A moratorium banning the removal of sea cucumber from American Samoan waters is now being extended until the end of this year.
Sea cucumber keep the reefs clean, but in recent years the Department of Marine and Wildlife Resources reports it has been removed in alarmingly high numbers.
The initial ban was to end this month but at the request of the Department the Governor's Office has issued a new executive order extending the ban for six more months.
The Department says the extension is needed so appropriate regulations under the American Samoa Administrative Code on the commercial harvesting of sea cucumber can be put in place.
