Commercial Purchase System
Since the late 50's the two canneries have provided monthly summary statistics about their purchases of fish from all vessels, foreign and domestic. In September 1990, a Commercial Purchase (receipt book) System was instituted in which all businesses in Samoa, other than the canneries, that buy fish directly from fisherman were required by local law to submit a copy of their purchase receipts to DMWR. Books of numbered Commercial Sales Receipt Forms are issued by DMWR to all wholesale buyer's of fish such as fish markets, stores, hotels, and restaurants that re-sell fish to the retail market, either whole of prepared.
Initially, the following information was collected from these receipts. Invoice Date · Area Fished · Fisherman's Name · Boatowner's/Boat's Name · Species of Fish · Number of fish of each species · Weight in pounds for each species · Price per pound for each species · Total Amount paid for each species
Later the Commercial Sales Receipt Forms were improved to record the fishing method used to catch the fish instead of determining fishing method by the species sold. The newer forms also reported fish imported by local businesses from other islands such as Tonga or Western Samoa or bought by local businesses from the canneries