June 8, 2020 — President Donald Trump announced on Friday afternoon that he will be removing fishing restrictions in the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument, opening up 5,000 square miles in the Atlantic Ocean for fishing. The order to designate that area of the Atlantic Ocean as a national monument was signed by former President Barack Obama during his final few months in office.
“We’re opening it up,” said Trump. “Today I’m signing a proclamation to reverse that injustice, to reverse that order from the previous administration. And we are opening the Northeast Canyons and the Seamounts Marine National Monument region to commercial fishing. Is that OK? Is that what you want? That’s an easy one.”