President Trump issued a proclamation to modify the Pacific Islands Heritage Marine National Monument (PIHMNM). The area includes the uninhabited islands and atolls in the central Pacific Ocean under USA jurisdiction named Wake, Palmyra, Johnston, Jarvis, Howland and Baker. The US Exclusive Economic Zone (0-200 nautical miles) around these islands and atolls are subject to federal oversight by the US Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
President Trump’s proclamation modifies the PIHMNM monument boundaries by allowing commercial fishing from 50-200 nautical miles around Johnston and Jarvis Islands. This action supports American tuna fisheries in the Pacific that are sustainable and highly monitored commercial fishing operations.
“This is recognition that sustainable fisheries and ocean protection can be achieved and balanced within U.S. national waters,” said Hawai‘i Longline Association (HLA) Executive Director, Eric Kingma. “Previous presidents have mishandled the Antiquities Act to create huge closed areas that banned commercial fishing, with most of these closures occurring in the U.S. Pacific Islands. Of the USA EEZ waters that are closed to commercial fishing, over 90% of the area is found in the USA Pacific Islands Region.”
Relief for U.S. Vessels Competing with Subsidized Foreign Fleets
Because of these closures, around 85% of the Hawai‘i longline fleet’s fishing effort occurs in international waters and amongst foreign vessels competing to catch tuna. These foreign fleets are subsidized by their flag countries and are comprised of large-scale freezer vessels that conduct fishing trips lasting 12 months or more – transshipping their catch at sea to carrier vessels. Hawai‘i longline vessels land only ice-chilled tuna and billfish and make fishing trips lasting 25 days or less.
“USA fishing vessels need relief from foreign competition. Access to USA EEZ waters around Johnston Island is important for the long-term continuity of the Hawaii longline fleet,” said Sean Martin, HLA President. “In 2023, the United Nations adopted a new convention that provides a framework for high seas marine protected areas. This convention did not exist when the PRI monument was expanded nor when Papahanumokuakea MNM was expanded to the full EEZ. The combination of high seas closures under the UN convention and full closures of USA EEZs waters severely disadvantages US vessels as we’d have nowhere to fish,” Martin continued.
Globally respected fisheries scientists have found that these closed areas do not have any conservation benefit to highly migratory species or catch rates for the Hawai‘i longline fleet.
Sustainable Fishing: Stronger Food Security for Hawai‘i
Native Hawaiian longline vessel captain, Kawai Watanabe, said “Fishing is my livelihood and I’m proud to produce fresh ‘ahi for Hawai‘i and my community. We’re a highly monitored and regulated fishery. We know what we catch and we need to be able to fish in U.S. waters away from large-scale foreign fleets.”
The Hawai‘i longline fishery is among the largest food producers in the State of Hawai‘i.
Hawai‘i residents consume seafood at twice the national average. Hawai‘i residents should support actions that support locally produced seafood — the alternative is foreign imported, low quality ‘ahi that is unregulated and unmonitored, bad for consumers and the environment.
Background on the Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument
In 2008, President George W. Bush established the Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument, which encompassed waters from 0-50 nautical miles around each of the islands and atolls and prohibited commercial fishing in those waters.
In 2014, President Barack Obama expanded the monument boundaries around Jarvis and Johnston Islands to the full extent of the USA EEZ (0-200 nautical miles), also prohibiting commercial fishing. In 2016, President Obama, using the Antiquities Act expanded Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument from 0-50 nautical miles to the full extent of the USA EEZ (0-200 nautical miles), creating the world’s largest marine protected area. Approximately 65% percent of the USA EEZ around the vast Hawai‘i Archipelago is closed to fishing.
In 2020, President Biden initiated a federal action overlay and National Marine Sanctuary over the PRI Monument waters to prohibit commercial fishing in the remaining open areas around Palmyra and Howland/Baker Islands. The action was not completed by the end of President Biden’s term.
April 18, 2025 statement from HLA, Executive Director, Eric Kingma
