2LT International News

WASHINGTON, D.C.: On May 9, U.S. President Donald Trump signed an order to reopen nearly 5,000 square miles of protected ocean near Cape Cod to fishing.

This decision was welcomed by fishing industry groups but criticized by scientists who focus on ocean conservation.

The move is part of Trump’s plan to reduce rules that he believes hurt businesses and economic growth.

The area known as the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument was protected by President Obama in 2016 to help marine animals, including deep-sea corals, sea turtles, and whales. Trump had opened it to fishing in 2020, but President Biden closed it again in 2021. Now, Trump has reopened it.

A White House official stated that this decision benefits fishing communities, supports job creation, and boosts the economy.

However, scientists are concerned. A recent aerial survey conducted by the New England Aquarium and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service found more than 600 animals, including baby humpback whales and dolphins.

Peter Auster, a marine science expert, stated that protected areas like this are crucial for understanding how ocean activities impact wildlife. He warned that without such areas, we can’t compare and study the effects of human actions at sea.

This is the second time Trump has reopened a protected marine area to fishing since the start of his second term in January. Last month, he also opened 400,000 acres of the Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument to fishing.

Meanwhile, delays caused by the administration’s freeze on new regulations earlier this year disrupted the US$320 billion fishing industry. Some fisheries on the East Coast opened late, resulting in problems such as the overfishing of Atlantic bluefin tuna, according to a previous Reuters report.