Trump Administration Opens Up Pacific Islands Heritage Marine National Monument To Commercial Fishing

One of the largest marine protected areas in the world, the Pacific Islands Heritage Marine National Monument (PIHMNM) covers a 1,282,534 square-kilometer (495,189 square-mile) stretch of the central Pacific Ocean that was first established in 2009 and expanded in 2014. This vast area is home to an abundance of unique and undisturbed wildlife, ranging from corals and clams to sharks, turtles, and dolphins. 

As a national monument, the area is also subject to a ban on commercial fishing – at least, that was the case until April 17. That’s when Trump issued an executive order removing the ban, claiming that the lack of commercial fishing in the area “disadvantages honest United States commercial fishermen and is detrimental for United States territories.”

In that vein, Trump made another executive order on the same day, declaring the administration’s goal to make the US “the world’s dominant seafood leader”. This could see other federally protected marine areas meeting the same fate as the PIHMNM, with the order directing the Commerce and Interior departments to “review all existing marine national monuments and provide recommendations to the President of any that should be opened to commercial fishing.”

The order issued over the PIHMNM isn’t without limits; commercial fishing will only be allowed within 50 to 200 nautical miles from the coastal boundaries of the monument, and can only be carried out by US-flagged vessels or foreign vessels carrying US fishers that have been given a permit.

Still, the news has been met with concern over the possible impacts on what is currently a well-preserved but nonetheless vulnerable ecosystem.

“At a time when the climate crisis is threatening our fragile ocean ecosystem and costing us lives and livelihoods every year, President Trump’s response is to gut protections for some of our nation’s most important natural resources, including the Pacific Islands Heritage Marine National Monument,” said Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) in a statement.

“We should be protecting the Pacific’s unmatched ecology and biodiversity for future generations – this order does the opposite.”

The executive order states that “appropriately managed commercial fishing would not put the objects of scientific and historic interest that the [national monument] protects at risk.”

This latest spate of executive orders also comes hot off the heels of the Trump administration announcing its plans to remove the definition of “harm” under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). 

At present, the ESA prohibits the “take” of endangered species – that means killing, harassing, or harming them. “Harm” is currently interpreted broadly, encompassing actions that harm species in a more indirect way, like the mining or logging that can cause habitat loss. Under the proposed new rule, however, this definition would be removed.

This has sparked concern that, if the proposal becomes reality, it could be much easier for actions that lead to loss of endangered species’ habitat to go on unchallenged.

“There’s just no way to protect animals and plants from extinction without protecting the places they live, yet the Trump administration is opening the flood gates to immeasurable habitat destruction,” said Noah Greenwald, codirector of endangered species at the Center for Biological Diversity, in a statement.

“Without a prohibition on habitat destruction, spotted owls, sea turtles, salmon and so many more imperiled animals won’t stand a chance.”