American Samoa Maritime Heritage Inventory

Tilburg, Hans Van

In June 2007 NOAA’s Office of National Marine Sanctuaries (ONMS) completed an initial maritime heritage resource document inventory for American Samoa. Maritime heritage resources consist of cultural, archaeological, and historical properties associated with coastal and marine areas and/or seafaring activities and traditions. These resources are a physical record of our past and present relationship to the sea. The inventory, carried out by staff from the ONMS Pacific Islands Regional Office, supports the management plan review process for Fagatele Bay National Marine Sanctuary, and conservation and preservation efforts in American Samoa. The document inventory process seeks to compile all databases, archival material, and known reports of maritime heritage sites, but does not initiate new diving or remote sensing field surveys. This report is a brief summary of the current inventory findings.