June 25, 2025 — The Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council is backing federal efforts to examine commercial fishing prohibitions in marine national monuments, including the Marianas Trench, as part of a broader push to expand fishing opportunities across the Pacific island region.
The council directed staff to analyze the monuments and potential burdens placed on commercial fishing operations following Executive Order 14276, which asks the Secretary of Commerce to review marine national monuments to remove commercial fishing restrictions that may conflict with national seafood priorities. The council met June 9-11 in Honolulu.
“I think the council’s always been on record saying that the commercial fishing prohibitions are not needed,” said Joshua DeMello, fishery analyst at the council, during a recent interview with The Guam Daily Post. “Management of the area should be done rather than a complete closure.”
The executive order specifically targets monuments including Papahānaumokuākea, Rose Atoll and the Marianas Trench for review to ensure alignment with national seafood priorities. DeMello noted that all four marine national monuments in the council’s jurisdiction were already managed under the Magnuson Act since 1976.
“All of the monuments in our area, we have four Marine National Monuments. We’re pristine, and that’s why they keep saying that they want to keep it because it’s pristine, but the fact is that all four of those areas have been managed since the 1976 Magnuson Act went into place,” DeMello said.
The council will work with its advisors to examine what has been impacted by commercial fishing prohibitions and provide analysis to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Staff recommendations are expected when NOAA issues a Federal Register notice seeking public comments, potentially as early as late July.
DeMello emphasized that the council’s role differs from environmental protection agencies, focusing instead on sustainable fishing practices that ensure long-term access to marine resources.
“The councils are there to ensure that fishing can occur forever and ever. Our job is to protect the fishing interests, whether it be non-commercial, recreational, commercial, subsistence and ensure that we’ll be able to fish forever,” he said.