March 8, 2017 — A coalition of commercial fishing groups filed a lawsuit Tuesday to challenge the creation of a national monument off the coast of New England.

President Obama created the monument in September using executive authority under the Antiquities Act. The Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument is made up of nearly 5,000 square miles of underwater canyons and mountains.

The creation of the monument closed the area to most commercial fishing and has been opposed by fishing groups for months. A coalition of the groups filed their lawsuit Tuesday in federal court.

The groups said creation of the monument was a “unilateral” action by Obama that is bringing economic distress to fishermen and their families. They want it ruled an unlawful use of the Antiquities Act.

“The Northeast Canyons and Seamount National Marine Monument purports to designate a monument in the ocean 130 miles from the nation’s coast. This area of the ocean is not ‘lands owned or controlled’ by the federal government,” the lawsuit says. “Therefore, the Antiquities Act does not authorize the President to establish the Northeast Canyon and Seamounts Marine National Monument.”

Read the full story from the Associated Press at the Portland Press Herald