WPRFMC appreciates marine monuments saying that these have been effectively regulated under the Magnuson-Stevens Act and by WestPac. Jim Connaughton, chairman of the White House’s Council on Environmental Quality, told that these new national monuments are complementary strategies to the fisheries management plans developed by the council. The council in its plan mentioned a ban on all fishing from 0 to 50 fathoms (300 feet) depth has been in effect since 2004 in all of the areas.
According to the council it looks forward to continuing its work to protect everyone’s interest in these areas. It is concerned that the Antiquities Act, used to create these enormous marine monuments, currently bypasses the National Environmental Policy Act, which mandates an environmental review as well as an appropriate participatory process for the indigenous people and other members of the public.
It is said that the U.S. Pacific Islands now account for half of the marine protected areas in the United States. The council also said that local commercial fishermen are banned from nearly a quarter of the waters surrounding the U.S. Pacific islands. The significant loss of fishing areas can be counterproductive to sustainable fishery goals.
The council is of view that well-regulated and monitored commercial fishing with no proven negative ecosystem effects are being banned, other activities that can harm the monument resources will be allowed.
