PACIFIC BRIEFS American Samoa wage committee meets

American Samoa wage committee meets

Various industries under the 23rd Industry Committee of American Samoa began discussions for new rates to be paid to local employees, according to news reports.

The Pacific Islands Reports, quoting the Samoa news, said the committee will review and recommend new minimum wage levels for local employees.

Under the Fair Labor Standards Act, the US territory’s special industry committee may establish wage levels below mainland standards of $5.15 per hour.

A representative from the government was scheduled to present the first testimony, and reports said Congressman Faleomavaega Eni and Attorney Ford Ewman of the US Dept. of Labor would attend the meeting.

Forum on fisheries

The annual Standing Committee on Tuna and Billfish (SCTB) will be held in Tahiti, French Polynesia, from 16 to 23 June 1999, with new terms of reference and guidelines for participation. The SPC Oceanic Fisheries Program serves as the Secretariat for this important regional advisory body.

The goals of the SCTB are to provide a forum for scientists and others with an interest in the tuna stocks of the western and central Pacific region to meet and discuss scientific issues related to data, research and stock assessment. The SCTB coordinates fisheries data collection, compilation and dissemination; reviews research on the biology, ecology, environment and fisheries of tuna and associated species; identifies research needs and provides a means of coordination to meet those needs.

Participation in the SCTB is open to scientists and others with an interest in the tuna fisheries of the western and central Pacific. Scientists of coastal states and territories of the region, from countries whose vessels fish in the region, and from international tuna fisheries management organizations are particularly encouraged to attend.

About 80 participants are expected this year, including representatives of 14 Pacific Island nations, government and research agencies, Distant Water Fishing Nations such as Japan, Korea, Taiwan and USA, other coastal countries (Philippines), other interested nations (Canada), the Forum Fisheries Agency, the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission, the Western Pacific Regional Fisheries Management Council, and the University of Hawaii.

The provisional agenda for the seven working days provides for a day to cover introductory and overview issues, and more than four days for the activities of the Statistics Working Group and the five Species Research Groups (skipjack, yellowfin, bigeye, albacore and billfish/by-catch), with a final day to consider common themes.

For more information, please contact Dr A.D. Lewis, Oceanic Fisheries Coordinator, SPC, or E-mail: TonyL@spc.org.nc.