American Samoa has asked Samoa to ensure that longliners that have shifted there deliver to the the territory's StarKist cannery instead of to Asia.
The request was made during the two Samoa talks which were held this week in Apia, the first time in three years.
The StarKist Samoa cannery has closed intermittently because of supply shortages.
A communiqué from the meeting issued on Thursday states that the tuna industry represents a significant aspect of American Samoa's economy.
