(Photos: NPRT)

(Photos: eventpolynesia.com)

SAMOA: Annual SFF swimming carnival
Source: Australian High Commission Press Release
 
The Samoan Swimming Federation (SSF) held their annual swimming carnival at the International Aquatic Centre, Faleata, last Saturday 14th June 2008.

Children from swimming clubs and local schools were participated in the annual swimming carnival, which includes competitive and novelty races for all ages.

The SSF, with the support of the Australian High Commission, is working to encourage greater participation in swimming for all Samoans, as well as ensuring that the world class swimming facilities are fully utilised post the South Pacific Games.

Photo Caption: Members of the Samoa swimming team getting ready to take part in a
swimming exhibition during the grand Opening of the Samoa Aquatic Centre last year.
 

(Photos: Courtesy Photo)

AMERICAN SAMOA: CNR/DOA Fighting Breadfruit Pest on Ta’u
Source: ASCC Press Release
 
Since the 1990s, when the Seychelles scale insect was accidentally introduced to Ta’u, residents there have watched their breadfruit and other trees suffer from repeated outbreaks of the sap-sucking insect. As the white wax-covered Seychelles scales feed on the plant juices, they
excrete a sugary waste product that drips onto the leaves below. Black sooty mold grows on this exudate, giving the trees an ugly appearance and blocking the sunlight that is needed for the tree to grow.

Earlier this month the American Samoa Community College (ASCC) Division of Community and Natural Resources and the American Samoa Department of Agriculture implemented a plan that they hope will bring long-term relief and a return of healthy and productive breadfruit trees to Ta’u. They released a small, reddish-colored beetle that is a voracious enemy of the
Seychelles scale. The beetle, known to scientists as “Rodolia pumila,” feeds only on Seychelles scales and closely related species, and has already kept the Seychelles scales under control on Tutuila for many decades.

On February 1, ASCC CNR Director Tapa’au Dr. Daniel Mageo Aga and Department of Agriculture (DoA) Director Peter Gurr, accompanied by CNR staff, discussed the plan with Manu’a District Governor Tufele Li’umatua and other traditional leaders at the Office of Samoan Affairs. As a result of the meeting it was decided to proceed with the project. After studying the beetles in the laboratory, carefully screening them for any beetle diseases or parasites, and successfully rearing them in large numbers, Land Grant and DoA were ready to introduce the beetles to Ta’u Island. One obstacle remained, however. Upon reaching Ta’u, transportation was needed
to quickly get the beetles from the Ta’u airport to the release sites.

With gasoline supplies depleted on the island, no transportation was available. Luckily, the local Department of Public Safety and station chief Saena Moliga stepped in and offered the use of the station’s diesel-fueled fire engine. The beetles were delivered quickly and safely and released on the breadfruit trees, where they immediately went to work on the Seychelles scales.

It will not be known for at least a year whether or not the beetles can succeed in controlling the Seychelles scales, but with a solid boost from the collaborators at Land Grant and DoA and the timely “rescue” by DPS, they should be off to a great start.

Anyone with questions about the project can contact Peter Gurr at DoA (699-9272) or Mark Schmaedick at Land Grant (699-1575).’

Photo Captions:
Photo 1 - Pulenu’u Lesii Pose Salesa, Saena Moliga of DPS, and Suesue Alopopo of Land Grant are seen here releasing the beneficial rodolia beetles onto an infested breadfruit tree at Ta’u Village. The beetles were brought to Ta’u from Tutuila to help control the Seychelles scale insect through a joint Land Grant – Department of Agriculture project.

Photo 2 - File Liolio, Keli Tagaloa, Suesue Alopopo, Lesii Pose Salesa, and Saena Moliga relax after releasing the beneficial rodolia beetles brought from Tutuila to Ta’u to help control the Seychelles scale insect that has been attacking breadfruit and other trees. The joint Land Grant – Department of Agriculture project was assisted by DPS, who provided their diesel-powered
fire engine for transporting the beetles from the airport to the release sites. Other vehicles were not available due to the gasoline shortage on Ta’u.

Photo 3 - Suesue Alopopo of ASCC/Land Grant points to three of the beneficial rodolia beetles recently released on Ta’u in a joint Land Grant – Department of Agriculture project to help control the Seychelles scale insect that has been damaging breadfruit and other trees there. The small
reddish-colored beetles can be seen on the leaf with the white wax-covered scale insects. The leaves in the background are blackened by the fungus growing on the exudate from the scales.
 

(Photos: Marc Peretic Wilson)

(Photos: Joanna)