30 May 2008

Population growth seen as main threat to natural resources in American Samoa

2:48 pm on 30 May 2008

An advisory group to the American Samoa governor has identified population pressure as the number one threat to natural resources in the territory.

Based on growth patterns in the past two decades, it's expected that in the next 40 years American Samoa's population of 68,000 will have doubled.

The impact this will have on land, water, coastal and other resources, infrastructure, social services and quality of life were highlighted at a strategy meeting this morning.

The Department of Commerce Coral Reef Initiative coordinator, Jeremy Goldberg, says it has created a strategy to adress the issue.

"The local action strategy involves agencies across the government, across a variety of different sectors to attempt to come together to create solutions to the problem related to population pressure in the territory. Presenting information on population dynamics in hopes of soliciting their opinions on the issue and discuss ways of moving forward to address the threat."

Jeremy Goldberg says it also includes several members of the Fono.