Proposal

Marine-Life Reserves News, Vol. 4, No. 3, June 2012

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New Marine Debris Program Staff member

Marine-Life Reserves News

Editor-in-Chief Tafito Aitaoto Authors and Project Assistant Sione Lam Yuen Jr Alice Lawrence Tafito Aitaoto Layout Artist Sione Lam Yuen Jr Editorial Board Chair - Ufagafa Ray Tulafono, Director Department of Marine and Wildlife Resources All content has been written by the Marine -Life Reserves News editorial staff unless otherwise attributed. Marine-Life Reserves News is funded by: Federal Aid in Sports Fish Restoration (Dingell-Johnson and the Wallop-Breaux Amendment) Director a Response to: Marine-Life Reserves News, Department of Marine and Wildlife Resources, P.O. Box 3730, Pago Pago, American Samoa, 96799, E-mail: mpa.americansamoa @gmail.com Tel: (684) 633-4456 Fax: (684) 633-5944

This is a map of Tutuila with Taema Bank in the black rectangle just out of the harbor.

A public meeting was held on October 28, 2011 at the Market Place conference room in Fagatogo to discuss a proposal by the DMWR No-take MPA Program on establishing a no fishing zone at Taema Bank. Taema bank is a bank reef one mile off the South coast of Tutuila and is 30 feet below surface. It contains a variety of types of corals, fish and other marine life. Taema bank represents similar banks that can be found all around American Samoa. Some parts of the bank have been degraded and fish populations are less abundant. A sunken long-lining vessel to the east of the bank creates an artificial reef. Recent current surveys indicate that the tidal currents distribute fish and coral larvae along most of Tutuilas South coast. The proposal is part of the No-take MPA Program objectives, which is to collaborate with communities and agencies to create a well designed cooperatively managed network of no-take areas around American Samoa, guided by sound science to sustain fish stocks and preserve coral reefs in 20% of the region. A proposal by the Fagatele Bay National Marine Sanctuaries also came out during the same time period and caused confusion for the public. About 50 people including fishermen, business owners and the general public attended the meeting. Most were against the proposal as they claim that Taema Bank is a popular fishing ground that is easily accessible by boat and their livelihoods are in part dependent upon it. A follow up meeting is yet to materialize to discuss other options regarding the establishment of no-take sites. While the best science available for MPAs in the context of American Samoa is yet to be available, proper deliberation of local communities and agencies input is also crucial to the success of the process. Protecting the marine resources in contemporary goes beyond the measures of simply implementing management strategies derived from science and collaborations. Livelihoods of all parties involved should be protected as well.

Peter Talivaa is one of the newest member in DMWR Marine Debris Program

Talofa and greetings, my name is Peter Talivaa from Aunuu. I have just started working for the Department of Marine and Wildlife Resources under the Marine Debris Program and it is an honor and privilege to be working for the department. I have so much passion for the ocean and it a big part of my life. I was raised from a young age as a fisherman by my grandpa and my uncles, and I learn a lot about the tradition way of fishing as well as the modern methods. I am a certified Open Water Scuba Diver to the rescue level and one of my hobbies is Scuba and Skin diving around the beautiful island of Tutuila and Aunuu. I understand about the marine life and I have learned useful techniques for how to stay safe in the ocean. I would like to further my education in the DMWR and I am looking forward to using my skills and experience and gaining new ones at the same time. I am a team player and I will try my very best to accomplish any task or mission to the best of my knowledge or ability and I am ready to assist the No-Take Program when I am needed.

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Did You Know? There are more than 300 different

types of squid that have been identified around the world. The overall size of a squid can vary depending on the species. Some of them are only 24 inches long while others are more than 40 feet in length. The heaviest squid found was in 2007 around New Zealand. It was more than 1,000 pounds! They are very quick as well as agile in the water. When a squid feels that they are in danger they release a dark color of ink as they try to make their rapid escape.