President Trump signed an executive order that opens up commercial fishing in the Pacific Islands Heritage National Marine Monument, covering about 490,000 square miles of ocean southwest of Hawaii. The removal of protected status under Executive Order has been proved in court under the last Trump Administration to violate the Antiquities Act. New litigation from environmental groups is pending in response to the Executive Order.
Read MoreNew Study Shows Sharks are at Greater Risk of Extinction Than Previously Believed
Recent work builds on previous studies that many shark species are in deep decline and their loss can have dire consequences on reefs and marine ecosystems.
Read MoreZinke Recommends Trump Remove Protection to Pacific, Atlantic Marine National Monuments
This week President Trump announced the greatest rollback of protected public lands of any Administration in US history. Stripping back protected National Monuments at the Bear’s Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante […]
Read MoreTrump Places Pacific Marine Protected Areas at Risk
Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke has recommended that President Trump modify 10 national monuments created under the last 3 administrations, shrinking the boundaries of at least four western sites, and three marine monuments. Specifically, the leak indicates that the administration has direct target to reduce or eliminate protections for the Utah Bears Ears Monument and the Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument and four others.
Read More