The US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is taking another look at the final rule that established the Papahanaumokuakea National Marine Sanctuary off Hawaii “for consistency with the [Trump] Administration’s policies and Executive Orders.”
While the final rule that designated the area as a National Marine Sanctuary was published on January 16, 2025, it didn’t become effective until March 3, 2025, according to a Federal Register notice published today.
The notice further explains:
“Pursuant to Section 304(b) of the National Marine Sanctuaries Act (NMSA) (16 U.S.C. 1434(b)(1)), a sanctuary designation and its regulations become effective following the close of a review period of 45 days of continuous session of Congress beginning on the date of publication of the final rule. For PNMS, the final rule published on January 16, 2025, and by operation of NMSA Section 304(b), the designation and regulations became effective as of March 3, 2025.
“NOAA is reviewing the final rule for this designation for consistency with the Administration’s policies and Executive Orders, including Executive Order 14219, Ensuring Lawful Governance and Implementing the President’s ‘Department of Government Efficiency’ Deregulatory Initiative.”
In March 2024, NOAA released draft designation documents proposing a national marine sanctuary in the marine portions of Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument.
At the time, Joel Johnson, president and CEO of the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation, praised the move:
“Papahanaumokuakea is a crown jewel of our ocean recognized by UNESCO for its cultural and natural wonders. Uniquely meaningful and sacred to Native Hawaiian culture, it’s also incredibly rich in biodiversity. Even as a marine monument, Papahanaumokuakea’s ecosystem and its biodiversity are under threat from marine debris and a changing climate. That’s why it deserves the utmost protection our laws can provide.
“National marine sanctuaries are our best tool to highly-protect places such as Papahanaumokuakea. Sanctuary status offers a durable layer of protection that goes beyond that of national monuments, thanks to the comprehensive sanctuary designation and inclusive management of Native Hawaiians. As a national marine sanctuary, we can be assured that Papahanaumokuakea will remain a place that inspires the world and is a lasting source of solutions against the climate change and biodiversity loss.
“We fully support the designation of Papahanaumokuakea as a national marine sanctuary to safeguard its wonders for the people and wildlife who depend on it, and we thank NOAA and the Office of National Marine Sanctuaries for committing to its protection.”
For more info about the sanctuary, go to sanctuaries.noaa.gov.
