Feb 11, 2026
On Friday, February 6, President Trump revoked a ban on commercial fishing inside the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument. After decades of collaborative conservation planning among New England communities, President Obama established the monument in 2016. The first marine national monument to include climate science and climate resilience as part of its purpose, the 3.1-million-acre marine monument is located 130 miles southeast of Cape Cod, Massachusetts. It is home to unique deep-sea corals, endangered whales, sea turtles, and myriad more marine species.
The Trump Administration's move is in lock-step with a litany of actions to allow commercial interests to monopolize America’s public lands and waters for maximum profit despite the environmental, social, and long-term economic costs. This is the second marine monument the Administration has opened to commercial fishing. In 2025, the Trump Administration opened the Pacific Islands Heritage Marine National Monument to commercial fishing.
Angelo Villagomez, America the Beautiful for All Ocean Workgroup Co-lead and senior fellow at the Center for American Progress said, "When we choose to safeguard something, that commitment should be permanent. Our public lands and waters are part of our shared heritage—meant to endure, not to be bargained away.”
"Our ocean has enough for everyone’s need, but not for everyone’s greed," said Shantha Ready Alonso, America the Beautiful for All Coalition executive director. "This thoughtfully protected biodiversity hotspot gave marine life a safe haven to feed, rest, and re-generate. Revitalized ocean life can flow out of a protected area. Giving profit-driven commercial fishing free reign over all waters disregards the sustainability and balance of ocean life."
Opening the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts to commercial fishing will harm coastal communities and drain life from our ocean. Not only does this action reverse the critical conservation progress and scientific study that has been underway for years, but it is also an abuse of power and illegal. The America the Beautiful for All Coalition stands with defenders of our ocean’s vitality.
