Trump allows commercial fishing in previously banned waters of the Pacific Ocean

President Donald Trump met with fishermen and women from American Samoa in the Oval Office of the White House on Thursday as he signed a proclamation expanding fishing rights in the Pacific islands. According to the announcement made by President Trump, U.S. commercial fishers are now permitted to operate in the Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument, which was previously off-limits for commercial fishing. Trump stated that while commercial fishing was prohibited within the boundaries of the monument, it could be allowed with appropriate management that would not jeopardize the scientific and historic interests that the PRIMM aims to protect. The management of commercial fishing in the region is overseen by the National Marine Fisheries Service and the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council. Trump emphasized that the migratory nature of tuna and other pelagic species within the PRIMM boundaries meant that current regulations did little to prevent overfishing. The president expressed concern that U.S. commercial fishing fleets had lost access to a significant portion of the exclusive economic zone in the Pacific islands, forcing American fishermen to compete with foreign fleets in international waters. Trump highlighted that the PRIMM regulations also impacted American Samoa and other U.S. territories in the area, hindering their fishing activities despite their reliance on the commercial fishing industry. The proclamation signed by Trump now allows commercial fishing by U.S.-flagged vessels within 50 and 200 nautical miles of the PRIMM’s landward boundaries. The PRIMM, established by President George W. Bush in 2009 and expanded by President Barack Obama in 2014, aims to protect the lands and marine environment around various islands, atolls, and reefs in the region. The monument covers more than 400,000 square miles and safeguards the biodiversity of fish, birds, marine mammals, coral, and other species within its boundaries.