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MPA Program Newsletter

V O L 4 . , N O . 2 O C T O B E R 2 0 1 1 F A G A T O G O , A M E R I C A N S A M O A

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Participants from ASCC Samoan Studies Courses performing an Ava Ceremony as part of the drama event

Our constantly changing environment has brought forth challenges that require adaptively comprehensive approaches. Challenges such as climate change, population growth, unsustainable use of resources and several others in the context of American Samoa have added to the already increasing list of challenges. Like most Pacific islands, American Samoa is facing these challenges while trying to keep their culture and language intact. One of the ultimate goals of the DMWR No-take Marine Protected Area Program is to protect the marine resources from the impacts of the abovementioned challenges by promoting the program through various mediums and outreach workshops as well as establishing no-take sites in the waters of American Samoa. While the information provided to promote the program is derived from scientific research performed locally and elsewhere, it is culturally understood by locals that the challenges do exist and adaptation strategies are necessary. An adaptation strategy suitable in American Samoa is the use of the Samoan language to promote science and understanding the cultural protocols to assist in carrying out research in the locality of American Samoa. On Wednesday 27th July, the ASCC Samoa Studies Institute in collaboration with the DMWR No-take Marine Protected Area Program organized a drama to promote the No-take Program and apply the skills learned by the students in their Samoan Political Organization course. The drama which was called Tatou Aleaga Faatasi was a representation of a Village Council meeting in which DMWR would present its Marine Protected Area program to the Council. It was written by Tafito Aitaoto of the no-take MPA Program and raised many of the issues that occur in real life as well as showcasing the students hard work in preparing for this event.

Tatou Aleaga Faatasi Drama Event

The students had received mentorship and guidance from their teachers Teleiai Christian Ausage and Nunuimalo Apisaloma Toleafoa in order to make this event truly representative of the Samoan Culture. The students, who are studying Samoan Political Structure were required to perform this drama of part of their summer curriculum and it is the first time that this collaboration has taken place. Traditional Samoan food was also prepared for the audience along with beautiful leis. The Secretary of Samoan Affairs was in attendance along with Directors and Acting Directors of the National Parks Service, the Environmental Protection Agency, ASCC Landgrant, the Samoan Studies Institute and DMWR. There were around forty other members of the audience made up of representatives from the different resource management agencies and ASCC. The event aimed to raise the awareness of conservation programs and their integration into local culture as well we fulfill the objectives of the Samoan Political Structure curriculum for the students. It is hoped that more events will be organized under the Tatou Aleaga Fa'atasi, Combining Culture and Conservation heading. Honorable Secretary, Tufele Li'amatua was so impressed by the event that he graciously invited the program to the Office of Samoan Affairs to be performed in front of other Government officials. The students and staff of ASCC and DMWR were both honored to receive such an invitation. Such an event highlighted the importance of promoting science using the Samoan language and also promoting the Samoan language and culture to convey the message of protecting the marine resources for the future.

Students from American Samoa Community College Samoan Studies Division, photographed before their drama performance on July 27th 2011.

Reconnaissance Dive in Fagamalo No-take Area

Marine-Life Reserves News, Vol. 4, No. 2, October 2011

No-take MPA Drifter Project

Tafito Aitaoto holding the GPS receiver unit tracking the drifters that is in the water during

The yellow line shows the location that was surveyed by the team. The green line indicates the village Marine Protected Area boundary.

In the red box is Flounder one of the drifters

On Monday 8th August, the No-take MPA team carried out a reconnaissance dive at Fagamalo No-take area in preparation for the implementation of their biological monitoring. The rough conditions on the south coast made it challenging to reach the site but the boat captain, Mike Letuane did a fantastic job of delivering the team to their survey site! The method that the team were using involves two divers taking photographs and recording the substrate at approximately every one minute along their dive. Two snorkelers on the surface towed a GPS in a waterproof case in order to track the divers. Following the dive, the track and photos were uploaded to a website where they can be viewed on a satellite image. If you are interested in seeing the photos and track from the dive, go to http://gpsed.com/track/7203076968370548403#photos. The divers covered an area of approximately 0.2 miles on the dive and are planning to go back and carry out at least two more similar dives before they will have surveyed the entire reef slope area in the No-take area. The reason for carrying out this reconnaissance is so that the biological monitoring can be designed correctly taking into account any significant changes in habitat that occur inside the area and doing repeated transects in each. The methodology worked well and the team found some interesting corals, fish and invertebrates on the dive such as the large Longface Emperor (Lethrinus olivaceus) pictured above and the beautiful Giant Clam (Tridacna sp.). Fagamalos new no-take area adjoins their pre-existing Village MPA (also outlined in green above) but the no-take area extends approximately 1 mile offshore and includes an offshore bank. The team also hopes to survey the offshore bank in the future.

Ocean currents play a role in coral and larval dispersal, as well as bringing fresh oceanic water into the coastal areas. Part of the design of effective no-take areas includes carrying out research to understand and identify important sites for inclusion in the network of marine protected areas. In addition to the ADCP current survey that is on-going, a drifter survey has been conducted by the No-take Program with guidance from Dr. Philip Wiles, SPREP oceanographer. Funding for this project was attained from NOAA and involves carrying out drifter deployments and validating a circulation model for Tutuila which will happen in 2012. With the use of GPS/VHF transmitting dog tracking units and a handheld GPS receiver unit, the drifters could be deployed using a boat or a kayak. The dog tracking units are placed in a securely sealed 3 inch PVC pipe with the antennae sticking out on top to transmit signal to the handheld GPS unit. They are then cast adrift in the ocean and tracked from the boat. Up to nine drifters can be deployed at one time and data is transferred to GIS maps or google earth afterwards. In this way, we are gathering more and more information on the surface currents around our islands. We are collaborating with Dr. Eric Treml from the University of Queensland who will visit in 2012 to help set up the circulation model and run larval simulations. Surveys are therefore being prioritized in existing or proposed protected area locations where it is very important to have such information.

A picture of the coral reef inside Fagamalo no -take area.

Phil and Tafito putting the dog tracking collars inside the drifter casings before heading out by boat to deploy them

Le Tausagi Teacher Workshop 2011

Marine-Life Reserves News, Vol. 4, No. 2, October 2011

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Le Tausagi Enviro Discoveries Summer Camp Ofu, Manua 2011

Participants of the Teacher Workshop 2011 along with representatives from various government agencies

Ofu and Olosega participants during the DMWR Summer Camp in Ofu, Manua

On July 19th - 20th 2011, the Department of Marine and Wildlife Resources hosted a Summer Camp in Ofu, Manu'a. Approximately forty young people ranging from ages five to twentyfour years old attended with their parents. The participants who were from the islands of both Ofu and Olosega were rotated around five activities; Fish Anatomy , Marine Protected Areas (MPA), Coral Reefs and a Fishing Derby. In the Fish Anatomy class, the participants learnt about the external and internal anatomy of a fish. They dissected real fish and talked about the swim bladder, liver, stomach, heart, gills, brain, gonads and the importance of all these body parts. The participants learnt about Marine Protected Areas by playing games and having some fun with MPA activities. They talked about why MPA's are important and some benefits that people can get from establishing an MPA. They also learnt about corals polyps, the difOne of the fisheries activities was the coral polyp feeding ference between coral and coral reefs, what Zooxanthallae is, frenzy! Teachers were asked to put their hands up in the air with why coral reefs are important and what threats can kill corals in a shape of an upside down jellyfish which represent the polyps the ocean. During the fishing derby, camp participants were and the instructors represented currents carrying food (which divided into three groups: boys, girls and parents. They caught a was actually cereal). The polyp depends heavily on the currents lot of fish that were used for the fish anatomy class on the next to bring a fresh food supply particularly at night time when they day. The National Park Service in Ofu took some of the children capture their prey actively. The soil and water conservation acto their laboratory where they showed them coral polyps and tivity demonstrated soil eroding from a place where the soil is zooxanthallae under microscopes. At the end of each day, the not stabilized and a place where vetiver grass grows to stabilize participants had to answer a set of review questions in exchange the soil. The water quality activity demonstrated how wetlands for prizes! Many thanks to ASCC Land Grant, Fagatele Bay Naare important habitats for animals and mangroves. The forestry tional Marine Sanctuary, NOAA PIRO, and DOC for their donaactivity was a presentation of cleanup projects that the ASCC tions for prizes for the Le Tausagi Enviro Discoveries Summer Land Grant is doing to save village watersheds and the forest. Camps at Utulei and Ofu Manu'a. Pollution is another issue that was discussed with teachers during the teacher workshop. On June 29th and 30th 2011, DMWR hosted a Teachers Workshop for teachers from public and private schools in American Samoa. Approximately fifteen teachers attended the workshop at the Tradewinds hotel in Tafuna. The Deputy Director of Marine and Wildlife Resources started the workshop with a prayer and advised the teachers that the workshop was intended for them to gain more knowledge about marine, wildlife and environmental issues of importance in American Samoa. On the first day of the workshop the teachers learned about four different themes, the Fisheries theme, the Forestry theme, the Water Quality theme and the Soil and Water Conservation theme. The teachers learnt hands on activities for each theme that they can use with their students in the classroom. The second day was a field day where Zero Iaulualo taught teachers how to swim and they also learnt how to snorkel. Zero taught the teachers different swimming strokes they can use with their students if they have field trips to the ocean and other water activities. He also taught some basic life saving swimming strokes so teachers can teach their families. Teachers received a certificate of appreciation for taking their time to attend the teacher workshop. We would like to say thank you to those of them that attended and helped during the summer camps at Utulei Beach in July 2011. Malo Le Galulue!
Shey Auelua and Afa Uikirifi measuring fish from their Fishing Derby that they had with Summer Camp participants

Ofu and Olosega kids during the water activity with Alice Lawrence, Sione Lam Yuen Jr and Ricky Misaalefua

Marine-Life Reserves News, Vol 4, No 2, October 2011

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Le Tausagi Enviro Discoveries Summer Camps Utulei Beach 2011

Tony Maugalei a representative from the ASCC Land Grant during his presentation at the Tree Plot at Taputimus Field Trip

Marine-Life Reserves News

Editor-in-Chief Lucy Jacob Authors and Project Assistant Sione Lam Yuen Jr Tafito Aitaoto Layout Artist Sione Lam Yuen Jr Editorial Board Chair - Ufagafa Ray Tulafono, Director Department of Marine and Wildlife Resources All content has been written by the Marine -Life Reserves News editorial staff unless otherwise attributed. Marine-Life Reserves News is funded by: Federal Aid in Sports Fish Restoration (Dingell-Johnson and the Wallop-Breaux Amendment) Director a Response to: Marine-Life Reserves News, Department of Marine and Wildlife Resources, P.O. Box 3730, Pago Pago, American Samoa, 96799, E-mail: mpa.americansamoa @gmail.com Tel: (684) 633-4456 Fax: (684) 633-5944 Subscriptions to

Derek Toloumu during his coral presentation to Students at the Summer Camps 2011

One of the group at the Teachers Workshop during the Coral Polyp Activity

From July 12th-14th 2011, Le Tausagi hosted another Enviro Discovery Summer Camp at Utulei Beach. Approximately 50 children attended the camp and were divided into two groups this year, the Ocean group and the Land group. The ocean group learnt about coral reefs and how coral polyps feed. The symbiotic relationship between coral and zooxanthallae, which is a single celled algae that requires light to photosynthesize, was explained to them. They also learnt about how the coral polyps use their tentacles during night time to capture zooplankton that is carried around by the currents. The land group learnt about soil conservation by stabilization with plants in particular Vetiver grass which is being promoted in American Samoa. Children worked on their journals during their free time. Their journals consisted of puzzles, questions based on fisheries, forests, soil and water conservation and fun cartoons. On the second day of the camp, the children rotated through several activities including kayaking and swimming safety. In the evenings they had a camp fire and were told Samoan legends about proverbs that derive from the ocean by our ancestors. On the last day of the camp, the children went on a field trip to three places on island. First they went to the Museum in Fagatogo where they learnt how to weave baskets and wrist bands with the Territorial Administration on Aging. Next they went to the ASCC Land Grant tree plot where they saw native trees and learnt about their importance for holding the soil together, producing oxygen, shade and providing habitats for insects and forest animals. Lastly, they went to the Wetland Watch Stand at Lions Park which is a viewpoint from which they could see the mangroves forest. The children learned a lot during the Enviro Discoveries Summer Camps and received prizes and a certificate of appreciation for attending the Le Tausagi Summer Camps. Thanks to our sponsors; Panamex Pacific, Trophies and Things, Blue Sky, Soil and Water Conservation and ASCC EFNEP for your donations! Thank you also to all the agencies that participated in making the camps enriching for all of these who attended.

Teachers during the MPA activity at the Le Tausagi Teacher Workshop 2011

Teachers getting ready for Water Safety activity with Iaulualo Zeon at Utulei Beach during the workshop

ASCC students during the drama event discussing their village MPA

Marine-Life Reserves News are free. To subscribe, send an e-mail to mpa.americansamoa @gmail.com Type "subscribe MLR newsletter" on the subject line, in order to receive your free electronic copy. Paper copies are also available at the DMWR office upon request.

Did You Know? What is coral bleaching? Coral Bleaching is when coral polyps lose the zooxanthallae that provides food, energy source and the coloration for corals. Studies done by Douglas Fenner a coral expert at the Department of Marine and Wildlife Resources that American Samoa had a moderate coral bleaching event back in 1994, 2002 and 2003.

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