On Friday, February 6, President Trump signed a proclamation that “restores commercial fishing access to all 4,913 square miles of the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument, located off the coast of New England.”
Lifting commercial fishing restrictions in this area is the latest strike in a back-and-forth between Democrat and Republican administrations.
The proclamation builds on Trump’s America First Fishing Policy. Other actions taken to advance and protect America’s fishermen include:
- A Proclamation to unleash commercial fishing in the Pacific Ocean, opening the Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument (PRIMNM) to U.S.-flagged vessels
- An Executive Order to restore American seafood competitiveness by reducing regulatory burdens, combating unfair foreign trade practices, and enhancing domestic seafood production and exports
- Tariffs to protect America’s fishing industry—praised as a lifeline for the shrimping industry
- An Executive Order halting offshore wind projects to preserve a robust U.S. fishing industry for future generations
Although supportive of strengthening America’s fishing industry throughout the nation, some Alaskans wonder, “What about Alaska?” Despite Alaska being the single largest source of U.S.-harvested seafood, we have yet to see action from the Trump Administration specifically protecting Alaska’s fishing industry, like he did for New England fishing.