Contact Information
Address:
1 Convention Center Circle
Pago Pago, AS 96799
United StatesMailing Address:
P.O. Box 4318
Pago Pago, AS 96799
United StatesPhone:
684-633-6500
National Marine Sanctuary of American Samoa
The National Marine Sanctuary of American Samoa is one of 14 federally designated underwater areas protected by NOAAâs Office of National Marine Sanctuaries. Of all the areas in the National Marine Sanctuary System, the American Samoa sanctuary is the most remote, is the only true tropical reef, and is thought to support the greatest diversity of marine life.
The sanctuary is comprised of six protected areas, covering 13,581 square miles of nearshore coral reef and offshore open ocean waters across the Samoan Archipelago.
This largest of the 13 sanctuaries in the National Marine Sanctuary System was formerly the smallest, as NOAA originally established the sanctuary in 1986 to protect and preserve the 0.25 square miles of coral reef ecosystem within Fagatele Bay. In 2012, NOAA expanded the sanctuary to include Fagalua/Fogamaâa (the next bay east of Fagatele) on Tutuila Island, as well as areas at Aunuâu, Taâu and Swains islands, and a marine protected area at Rose Atoll (which was named MuliÄva as known by the Manuâa residents) including nearby Vailuluâu Seamount.