American Samoa as a fishing community

Abstract

The role of fishing as a central and organizing force for communities in American Samoa has undergone dramatic changes over the past 50 years or more. The islands’ population has more than tripled over that time period, with a steady shift from a largely subsistence-oriented economy to a cash-based economy. Fishing events such as the annual atule and palolo harvests continue to organize and mobilize many villages, but a smaller percent of American Samoans are taking part in these activities today, and the role of fishing as a central aspect of community within American Samoan life and culture has become less prominent over time. Fishing and marine resources are universally considered to be important aspects of fa’a Samoa, the Samoan way of life, but access to cash income and ready availability of food imports have made American Samoans less inclined to engage in fishing.