Fagatele Bay National Marine Sanctuary was designated in 1986 in response to a proposal from the American Samoa Government to the National Marine Sanctuary Program. The Sanctuary program protects and preserves natural and cultural resources in areas of special significance in the oceans and Great Lakes of the United States. There are 13 Sanctuaries in the program ranging from Stellwagon Bank off Cape Cod to the Channel Islands in southern California. All manage their precious resources through a combination of education, research, long-term monitoring, regulation and enforcement.

Fagatele Bay Information Sheet
Map of Samoa and Fagatele Bay
Fa'asamoa (the Samoan Way)

For more information, please contact:
Fagatele Bay National Marine Sanctuary
P.O. Box 4318
Pago Pago, American Samoa 96799
Phone: 684-633-7354
Fax: 684-633-7355
E-mail: fagatelebay@noaa.gov

Fagatele Bay National Marine Sanctuary Information Sheet

History: Fagatele Bay (Fahng-ah-téh-lay) is the smallest and most remote of the National Marine Sanctuaries . It is the only true tropical coral reef in the Sanctuary program. It was put on the list of recommended Sanctuaries in 1982 and later that same year was moved to the active candidate list. It was designated as a National Marine Sanctuary April 29, 1986.

Location: The Fagatele Bay Sanctuary protects 163 acres (0.25 square miles) of bay area off the southwest coast of Tutuila Island, American Samoa. One can approach Fagatele Bay either by boat from Pago Pago or Leone Bay, or by car and then follow the trail down the western wall.

Purpose: The official purpose of designating the Sanctuary is "to protect and preserve an example of a pristine tropical marine habitat and coral reef terrace ecosystem of exceptional productivity, to expand public awareness and understanding of tropical marine ecosystems; to expand scientific knowledge of marine ecosystems; to improve resource management techniques, and to regulate uses within the Sanctuary to ensure the health and well-being of the ecosystem and its associated flora and fauna" (Federal Register, 4/29/86)

Landscape: The Bay is an ancient flooded volcano. The water visibility in the bay is normally around 70 feet. The steep slopes surrounding the small bay contain some of Americas's rare paleo-tropical rainforest.

Sea Life: Fagatele Bay is a vibrant tropical reef marine ecosystem, filled with all sorts of brightly-colored tropical fish including parrot fish, damselfish and butterfly fish, as well as other sea creatures like lobster, crabs, sharks and octopus. From June to September, Southern humpback whales migrate north from Antarctica to calve and court in Samoan waters. Visitors can hear courting males sing whalesongs, which the whales may be using to attract mates. Several species of dolphin, as well as threatened and endangered species of sea turtles, such as the hawksbill and green sea turtle are frequently seen swimming in the bay as well.

Coral Reef: Fagatele Bay has a fringing reef system, containing more than 140 species of coral and related organisms. The coral reef provides shelter and habitat for a variety of marine life in the bay. In the late 1970s, a massive outbreak of crown-of-thorns starfish attacked the reef, destroying about 90 percent of the coral. The reef has also been battered by two major hurricanes (1990 and 1991) and is recovering from a bleaching event (1993-4). However, new growth is everywhere and the rich diversity of coral is being replenished.This natural cycle of growth and destruction is typical of a tropical ecosystem.

Programs: The sanctuary sponsors education programs, such as the EnviroDiscoveries Camp, which is an outdoor activity and learning camp for 9 to 12 year olds. Scientific programs range from a continuing resource assessment survey, begun in 1985, to coral reef monitoring.

Staff: Nancy Daschbach is Fagatele Bay's on-site manager. Americorps volunteers assist the outreach program. Staff members are American Samoa Government employees based in Pago Pago and operate through a cooperative agreement between the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and American Samoa's Economic and Development Planning Office.

Regulations: Sanctuary regulations prohibit taking invertebrates and sea turtles, as well as any historical artifacts found in the bay. Only traditional fishing methods are permitted in the inner bay. Line fishing is permitted in the outer bay only.

Administration: NOAA co-administers the Fagatele Bay National Marine Sanctuary with the American Samoa Government Dept. of Commerce. Staff consists of both federal and territorial employees.

Fa'a Samoa and Fagatele Bay National Marine Sanctuary

Fa'asamoa is often heard in American Samoa. It means the Samoan Way. The culture of Samoa is over 3,000 years old. Fa'asamoa has kept Samoans strongly nationalistic and cautious about changes that might threaten the traditional structure of their way of life. However, fa'asamoa has an inherent flexibility that allows it to withstand and absorb the ways of foreign traders, missionaries, and military forces; it is a dynamic cultural force. Perhaps more than any other Polynesian culture, Samoans try to observe the traditional ways on a daily basis.

One aspect of fa'asamoa is the ancient concept of tapu. Samoans restricted use on areas that became overstressed in order to protect their resources. With the decline in subsistence fishing in the area, many of the new generations of Samoans have lost touch with their coral reef and its diverse riches. With the decline of awareness of tapu, the traditional cultural ethics of resource management were being lost as well.

The Fagatele Bay National Marine Sanctuary adds a new dimension to local awareness of the treasures of the marine environment and the need to protect and preserve it. By equating the sanctuary with the concept of tapu, a fresh understanding of resource protection and management emerges, one which can have vital cultural and environmental significance.

Fagatele Bay NMS makes a special effort to work with the American Samoan community with outreach programs for all ages. The sanctuary co-sponsors a summer environmental education programs, and the Enviro-Discovery Program for 9- to 12-year-old children to explore the marine life in the bay and learn ways to protect the resources there, and learn art forms using materials from the sea. Samoan cultural events and general community outreach/education programs are also run year-round.

Community outreach and education programs are run year-round, in the most part through Le Tausagi.