Country profile
Coastal fisheries snapshot
demersal fish (including snapper, jobfish, emperor, surgeonfish, parrotfish and jacks), invertebrates (e.g. palolo) and species gleaned from intertidal habitats (e.g. octopus), and nearshore pelagic fish (including tuna and wahoo) using a range of fishing methods.
Top 5 training topics
Gender participation
Male participations: 35 (48%) · Female participations: 37 (51%)
Yearly participations (2016–2025)
Projected changes in atmospheric & ocean climate (by 2050)
Relative to 1995-2014 baseline. Regional CMIP6 projections applied to American Samoa's climate zone (Southwest Pacific Convergence).
Coastal fisheries (current vs 2050)
demersal fish (including snapper, jobfish, emperor, surgeonfish, parrotfish and jacks), invertebrates (e.g. palolo) and species gleaned from intertidal habitats (e.g. octopus), and nearshore pelagic fish (including tuna and wahoo) using a range of fishing methods.
Oceanic fisheries (current vs 2050)
Tuna fisheries — skipjack, yellowfin, bigeye and albacore. Habitat areas projected to shift with ocean temperature, stratification and oxygen content changes.
Freshwater & estuarine fisheries (current vs 2050)
Inland fisheries are expected to be affected by changes in rainfall patterns, river flow, and habitat accessibility by 2050.
Aquaculture (current vs 2050)
Mariculture impacted by sea surface temperature, ocean acidification and intense storms. Freshwater aquaculture may benefit from increased freshwater habitat but face disease and temperature pressure.
tilapia and giant clams (ranching for wild restocking)
Livelihoods & economies (current vs 2050)
Fisheries and aquaculture provide household income, jobs and government revenue. Climate-driven changes will affect employment and economic contribution.
Aquatic food security (current vs 2050)
Aquatic (blue) foods provide an important source of nutrition. Population growth combined with climate impacts may create deficits in fish supply.
Drivers of impact on fish availability by 2050: 94% climate change · 6% population change
Blue food production systems (current vs 2050)
Blue foods contribute to nutrition security, economies, livelihoods and jobs. Climate impacts on coastal, oceanic, freshwater fisheries and aquaculture together determine the system's resilience.
are most important for their economic contributions. Compared to other Pacific islands, projected climate impacts to blue food production by 2050 are medium-high.
Recommended adaptation: Food & nutrition security
- Implement sustainable ecosystem-based approach to fisheries management Food and Nutrition 4
- Promote education and awareness on the importance of protecting aquatic habitats, species and the foods they supply
Recommended adaptation: Sustainable livelihoods
- Improve technical and business viability of fisheries
Recommended adaptation: Economies & government revenue
- Develop policies and strategies that integrate climate change implications into fisheries and aquaculture management
- Implement energy efficiency programs for fisheries and aquaculture Economic Revenue 4
- Climate-proof infrastructure
Community-based Fisheries Management — American Samoa
Source: Govan & Lalavanua 2022 (SPC), updated from FAO & SPC Outlook 2026. See the regional CBFM Report for full analysis.
Coastal fisheries in American Samoa
demersal fish (including snapper, jobfish, emperor, surgeonfish, parrotfish and jacks), invertebrates (e.g. palolo) and species gleaned from intertidal habitats (e.g. octopus), and nearshore pelagic fish (including tuna and wahoo) using a range of fishing methods.
Tuna fisheries in American Samoa
The Pacific is home to the world's largest tuna fishery, with member countries' EEZs producing over half of the global tuna catch. American Samoa's EEZ covers 404,391 km², providing significant access to tuna and other oceanic resources.
Fisheries Contributions to American Samoa's Economy
Harvest by sector (1999 → 2021)
Volume and economic value of fisheries production by sector, from successive Benefish studies. Use the toggle to switch between volume (tonnes) and value (US$).
Key findings from Benefish Study 4
20.2 Contribution of fishing to GDP
Current official contribution Estimates of the GDP of American Samoa are made by the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) of the U.S. Department of Commerce, under the Statistical Improvement Program funded by the Office of Insular Affairs of the U.S. Department of the Interior. The BEA also makes GDP estimates for Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The BEA estimated that the GDP of American Samoa was US$716 million in 2020 and US$709 in 2021 (BEA 2022).
Full chapter section in Benefish Study 4 →
20.3 Exports of fishery production
The fishery exports of American Samoa consist largely of canned tuna and by-products of the canneries. Table 20-6 (from Statistics Division [2021]) shows the annual values of the fishery exports and compares them with the value of all domestic exports. The latest year for which the fishery exports are readily available is 2019.
Full chapter section in Benefish Study 4 →
20.4 Government revenue from fisheries
Access fees for offshore fishing There is currently no foreign fishing in the American Samoa zone. United States vessels are considered to be domestic vessels. Other government revenue from fisheries The Department of Marine and Wildlife Resources issues several fishing licences per month, at a cost of US$10 per license. The revenue generated is deposited in the general fund of the Government of American Samoa.
Full chapter section in Benefish Study 4 →
20.5 Fisheries-related employment
Employment in American Samoa that is directly related to fisheries has two distinct main components: involvement in activities related to fishing and jobs at tuna canneries. The background of the canneries (Box 20-3) is important for an understanding of their importance in fisheries-related employment in American Samoa.
Full chapter section in Benefish Study 4 →
20.6 Fish consumption
Staff of the Statistics Division of the Department of Commerce and of the Department of Marine and Wildlife Resources in American Samoa indicate that they are not aware of any recent surveys covering fish consumption in the territory. The following information comes from earlier studies: • Gillett and Preston (1997) estimate that the production from coastal fisheries (commercial and subsistence) in American Samoa in the early 1990s equated to an annual per capita fish supply of 5.7 kg.
Full chapter section in Benefish Study 4 →
American Samoa — country resources
Direct access to country-specific chapters, regional report cards and economic studies.