American Samoa

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• American Samoa
• Coral Reef Advisory Group
• www.crag.as
• Alyssa Edwards
• alyssa.edwards_at_doc.as

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American Samoa is an unincorporated United States
Territory located approximately 2,600 miles south
of Hawai'i. It is the southernmost of all U.S.
possessions and is the only U.S. jurisdiction in
the South Pacific. American Samoa is comprised
of seven islands (five volcanic islands and two
coral atolls).
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American Samoa

• Retains some of the most traditional lifestyles
  found anywhere in the United States
• Chiefly system with village councils
• Highly religious
• 100 population lives in coastal zone
• 30 habitable land
• 30 living in poverty
• 40 of population below age 15
• Preference for large family size
• Fertility rates average 4 children per woman

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Local Action Strategies

• The four main threats to local coral reefs have
  been identified as
• Land based sources of pollution
• Fishing pressure
• Global climate change
• Population pressure (only Territory /
  Jurisdiction to identify this as a major threat)

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Population Pressure LAS
Source Department of Commerce, Statistics
Division, Secretariat of the Pacific Community
At this rate the population of American Samoa
will double in 40 years!
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Sedimentation
Traffic Congestion
Every 5 YEARS
?5,500 More People ?2,000 More Cars ?1,500 More
Houses
Massive Litter
Overcrowded Services
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Population Pressure Working Group

• Engaged in activities to affect changes in five
  critical areas
• Policy
• Education
• Outreach
• Communication
• Data Collection and Management

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Population Summit

• 2008 gathered together over 150 key stakeholders
  to discuss the problems and to devise
  collaborative solutions.  At the Summit, Governor
  Togiola opened the event by stating that
  "resources are not finite, there are limits, and
  in an island setting as ours, the primary threat
  comes from PEOPLE."  
• Population Declaration containing numerous policy
  initiatives, project recommendations and a
  recommendation to create a Population Commission.
  

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2009 Efforts

• Implementation of Population Declaration
• Continued media outreach articles / radio
• Education and outreach activities
• Immigration analysis and reform
• Territorial Population Policy first US
  Territory / State to develop a population policy,
  US remains the only industrialized nation without
  an official population policy

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• American Samoa
• Coral Reef Advisory Group
• www.crag.as
• Alyssa Edwards
• alyssa.edwards_at_doc.as