Saving Seafood

Nantucket anti-wind group petitions feds to halt Vineyard Wind 1

April 21, 2025 — After the Trump administration suspended the Empire Wind offshore energy project over claims of rushed approvals and inadequate analysis, Nantucket nonprofit ACK For Whales is urging federal regulators to take similar action against Vineyard Wind.

The group is calling for Vineyard Wind’s revised construction plan to be revoked due to unresolved safety and environmental concerns.

The island nonprofit, which opposes offshore wind development, has formally petitioned the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management to rescind the construction and operations plan for Vineyard Wind 1.

The revised plan was approved Jan. 17, 2025, following a major turbine blade failure and the discovery of potential manufacturing defects affecting as many as 66 blades.

Read the full story at MassLive.com

Many Maine fishermen applaud Trump order calling for deregulation

April 21, 2025 — Many Maine fishermen are applauding a new executive order from President Trump, which calls on the federal government to identify and roll back regulations that are overly burdensome to the commercial fishing industry.

The order signals that the Trump administration wants to listen to commercial harvesters and involve them in decision-making and research, said Ben Martens, executive director of the Maine Coast Fishermen’s Association.

“There are a lot of regulations that you could take a scalpel to, right? We can clean things up,” he said. “There’s a piling up regulations that takes place over time, and so I think it needs to be done carefully.”

Jerry Leeman, CEO of the New England Fishermen’s Stewardship Association, described the order as a “long time coming.” Many of his members have long questioned the data that federal fisheries regulators use to conduct stock assessments and set stock limits.

Read the full story at Maine Public

Trump opens Pacific marine monument to fishing

April 21, 2025 — An executive order issued by President Trump opens the Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument to fishing, asserting that U.S. environmental laws and regulation can adequately protect the islands’ marine ecosystem.

The move would allow fishing on more than 400,000 square miles west of Hawaii, declared a monument in 2009 by former president George W. Bush and expanded in 2014 by former president Barack Obama. It includes an array of reefs and seamounts around Wake, Baker, Howland, and Jarvis islands, the Johnston and Palmyra atolls and Kingman Reef.

U.S. Pacific fishermen and American Samoa officials and businesses have sought to lift restrictions on fishing, critical to the territory’s economy.

“As a result of the prohibitions on commercial fishing, American fishing fleets have lost access to nearly half of the United States’ Exclusive Economic Zone in the Pacific Islands,” according to the order Trump signed Thursday. “This has driven American fishermen to fish further offshore in international waters to compete against poorly regulated and highly subsidized foreign fleets.”

Read the full story at National Fisherman

 

Trump escalates his feud with offshore wind

April 21, 2025 — Donald Trump took his disdain for offshore wind to a new level this week.

The president moved to halt a wind farm off New York’s coast that was already under construction — a step analysts say sets a dangerous precedent for all energy projects, not just renewable ones, writes Benjamin Storrow.

“No one with any kind of an energy project can rely on the permits that have been issued if this administration, for whatever reason — legally or illegally, rightly or wrongly — decides that they want to call into question permits that have already been issued,” Allan Marks with Columbia University told Ben.

“That should scare any investor in any energy project.”

Interior Secretary Doug Burgum delivered the administration’s rationale in a social media post on X. The 810-megawatt Empire Wind project is being halted, he wrote, to review information “that suggests the Biden administration rushed through its approval without sufficient analysis.”

Read the full story at Politico

 

National Fisheries Institute Statement on Executive Order on American Seafood

April 21, 2025 — The following was released by the National Fisheries Institute:

Tonight, President Trump signed an Executive Order aimed at strengthening the U.S. seafood community. NFI commends the President and his Administration for taking a thoughtful, strategic approach to supporting American seafood production and consumption. The EO outlines key actions to benefit every link in the supply chain—from hardworking fishermen to parents who serve their family this nutritious and sustainable protein at home.

Importantly, the Order calls for reducing unnecessary regulatory burdens on fishermen and seafood producers while also promoting the many benefits of eating seafood as part of a healthy, balanced diet. 

NFI stands ready to support the Administration in advancing this important policy initiative and improving the lives of all those who depend on the commercial seafood industry. 

 

Trump opens Pacific marine monument to commercial fishing

April 21, 2025 — President Donald Trump opened a vast national monument in the Pacific Ocean to commercial fishing Thursday and indicated he could do the same across other ocean monuments protected by his predecessors.

In a pair of executive actions, including a proclamation targeting a Pacific Ocean monument spanning almost 500,000 square miles, Trump said the United States “should be the world’s dominant seafood leader.”

“Federal overregulation has restricted fishermen from productively harvesting American seafood including through restrictive catch limits, selling our fishing grounds to foreign offshore wind companies, inaccurate and outdated fisheries data, and delayed adoption of modern technology,” Trump wrote in an order titled “Restoring American Seafood Competitiveness.”

Read the full story at E&E News

Fishers celebrate Trump’s seafood order while conservation groups fear overfishing

April 18, 2025 — President Donald Trump’s executive order to boost the U.S. commercial fishing industry drew praise from commercial fishing groups and condemnation from environmental organizations who said they fear cutting regulations will harm fish populations that have already dwindled in some areas of the oceans.

The order represents a dramatic shift in federal policy on fishing in U.S. waters by prioritizing commercial fishing interests over efforts to allow the fish supply to increase.

The president described his decision as “an easy one” that will improve the U.S. commercial fishing industry by peeling back regulations and opening up harvesting in previously protected areas.

“The United States should be the world’s dominant seafood leader,” he said Thursday, citing the nation’s seafood trade deficit, which is more than $20 billion.

ALASKA: Sen. Sullivan welcomes executive order on enhancing American seafood competitiveness

April 18, 2025 — The following was released by the office of Sen. Dan Sullivan: 

U.S. Senator Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska) today praised an executive order issued by President Donald Trump to strengthen U.S. and Alaska fisheries. As the chair of the Senate Commerce Subcommittee on Coast Guard, Maritime, and Fisheries, Sen. Sullivan has been working with the Trump administration and introducing legislation to address challenges facing Alaska’s fishermen, including global trading practices that disadvantage Alaska fisheries, and regulations that burden Alaska fishermen.

“Last month in my speech to the Alaska Legislature, I issued a clarion call about the need to go on offense for our fishermen,” said Sen. Sullivan. “These great Alaskans have endured a perfect storm of challenges, which include unfair seafood trade practices by dictatorships like Russia and China, and onerous regulatory burdens from our own federal government. I have been working relentlessly with the Trump administration, including with the Commerce and Agriculture Departments, and the U.S. Trade Representative, to get relief for our fisherman. They listened. Today, President Trump gave our fishermen a major shot in the arm, ordering his administration to remove unnecessary federal red tape and develop an America First Seafood Strategy with measures to enhance the competitiveness of our seafood in global markets and hold bad actors in seafood trade accountable. I appreciate the Trump administration’s continued strong focus on advancing the interests and priorities of Alaska across a range of economic sectors, including our fishermen and coastal communities. I thank President Trump, Secretary Lutnick, and Ambassador Greer for taking decisive action on behalf of our hard-working fishermen, and fighting to ensure more Americans and our trading partners around the world are eating ‘freedom fish’ from Alaska—not ‘communist fish’ from the likes of Russia and China.”

Below is a timeline of Sen. Sullivan’s recent efforts to advocate on behalf of the competitiveness of Alaska’s seafood industry:

  • On March 11, 2022, as a result of Sen. Sullivan’s advocacy, the Biden administration announced it would prohibit the importation of Russian seafood into the United States, in addition to banning goods from several other signature sectors of Russia’s economy.
  • On December 22, 2023, Sen. Sullivan welcomed a new Executive Order and resulting U.S. Department of the Treasury determination to revise existing guidance that allowed all Russian-origin seafood to bypass an earlier Executive Order banning its import into the United States.
  • On January 29, 2025, Sen. Sullivan received Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick’s commitment to champion the interests of Alaska’s fishermen and seafood industry.
  • On February 24, 2025, Sen. Sullivan reintroduced his Fighting Foreign Illegal Seafood Harvest (FISH) Act to combat foreign illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing by blacklisting offending vessels from U.S. ports and waters, bolstering the U.S. Coast Guard’s enforcement capabilities, and advancing international and bilateral negotiations to achieve enforceable agreements and treaties.
  • On March 13, 2025, Sen. Sullivan wrote a letter to Ambassador Jamieson Greer, the United States Trade Representative, urging him to initiate an investigation under Section 301 of theTrade Act of 1974 into Russian and Chinese seafood trade practices.

Hawaii Longline Association: Presidential Proclamation Balances Ocean Protection and Sustainable Commercial Tuna Fishing

Reopens US Waters to Highly Monitored US Fishing Vessels 

April 18, 2025 — The following was released by the Hawaii Longline Association:

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 US national waters,” said Hawaii 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 US 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 Hawaii 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. Hawaii 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 Hawaii longline fleet. 

Sustainable Fishing: Stronger Food Security for Hawaii 

Native Hawaiian longline vessel captain, Kawai Watanabe, said “Fishing is my livelihood and I’m proud to produce fresh ahi for Hawaii 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 US waters away from large-scale foreign fleets.” 

The Hawaii longline fishery is among the largest food producers in the State of Hawaii. 

Hawaii residents consume seafood at twice the national average. Hawaii 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 nm 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 nm), also prohibiting commercial fishing. In 2016, President Obama, using the Antiquities Act expanded Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument from 0-50 nm to the full extent of the USA EEZ (0-200 nm), creating the world’s largest marine protected area. Approximately 65% percent of the USA EEZ around the vast Hawaii 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. 

Trump opens swath of pristine Pacific Ocean to commercial fishing

April 18, 2025 — President Donald Trump on Thursday issued a proclamation saying he is easing federal restrictions on commercial fishing in a vast protected area of the central Pacific known as the Pacific Islands Heritage Marine National Monument.

Trump said he will allow U.S.-flagged vessels to fish within 50 to 200 nautical miles of the landward boundaries of the monument, which covers some 490,000 square miles of open ocean, coral reef and island habitats. Located south and west of Hawaii, the area is home to seven national wildlife refuges. It includes some of the Earth’s last pristine maritime environments, serving as a sanctuary for species such as endangered sea turtles, sharks and migratory birds, according to marine wildlife experts.

In a separate executive order Thursday, Trump also said he would reduce regulations on commercial fishing more broadly and asked his secretary of commerce to “identify the most heavily overregulated fisheries” and take action to “reduce the regulatory burden on them.”

Trump’s directives, which are likely to attract legal challenges, seek to weaken protections initially set up by his predecessors. President George W. Bush in 2009 established the monument and restricted oil exploration and commercial fishing within it. In 2014, his successor Barack Obama, expanded the protected area to more than 490,000 square miles.

Trump, in the proclamation, said existing environmental laws provide sufficient protection for marine wildlife in the area and that many of the fish species in the monument are migratory.

“I find that appropriately managed commercial fishing would not put objects of scientific and historic interest [within the monument] at risk,” he said.

Bob Vanasse, executive director of the commercial fishing trade group Saving Seafood, said in an email that the shift in policy “does not create a commercial fishing free-for-all in the monuments.”

“Commercial fishing in the monuments will be allowed only under fishery management plans that manage the fisheries sustainably under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act,” Vanasse said, referring to the law that governs fishing in federal waters.

Read the full story at The Washington Post