The American Samoa cannery, Star Kist Samoa, says it is having difficulty hiring staff because of a programme employing people following the September tsunami and closure of Samoa Packing.
The National Emergency Grant programme hires employees who lost their jobs because of the disaster and the closure of the cannery.
Star Kist's manager, Brett Butler, says his cannery is down on its processing capability but doesn't have enough fish cleaners, as they are competing with the NEG programme.
The NEG has hired more than 2,000 workers since late last year to assist government agencies with recovery efforts.