Trump opens vast Pacific marine monument to commercial fishing, citing economic benefits and American Samoa jobs

By SUZANNE DOWNING

June 11, 2026 – President Donald Trump on Thursday signed a proclamation reopening a large portion of the Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument to commercial fishing, arguing that the move will strengthen American fishing fleets, support jobs in American Samoa, and counter foreign competitors operating in the Pacific.

Gov. Mike Dunleavy attended the signing at the Oval Office and spoke at the event.

White House Proclamation: Trump Administration Restores Commercial Fishing in the Pacific. pic.twitter.com/vtpzSBKS4u

— Governor Mike Dunleavy (@GovDunleavy) June 11, 2026

The proclamation allows US-flagged commercial fishing vessels to operate between 50 and 200 nautical miles from the monument’s boundaries, reversing restrictions that have been in place since the monument was established by President George W. Bush in 2009 and later expanded by President Barack Obama.

The Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument encompasses more than 400,000 square miles of ocean surrounding several remote US island territories in the central Pacific. Under previous rules, commercial fishing was largely prohibited throughout the protected area.

The White House said the restrictions had prevented American fishermen from accessing nearly half of the US Exclusive Economic Zone in the Pacific Islands while doing little to protect highly migratory species such as tuna.

“Tuna and other pelagic species do not permanently reside within the monument boundaries,” the administration said in announcing the action. “As a result, American fishermen have been forced to travel farther offshore into international waters, where they compete against poorly regulated and heavily subsidized foreign fleets.”

The administration specifically pointed to Chinese fishing vessels, which have become increasingly active across the Pacific and have drawn criticism from U.S. officials over illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing practices.

The proclamation is expected to have its greatest economic impact in American Samoa, whose economy remains heavily dependent on the tuna industry.

American Samoa is home to the nation’s only Buy American-compliant tuna processing facility supplying US military rations and school lunch programs. The cannery is the territory’s largest private employer, supporting approximately 5,000 jobs.

Administration officials said the facility accounts for 99.5% of American Samoa’s exports and roughly 84 percent of private-sector employment on the island.

Supporters of the move argue that reopening the waters will allow American fishing vessels to spend less time and fuel reaching productive fishing grounds while increasing deliveries to the Samoa-based processing plant.

Environmental groups have long defended the monument’s fishing restrictions, arguing they protect fragile marine ecosystems and preserve biodiversity in one of the world’s largest ocean conservation areas. Those groups are expected to challenge the administration’s decision.

The fishing proclamation is the latest in a series of deregulatory actions by Trump since returning to office. The White House characterized the move as part of a broader effort to remove federal restrictions that it says hinder economic growth and American industry.

The administration has highlighted its government-wide deregulation initiative, requiring agencies to identify multiple regulations for elimination when proposing new rules. It has also created the National Energy Dominance Council and launched the Department of Government Efficiency as part of a wider campaign to reduce federal bureaucracy and streamline permitting processes.

For Alaska, where commercial fishing remains a cornerstone industry and federal fishery restrictions are often a source of debate, the proclamation is likely to be viewed as another signal that the Trump administration intends to prioritize access to domestic resources and commercial harvest opportunities over additional federal conservation designations.

The action comes as Alaska fishermen continue to face rising operating costs, international competition, and increasing scrutiny over access to federal waters.