Trump Administration Dismantles Marine National Monuments System 

WASHINGTON, DC — President Trump signed a proclamation opening three of the Pacific Ocean's marine national monuments to commercial fishing, removing protections across roughly half a million square miles of ocean. With today's proclamation, the administration has removed protections from commercial fishing for all five of America's marine national monuments. It opened the Pacific Islands Heritage Marine National Monument in April 2025 and the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument off New England in February 2026.

Following is a statement from Brad Sewell, Managing Director of Oceans at NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council):

“These ocean waters are home to ancient corals, endangered sea turtles, majestic whales, and so much more. We cannot open special places like this to industrial fishing and expect them to prosper and thrive for future generations to enjoy. 

“No president can strip a national monument of a core protection on his own. The Antiquities Act gives presidents the power to protect these places, not to dismantle them. That authority belongs to Congress. We have beaten back this kind of overreach before, and we are confident the courts will not let it stand this time either.”

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NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council) is an international nonprofit environmental organization with more than 3 million members and online activists. Established in 1970, NRDC uses science, policy, law and people power to confront the climate crisis, protect public health and safeguard nature. NRDC has offices in New York City, Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, Beijing and Delhi (an office of NRDC India Pvt. Ltd).