President Donald Trump signed a proclamation restoring commercial fishing access to nearly half a million square miles of Pacific Ocean waters, the latest in a series of actions the administration has taken to expand domestic seafood production and reduce reliance on foreign fish imports.
The proclamation reopens commercial fishing in the Mau and Ho’omalu Zones of the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument, the Islands Unit of the Mariana Trench Marine National Monument, and the Rose Atoll Marine National Monument — areas where commercial fishing had been prohibited under previous administrations.
The White House argued that banning commercial fishing in these zones was never necessary for proper monument management, noting that many fish species found in the areas are highly migratory, not unique to the region, and already protected under existing law, including the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act. The administration contended the restrictions artificially suppressed domestic fish supplies, drove up seafood prices for American consumers and pushed the country toward dependence on foreign seafood sources.
The proclamation is expected to open new economic opportunities for U.S. fishing families, coastal communities, seafood processors and related maritime industries spanning harvesting, processing, transportation, shipbuilding, equipment manufacturing, distribution and sales — sectors that collectively support thousands of American jobs.
Friday’s action builds on a series of moves the Trump administration has made to revitalize the domestic fishing industry. In April 2025, Trump signed an executive order aimed at restoring seafood competitiveness through deregulation and combating unfair trade practices, followed by a proclamation opening the Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument to commercial fishing. In February 2026, Trump signed a separate proclamation reopening the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument in the Atlantic Ocean.
The administration said that through the strategic use of the Magnuson-Stevens Act and executive action, NOAA has successfully deregulated fishing operations, reversed decades-old closures, maximized harvest quotas and replaced what it described as outdated, micromanaged restrictions with more flexible standards. The White House said these combined actions have unlocked billions of dollars in economic value and strengthened vital domestic supply chains.
