BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
A PROCLAMATION
The Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument (PRIMNM) was originally established by Proclamation 8336 on January 6, 2009, and subsequently expanded by Proclamation 9173 on September 25, 2014. Through these proclamations, over 400,000 square miles of the Pacific Ocean were designated as protected, effectively barring all forms of entry, selection, and sale under public land laws, thus placing the area under the stewardship of the Federal Government.
The primary aim of the PRIMNM is to safeguard the lands and marine environments surrounding Wake, Baker, Howland, and Jarvis Islands; Johnston and Palmyra Atolls; and Kingman Reef, along with their historic and scientific treasures, which include diverse fish species, birds, marine mammals, coral, and a host of ecosystem biodiversity.
Currently, commercial fishing is banned within the boundaries of the PRIMNM. However, considering the unique attributes of the objects highlighted in Proclamations 8336 and 9173, and the existing protections afforded by relevant laws, I have concluded that appropriately managed commercial fishing would not jeopardize the scientific and historical resources that the PRIMNM is designed to protect.
Specifically addressing fish populations, the National Marine Fisheries Service and the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council effectively manage regional fisheries. The current management strategies in place at PRIMNM do little to mitigate overfishing concerns, particularly as species like tuna are migratory and do not remain within the confines of the monument.
The prohibition on commercial fishing has had significant repercussions, as American fishing fleets have lost access to nearly half of the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone in the Pacific Islands. This has compelled U.S. fishermen to venture further into international waters, where they face competition from foreign fleets that often operate under lax regulations and generous subsidies. This not only disadvantages American fishermen but also poses a grave threat to the economies of U.S. territories like American Samoa, where fishing accounts for over 80 percent of the private sector economy.
Importantly, Proclamations 8336 and 9173 do not categorize recreational fishing as a threat to local fish populations. A multitude of federal protections already exists to safeguard the area’s natural resources, vulnerable marine species, and unique habitats, including coral and seamount ecosystems. These laws encompass the Magnuson–Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, the Endangered Species Act of 1973, the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, the National Wildlife Refuge System Administration Act, and others aimed at maintaining water quality and biodiversity within Pacific Remote Island ecosystems.
In light of this analysis, I find that allowing well-regulated commercial fishing would not compromise the objects of scientific and historic importance within the PRIMNM.
Upon reevaluating the nature of the objects described in Proclamations 8336 and 9173, and considering the extensive protections already in place through the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act and other relevant laws, it has become evident that a ban on commercial fishing is currently unnecessary for the effective management of the PRIMNM and its historical or scientific assets.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, DONALD J. TRUMP, President of the United States of America, by the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, including section 320301 of title 54, United States Code (Antiquities Act), do hereby proclaim that:
(a) All directives under the section titled “Management of the Marine National Monument” in Proclamation 9173 are hereby removed and replaced with the following:
“This proclamation shall not alter the management protocols for the Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument as detailed in Proclamation 8336. The Secretary of the Interior, in collaboration with the Secretary of Commerce, shall retain primary management responsibilities for the Monument Expansion as per applicable legal authorities. The Secretary of Commerce, through the Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and in consultation with the Secretary of the Interior, shall oversee all fishery-related activities within the Monument Expansion under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act and other pertinent laws. The Secretary of Commerce and the Secretary of the Interior shall prohibit any appropriation, injury, destruction, or removal of any object within the Monument Expansion except as authorized by this proclamation and modified by the Proclamation of April 17, 2025 (Unleashing American Commercial Fishing in the Pacific).
Between 50 to 200 nautical miles from the landward boundaries of the Monument, the Secretary of Commerce shall not restrict commercial fishing within the Monument and Monument Expansion in areas where the Monument and Monument Expansion overlap with the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone. Any regulations concerning commercial fishing within the Monument and Monument Expansion will be implemented in coordination with the Secretary of Defense. Only U.S.-flagged vessels shall be permitted to commercially fish within the Monument and Monument Expansion, although permits may be granted to foreign-flagged vessels for the transshipment of fish caught by U.S. fishermen.
The Secretary of Commerce and the Secretary of the Interior shall take the necessary actions under their respective authorities provided by the Antiquities Act, the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, and other relevant laws to implement this proclamation, regulate fisheries, and ensure effective management of the Monument Expansion.
The United States shall uphold the freedom of the seas, including all rights and lawful uses recognized in international law, protecting U.S. national interests essential to global peace and prosperity.
The Secretary of Defense shall continue to manage Wake Island and Johnston Atoll as specified in Proclamation 8336.”
(b) The Secretary of Commerce, via the Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, shall promptly publish new proposed regulations in the Federal Register to amend or eliminate any onerous restrictions on commercial fishing within the PRIMNM.
This proclamation does not revoke, modify, or impact any existing withdrawals, reservations, or appropriations, other than those established by Proclamations 8336 and 9173.
There shall be no changes to the management of areas designated and reserved by Proclamations 8336 and 9173, except as explicitly stated in this proclamation.
If any provision of this proclamation is found invalid, the remainder of the proclamation and its application to other areas shall remain unaffected.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have affixed my signature this
seventeenth day of April, in the year of our Lord two thousand twenty-five, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and forty-ninth.
DONALD J. TRUMP
