American Samoa Seeks More Pacific Tuna

American Samoa Seeks More Pacific Tuna
Cook Islands delivers first shipment for processing

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (Radio New Zealand International, Sept. 9, 2012) – American Samoa’s Governor Togiola Tulafono is hopeful that other island countries will ship their tuna to be canned in the Territory as the Cook Islands has done.

Last week the first shipment of tuna caught in Cook Island waters was sent to the StarKist Samoa cannery in Satala to be canned.

Togiola says the Cook Islands will be the first country other than the United States to which tuna canned in American Samoa will be exported.

The tuna will be processed under the label Cook Islands Golden Tuna for the Cook Islands and Asia markets.

Togiola says he is trying to promote the same venture to other island countries like Kiribati, Solomon Islands and Nauru.

The governor also welcomed the appointment of a Cook Islands representative in the terriotry.

The Cook Islands is to open an office in the territory mainly for fisheries.