A new report released by a Pacific fisheries body has warned of the effects of climate change on the prospects of the Pago Pago-based StarKist Samoa cannery.

The warning – in a report issued by the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council (WPRFMC) – could have long-term implications for the 1,800 Samoan citizens that reportedly make up the 2,000-plus workforce at the cannery in American Samoa.

The WPRFMC report highlighted the growing challenge of climate change to the multi-million-dollar tuna industry in American Samoa, according to an article published on the commercial fisheries website Fishermen's News.

"As sea level continues to rise, the future of businesses like the StarKist Samoa cannery, located at sea level in Pago Pago Harbor, are in question," stated the report. 

"The cannery provides over 80 per cent of private employment in American Samoa, as well as nationals of other Pacific Island countries and territories, including Samoa, Niue, Tokelau and Tonga.

"Tuna exports from American Samoa are valued at some USD$353 million annually, with canned tuna comprising 99.5 per cent of the total.

"Loss of this industry due to the implications of climate change would be devastating to American Samoa and the communities it supports, the WPRDMC said."

The article said much of the work focusing on climate-resilient fisheries in the Western Pacific is the result of efforts led by the WPRFMC, NOAA Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center, and Pacific Islands Regional Office, with funding from the U.S. Department of Commerce.

"Collaborative efforts have led to development of the key objectives of the strategy, including creation of a robust management strategy for a changing climate, understanding how and why things are changing, tracking changes and providing early warnings."

NOAA hosts annual collaborative climate workshops to address the vulnerability of the islands in the Western Pacific Region, reports the Fishermen's News article. The goal of these workshops is to prioritize research needs and indicate how managers may respond to changing climate conditions to support the Pacific islands.

The next workshop is scheduled to take place in the autumn of 2023.