Sione Lam Yuen and Alison Green during the Marine Think Tank Session at ICCB conference 2011

Sione attended the ICCB conference in Auckland, New Zealand where he met Alison Green. Alison Green use to work for the Department of Marine and Wildlife Resources back in the 1995. Alison was the facilitator for the Improving Effectiveness of Community Managed Areas for Fisheries Management, Biodiversity Conservation and Climate Change Adaptation session during the Marine Think Tank of the ICCB conference 2011.

Members from American Samoa who attended the ICCB conference 2011 at Auckland, New Zealand

Sione Lam Yuen Jr a representative from the Department of Marine and Wildlife Resources and Hideyo Hattori a representative from the Department of Commerce at American Samoa who were representatives that got accepted to attend the 25th International Congress for Conservation Biology Conference 2011 at Auckland, New Zealand.

Pacific Islanders Applicants who got accepted to ICCB Conference 2011

There were seven members from the pacific who got accepted to the 25th International Congress for Conservation Biology Conference in 2011 that was held at Auckland, New Zealand. People from Palau, Solomon Island, Fiji, Guam and American Samoa got accepted last year during the conference in Auckland. It was a great experience, learned a lot, and met new people that work for other Marine Protected Area programs in other parts of the world.

Kiso, Ledwina and Sam presenting on Enforcement Division

Kiso and Ledwina along with their intern Sam presenting on the Enforcement Division here at DMWR to students from Pava'ia'i Elementary. They explained the types of fishing that are legal and fishing that are illegal. The rules and regulations that DMWR Enforcement have based on the marine and wildlife that is around American Samoa.

Alden Tagarino presenting on Marine Mammals

Alden is presenting on his field which is dealing with Turtles, Whales and Dolphins. Alden also work with DMWR staff during a dolphin or a whale stranded. DMWR had whale stranded in 2010 and 2011 at Matu'u and Faganeanea, and Alden and some people from off-island trained DMWR staff to activate a group of people when there is a whale stranded on the island. Students were amazed when Alden showed them the types of Whales, Sharks, Dolphins and Turtles that are found here in American Samoa.

Tee Jay, Tasha and Sa'olotoga presenting on the Bio sampling Project

Tee Jay and Sa'olotoga along with their intern Tasha are actually showing students on a live microscope which is connected to a television how to dissect a fish to collect otolith and gonads to determine the fish age and life history of a fish.

Honcho, Lusila and Sione are presenting on invertebrates

Pava'ia'i Elementary School 5th graders theme on that day of their field trip was Invertebrates in the Ocean. So Honcho Taifane presented on Invertebrates and Vertebrates, Lusila presented on the different programs that the Education Division at DMWR have and Sione presented on the two different MPA programs that DMWR have.

Alama Tua presenting about diving equipment

Students from Pava'ia'i Elementary School learn that DMWR staff uses diving equipment to submerge underwater to collect data, for fish, algae and coral identification. Alama also talked about basic swimming and safety which is what you need to learn before going out to the water. He also explained snorkel, mask, bcd, regulator, and diving signs you can apply when underwater with your buddy.

Ekueta Schuster presenting on underwater equipment's

Ekueta is the Department of Marine and Wildlife Resources dive shop operator, and he is presenting one of the coolest underwater vehicles DMWR have. Students from Pava'ia'i enjoyed their visit to DMWR because they learn about other programs and other equipment's we have to help staff collect data, dive and supp merge underwater.

Faletogo Taliloa representative from Fagamalo signing the Agreement

Faletogo Taliloa and wife were representative from the village of Fagamalo that participated for the signing of the official agreement that Fagamalo is under the No-Take MPA Program at the Department of Marine and Wildlife Resources.