IMMP Asks End to Commercial Fishing in Marine National Monument

The International Marine Mammal Project (IMMP) of Earth Island Institute, joined by Shark Stewards, another Earth Island Project, watched with grave concern as the Trump Administration weakened protections for National Monuments. We had prepared a lawsuit to file had the Trump Administration taken actions against Pacific Marine National Monuments, such as reducing the boundaries or imposing commercial fishing in these protected areas. Fortunately, the Trump Administration did not take such action, despite expressing intent to do so.

However, the Trump Administration did remove a ban on commercial fishing in the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument off New England. On March 12, 2021, IMMP and Shark Stewards sent the following letter to President Joseph Biden and his Administration. The Biden Administration is reportedly reviewing these decisions.

RE: Please Prohibit Commercial Fishing in the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument

Dear President Biden, Acting Secretary de la Vega, and Acting Secretary Coggins:

The International Marine Mammal Project and Shark Stewards of Earth Island Institute urge you to reimpose the ban on commercial fishing in the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument that was lifted, in our opinion illegally, by the Trump Administration in June 2020. The Antiquities Act does not have provisions for the Executive Branch to shrink monument boundaries or allow damaging activities after the designation of a national monument. Therefore, we encourage the Administration to restore the original provisions of these national monuments as envisioned by President Barack Obama, including a ban on commercial fishing.

We strongly believe the Trump Administration acted irresponsibly in opening the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument to commercial fishing. Longline fishing catches and often kills non-target species like endangered sharks, sea turtles, birds, and marine mammals.

Trawl nets damage and destroy fragile corals and other natural habitats that our marine national monuments were established to protect. The North Atlantic right whale is threatened by extinction due in large part to entanglement in fishing lines used by lobster and crab fisheries.

President Biden, you will be familiar with the International Marine Mammal Project of Earth Island Institute as we worked together in 1990 to pass the Dolphin Safe Consumer Protection Act, sponsored in the House by then-Representative Barbara Boxer. Earth Island Institute was formed in 1982 by David Brower.

For more than 35 years, the International Marine Mammal Project has worked to protect whales, dolphins, and their ocean environment from dangers such as drift nets, cetacean captivity, commercial whaling, and offshore drilling. Our organization gained international recognition for pioneering the Dolphin Safe tuna program and for its efforts to end the trade and captivity of dolphins and whales. The Project also advocates ending commercial whaling at the International Whaling Commission with a targeted focus on Japan, Iceland, and Norway. For more information, please visit http://www.savedolphins.eii.org.

Shark Stewards’ mission is to restore ocean health by saving sharks from overfishing and the shark fin trade and protecting critical marine habitat through the establishment of marine protected areas and shark sanctuaries. For more information, please visit https://sharkstewards.org.

Intact marine ecosystems are vanishing. We must maintain the protection of America's healthiest coral reefs, not open them up for fishing.

Restoring the ban on commercial fishing in the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument is both legally imperative and environmentally the right choice.

Thank you for considering our request.

Sincerely,

David Phillips, Director, International Marine Mammal Project

Mark Palmer, Associate Director, International Marine Mammal Project

David McGuire, Director, Shark Stewards

The International Marine Mammal Project (IMMP) is dependent on your contributions to help us work to save marine national monuments and other protected areas for marine life. Your donations are our life-blood. Please send us a tax-deductible donation so we can continue to protect whales and dolphins and their ocean homes around the world. Thank you!