President Donald Trump has signed an executive order opening marine national monuments to commercial fishing, a move that immediately drew condemnation from conservationists and some politicians.
The order applies to Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument, Mariana Trench Marine National Monument, and Rose Atoll Marine National Monument, all established by President George W. Bush with his authority under The Antiquities Act. Papahānaumokuākea later was expanded by President Barack Obama.
"These proclamations imposed restrictions on commercial fishing within specified areas of the monuments," Trump's order said, adding that there are federal regulatory authorities in place that can protect them from the impacts of commercial fishing.
"The monuments at issue in this proclamation fall within the oversight of the Western Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council), which has developed several comprehensive Fishery Ecosystem Plans that enable sustainable fishing while affording protections tailored to the variety of sensitive ecosystems and marine life which the Council oversees," the proclamation noted. "The Council regularly monitors its fisheries and adapts its plans to afford ongoing protection responsive to the most recent science and ocean conditions."
But Rep. Jared Huffman, D-California, took exception to the president's actions, saying "[A]gain and again, Trump has broken the law to exploit our oceans, whether it’s to drill, kill offshore wind, or use American fishermen as pawns in his political games. This is another one of his grifts. The tuna fleet already catches its quota every year; this announcement doesn’t provide a single additional fish. Instead, it puts the nation’s most pristine, most sensitive ocean habitats at risk, disrupting marine food webs for the birds, corals, whales, sharks, and sea turtles that depend on these healthy habitats."
At Earthjustice, a law firm that often represents conservation interests, officials said they would challenge Trump's actions.
“Commercial fishing in our protected marine monuments would not only be disastrous for the environment, but also does nothing for the fishing industry,” said David Henkin, deputy managing attorney with Earthjustice’s Mid-Pacific Office. “Without fishing in the monuments, U.S.-based fisheries hit their catch limits for tuna every year. Science-backed management for the benefit of current and future generations requires protected marine areas. Safe havens allow marine life to maintain healthy populations and prevent corporate greed from stripping the ocean of life. We’ll see the administration in court.”
Last summer a federal judge struck down Trump's efforts to open Pacific Islands Heritage Marine National Monument south of Hawai'i to commercial fishing. In that case, U.S. District Judge Micah W.J. Smith ruled that the Trump administration had acted arbitrarily and exhibited an abuse of discretion by failing to notify the public of the plan to open the monument to commercial fishing and seek comment on that decision.
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