Key facts
- President Trump signed a proclamation opening commercial fishing in three Pacific marine national monuments.
- The decision opens nearly 500,000 square miles of water around the northwestern Hawaiian Islands, Northern Mariana Islands, and American Samoa.
- The affected areas include parts of the Mariana Trench, Papahānaumokuākea, and Rose Atoll Marine National Monuments.
- Trump stated the goal is to lower seafood costs and unlock economic value for the fishing industry.
- This action reverses protections previously established by Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama.
President Trump signed a proclamation on Thursday opening nearly half a million square miles of protected Pacific waters to commercial fishing. The move affects areas around the northwestern Hawaiian Islands, Northern Mariana Islands, and American Samoa, including parts of the Mariana Trench, Papahānaumokuākea, and Rose Atoll Marine National Monuments.