President Donald J. Trump has signed a proclamation to open the Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument (PRIMNM) to American commercial fishing. The move is a key part of the America First Fishing Policy and aims to boost the economy of American Samoa.
According to the White House Fact Sheet, the proclamation allows the U.S.-flagged vessels to commercially fish within 50 to 200 nautical miles of the PRIMNM’s boundaries. The White House claims this action will empower American commercial fishermen by removing unnecessary restrictions, strengthening the U.S. economy, supporting local communities, and restoring fairness to an industry “disadvantaged by overregulation and foreign competition.”
PRIMNM was initially established by President George W. Bush in 2009 and expanded by President Barack Obama, closing off over 400,000 square miles of the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone in the Pacific. The Trump administration argues that the ban on commercial fishing within the PRIMNM did little to protect fish populations, as tuna and other pelagic species are migratory and do not remain within the monument’s boundaries.
According to the White House, prohibitions on commercial fishing have cost American fishing fleets access to nearly half of the United States’ Exclusive Economic Zone in the Pacific Islands, forcing them to compete with foreign fleets, particularly those from China, in international waters. By supporting American fishermen, the administration aims to combat “illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing by foreign fleets.”
American Samoa, home to the only Buy American-compliant tuna processing facility for U.S. military rations and school lunch programs, relies heavily on the fishing industry. The cannery in American Samoa is the largest employer on the island, providing about 5,000 jobs and accounting for 99.5% of American Samoa’s exports and 84% of the private employment in the territory.
The action aligns with President Trump’s broader strategy to stimulate the American economy through deregulation and cutting red tape.
