Gone Fishing: EO Opens Protected U.S. Waters

Just keep swimming. Just keep swimming.

Casting off constraints: The commercial fishing industry is coming up for air after President Trump recently signed an executive order scaling back regulations on fishing in previously protected waters, including acres in the Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument (PRIMNM) near Hawaii.

Whoa, what a swim: The U.S. controls more than 4M square miles of fishing territory but imports about 90% of its seafood, representing a $20B trade deficit. Proponents of the EO say it “reduces unnecessary regulatory burdens” on fishermen while promoting seafood in diets.

Rock the boat: However, conservation groups are batting down the hatches after the news because they fear this EO will harm fish populations through overfishing. And when it comes to PRIMNM in the Pacific, thousands of fish species and coral reefs have been protected thanks to its “monument” status. Opening up more fishing here could send shock waves in the ocean ecosystem, according to activists.

Baby, there’s a shark in the water: An attorney with a conservation group says they’ll do everything in their power to protect PRIMNM.