The sport fish restoration program of the department of marine and wildlife resources uses a multi faceted approach to the management and restoration of sportfish stocks in the american samoa territory

The U.S. Department of the Interior Fish and Wildlife Service awarded a $220,129 Formula Grant under the Sport Fish Restoration program (CFDA# 15.605) to the American Samoa Government's Department of Marine and Wildlife Resources (DMWR). The grant will support a multi-faceted approach to managing and restoring sport fish stocks in the American Samoa Territory. Key activities include deploying fish aggregating devices to enhance access to pelagic sport fish resources, regularly collecting catch data from sport fishers, conducting fishing tournaments, and disseminating program information and research findings. The grant aims to increase local capacity for resource management and research through training and education. This funding will help DMWR carry out critical marine conservation, fisheries management, and community engagement initiatives across the territory from October 1, 2024 to September 30, 2025.

The program also provides fishery enhancement and access to the pelagic sportfish resources by deploying fish aggregating devices. In addition to deploying fads the program aims to work with sport fishers by regularly collecting their catch data an important recreational fishery. Outcomes from these activities are FED back to the stakeholders the sport fishers government agencies federal partners regional organizations and local communities to aid in a much broader island and territory wide scale of management. The program also supports fishing tournaments conducted in the territory. Information and accomplishments will also be disseminated through popular mass media and international scientific fora. More importantly the implementation of the various activities increases local capacity for resource management and research through training and education.