The US government wants to open a marine monument to commercial fishing, a dramatic pivot in US ocean policy that has been criticized by ocean advocates.
In a recent presidential proclamation, President Donald Trump states the prohibitions on commercial fishing within the Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument (PRIMNM) “disadvantages” the US fishing industry:
“I find that appropriately managed commercial fishing would not put the objects of scientific and historic interest that the PRIMNM protects at risk.
“With respect to fish in particular, fisheries in the region are effectively managed by the National Marine Fisheries Service and the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council. Management of the PRIMNM is doing little to guard fish populations against overfishing as tunas and other pelagic species found within the boundaries of the PRIMNM are migratory in nature, and do not permanently reside within the PRIMNM.”
Oceana Vice President for the United States Beth Lowell said:
“Marine monuments complement healthy fisheries and give a place for commercial fish to breed, feed, and grow. To ‘unleash’ commercial fishing in the Pacific Islands Heritage Marine National Monument puts even greater pressure on endangered sea turtles, reef sharks, dolphins, whales and other incredible marine life. These executive orders turn back the progress that have made U.S. fisheries some of the best managed in the world and only hurt American fishers and businesses.”
Center for Biological Diversity Director for Hawaii and Pacific Islands Maxx Phillips said:
“This is a gift to industrial fishing fleets and a slap in the face to science and the generations of Pacific Islanders who have long called for greater protection of these sacred waters.”
However, American Samoa Congresswoman Uifa’atali Amata supported the move, saying:
“Thank you, President Trump! This sensible Proclamation is important to the stability and future of American Samoa’s economy, but it also is fantastic news for US food security. The vast Pacific Islands area cannot fall under the domination of an increasingly aggressive [Chinese Communist Party). Instead, President Trump’s key action strengthens our American fishing fleet and helps combat malign activities by the CCP with increased U.S. fishing presence along with Coast Guard operations.
“Our US fleet of law-abiding, thoroughly regulated fishermen is preferable to dependence on other nations’ supply, and highly preferable to the Illegal, Unregulated and Unreported fishing practices that are a problem in our shared ocean. The American fleet is part of the solution, not the problem. I appreciate this strong, patriotic, common sense, and economically wise decision by President Trump.”
Separately, the Trump administration released an executive order titled “Restoring American Seafood Competitiveness” that states:
“The Secretary of Commerce, in consultation with the Secretary of Health and Human Services and with input from the United States fishing industry, shall immediately consider suspending, revising, or rescinding regulations that overly burden America’s commercial fishing, aquaculture, and fish processing industries at the fishery-specific level. Within 30 days of the date of this order, the Secretary of Commerce shall identify the most heavily overregulated fisheries requiring action and take appropriate action to reduce the regulatory burden on them, in cooperation with the Regional Fishery Management Councils, interagency partners, and through public-private partnerships, as appropriate.”
The Ocean Conservancy asserts the executive order risks driving fish stocks into decline.
Meredith Moore, the organization’s senior director for its Fish Conservation Program, said:
“Between firing experts at NOAA, delaying fishing seasons, and disrupting ocean science and data collection, the Trump Administration is causing unprecedented chaos. Today’s executive order would weaken, not strengthen, our fishing industry by increasing the risk that overfishing drives our fish stocks into decline, effectively taking healthy US seafood off the menu. The US fishing management system already maximizes catch to the limit that science says is sustainable. Regulations support sustainable access to these public resources, and removing them risks a future where healthy ocean fish stocks are a memory. Our fisheries need more investment and support in order to tackle the issues of seafood trade and markets, modernizing our data systems, and responding to real time ocean conditions. A weakened and understaffed NOAA will not be able to deliver on these promises.”
