The Department Of Marine & Wildlife Resources

The Department Of Marine & Wildlife Resources

Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Approximately 95 fifth grade students from Lupelele Elementary School had a field trip to the Department of Marine & Wildlife Resources to learn about marine related topics. Students were divided in 3 groups; they rotated from the Enforcement Division that was assisted by officers Hanipale Hanipale and Mundy Ah Ching, Information Education Division that was assisted by Maria Vaofanua and Lusila Minoneti and finally the No-Take Marine Protected Area (MPA) Program assisted by Sione Lam Yuen Jr.

Monday, November 22, 2010


A Boat ride back to Tutuila Island from Aunu'u Island after the Aunu'u PLA & Household Results Outreach. Malo Le Galulue! Lusila Minoneti, Lucy Jacob, Selaina Tuimavave, Sione Lam Yuen Jr, Kiso So'oto,




Herbie Umi, Siaifoi Fa'aumu, Alofa Tuaumu, Lainie Berry, Leslie Yen, Alice Lawrence, Tafito Aitaoto Taking Photos and Sonny Niue "The Transporter"
A member from the community of Aunu'u asking a question from the action plan that was put together by facilitators that conducted the PLA Workshop on September 2009. This Action Plan include Poor Management of the Taufusi (Wetland Area), Use of Village Reef, Spring Water, Pollution, Boat Transportation and ASPA Generator. This gentleman's concern was removing the ASPA generator; they didn't want to remove the ASPA generator but to relocate it to another area because that's the only way they get power supply. One of the youth during the PLA workshop said if the ASPA can remove the generator because the generator is too close to the Aunu'u Elementary School. It's causing air pollution and also to keep the generator clean.
Lainie Berry, Pulemagafa Siaifoi Fa'aumu and Leslie Yen presenting their Wildlife presentation to the community of Aunu'u. Their presentation was about the wildlife resources that the village of Aunu'u have. They mentioned in their presentation the benefits of having the wetland on Aunu'u, some threats that affects the wetland, Gray Duck (Toloa), Pacific Golden Plover (Tuli), Purple Swamphen (Manuali'i), Pacific Reef Heron (Matu'u), the different mangrove that grows in the wetland at Aunu'u Island like the Puzzlenut (Le'ile'i), Oriental Mangrove (Togosaina) and the Red Mangrove (Togomumu).
Lusila Minoneti presenting her slides for the household results to the community of Aunu'u at the CCCAS hall. These were the results from the Household Survey that was conducted July of 2009, and this survey was interviewing each household in the village of Aunu'u and how they manage their marine resources, fishing methods they use when they go fishing, how many fishes they catch every time they go fishing and what are some management they would like to have to protect, preserve and conserve their marine resources

Monday, November 15, 2010

The youth were asking questions based on the presentation and also questions to gain knowledge about marine related issues that they see every day in the village of Fagasa. After the presentation Sione ask 5 questions based on the presentation like, What is a No-Take MPA?, What are some activities you can still do in the No-Take MPA?, Why are big fish better?, What is it called when fish move outside the No-Take MPA?, and a BONUS question: How many MPA' in Tutuila and name them. They also received prizes when they answer the question right; the prizes were posters and a Palolo DVD.
Group 1

Sione's Group presenting No-Take MPA Activity Results. This is the number 1 group during the activity because they were able to fish less. They were fishing enough fish for the number of their household, enough fish so bigger fish inside the MPA can reproduce and have more fish, bigger fish, and also families and the village of Fagasa can benefit from the SPILLOVER.

Group 3

Malia's Group during the MPA activity. They were allowed to fish outside the No-Take MPA area but not inside. There were three rounds, ten seconds each. After each round it is up to the group if they want to bring some fish inside the no-take area outside because that's how the SPILLOVER process works. Fish Spillover when there is not enough space in the MPA, some of the fish stay inside the no-take zone because those fish and invertebrates are Territorial, that means they rule that area in the ocean.
The Youth Group at CCCAS in the village of Fagasa. Thanks for the opportunity to conduct our No-Take Marine Protected Area (MPA) Outreach to the youth group and the church. Also a big fa'amalo to the team from the National Park of American Samoa and also to Maria Vaofanua and Lusila Minoneti representatives from the Information Education Division in the Department of Marine and Wildlife Resources.

Malo Le Galulue!