Tri Marine says it wants to focus on building a regional tuna processing hub in American Samoa.
The American purse seiner Raffaello off-loads tuna in Port Majuro Photo: RNZI GIff Johnson
The operator of Samoa Tuna Processors said this has been made possible with the resolution of the US South Pacific Tuna Treaty last week in Auckland.
The Pacific Island parties and the US agreed to renew the Treaty after the US having pulled out of the arrangement earlier this year.
Under the new arrangements the US fleet will have the option of buying multilateral fishing days, participating in auctions for pooled days or entering into agreements to purchase bilateral days.
The American Samoa boats that deliver their catches to the canneries in American Samoa will be looking for fishing agreements that allow them to fish in the waters closest to Pago Pago.