The new cannery, Samoa Tuna Processors has opened in American Samoa, which is expected to create about 2,000 jobs.
Governor at opening of Samoa Tuna Processors Photo: RNZI Monica Miller
The high-tech facility is a 70 million US dollar investment by the parent company Tri Marine International.
The cannery is fully air conditioned and the owners say it will not smell because it will have a filter of coconut husks that will absorb odours.
300 workers have been hired and at full production, the cannery will have 2,000 employees
Production has been delayed till the second week of February because key components of the plant have been delayed by a shipping strike on the US West Coast.
The Governor Lolo Moliga and the President of Tri Marine International Renato Curto took part in cleaning fish before the opening.