That's A Wrap!

And so ends the 18th U.S. Coral Reef Task Force Meeting in Pago Pago, American Samoa. It was a busy week, but it was a fantastic opportunity to learn and meet coral reef scientists and conservationists from around the world. Today was mostly progress reports of coral conservation projects from states, territories, and freely associated states. But after the reports, the Task Force passed several resolutions that have been in development for over a year. Most significantly, a climate change resolution was unanimously approved with some of the strongest language I've yet seen from a United States agency regarding global warming and necessary steps that the federal government should undertake. It's a remarkable document and represents a bipartisan effort from federal and state agencies. Let's see where this resolution goes once it gets back to Washington.

As a fond farewell, Governor Tulafono joined with other American Samoans to sing a traditional Samoan song of bon voyage. Then, we were all given mementos of the Task Force meeting and American Samoa hospitality. And nothing says hospitality in Samoa like a box full of canned wahoo.

I enjoyed my short stay in American Samoa. While I never got the chance to get underwater, what I see above water is incredible natural beauty. Samoans are big, friendly, proud, and outgoing people... though a tad too god-obsessed for my taste. I'm certainly looking forward to getting home, but I hope I can return sometime soon to really get to know American Samoa beyond just a conference hall.

I hope that American Samoa can also find a way to full independence and wean itself from the U.S. federal funding nipple. While the Samoan identity is certainly strong, there is still this undertone of forced dependence upon federal coffers (several checks were signed to the American Samoa government while the meeting participants stood witness) and there is a certain expectation for NGO sugar daddies to cough-up financial assistance as well. Perhaps these are the stages an island nation must pass through along the road to sovereignty. But with no tourism economy to speak of, and a diminishing fisheries economy, it's hard to know how American Samoa could become financially independent. I'd hate to see the pristine coastlines here dotted with casinos, but you can certainly understand the allure such scenarios present to local Samoans. It's a big Gordian Knot of a problem, and an easy (or even complex) solution isn't forthcoming.