{"id":5998,"date":"2026-08-04T00:00:15","date_gmt":"2026-08-04T00:00:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/usglobalnews.com\/2026\/08\/04\/these-are-some-of-the-last-pristine-ocean-ecosystems-now-theyre-losing-protections\/"},"modified":"2026-08-04T00:00:15","modified_gmt":"2026-08-04T00:00:15","slug":"these-are-some-of-the-last-pristine-ocean-ecosystems-now-theyre-losing-protections","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.usglobalnews.com\/?p=5998","title":{"rendered":"These are some of the last pristine ocean ecosystems. Now, they’re losing protections"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n \"\"
\n Claire Harbage\/NPR<\/span><\/p>\n
\n
\n

Some of the most pristine ecosystems left in the world are found in the\u00a0<\/span>Pacific.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n

\n \"\"
\n Claire Harbage\/NPR<\/span><\/p>\n
\n
\n

These remote islands and atolls are biodiversity hot spots, home to thriving coral reefs\u00a0<\/span>\u2026<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n

\n \"\"
\n Claire Harbage\/NPR<\/span><\/p>\n
\n
\n

\u2026 and bustling seabird\u00a0<\/span>colonies.<\/p>\n

More than a million square miles of the Pacific Ocean are safeguarded as U.S. marine national monuments and\u00a0<\/span>sanctuaries.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n

\n \"\"
\n Claire Harbage\/NPR<\/span><\/p>\n
\n
\n

Now, the Trump administration is opening some of these waters to commercial\u00a0<\/span>fishing.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n

\n
\n <\/div>\n
\n
\n

\n
\n

Thousands of miles from California, the Pacific marine monuments are centered on tiny islands and\u00a0<\/span>atolls.<\/p>\n

One of them is Palmyra Atoll, about as far from a continent as you can get on the\u00a0<\/span>planet.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n

\n \"\"
\n Claire Harbage\/NPR<\/span><\/p>\n
\n
\n

No one lives here permanently, but it\u2019s home to a field research station run by The Nature Conservancy, a conservation nonprofit. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service staff also rotate in, since the atoll\u2019s land is protected as a national wildlife\u00a0<\/span>refuge.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n

\n \"\"
\n Claire Harbage\/NPR<\/span><\/p>\n
\n
\n

For the researchers and staff stationed here, some days their closest neighbors are the astronauts passing overhead in the International Space\u00a0<\/span>Station.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n

\n \"\"
\n Claire Harbage\/NPR<\/span><\/p>\n
\n
\n

For decades, scientists have studied Palmyra Atoll\u2019s unique ecosystem, a window into the vital role that atolls play for marine life across the\u00a0<\/span>Pacific.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n

\n \"\"
\n Claire Harbage\/NPR<\/span><\/p>\n
\n
\n

\u201cAtolls are small when you look at them on the map, but they have an oversized impact on the ocean around them,\u201d says Alex Wegmann, lead scientist of island resilience at The Nature\u00a0<\/span>Conservancy.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey are very important epicenters of biodiversity and of\u00a0<\/span>abundance.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n

\n \"\"
\n Claire Harbage\/NPR<\/span><\/p>\n
\n
\n

Atolls are formed by ancient volcanic islands surrounded by coral reefs. As the volcano erodes and disappears below the water, the reef continues to grow\u00a0<\/span>upward.<\/p>\n

Eventually a ring of low-lying islands forms, built from the skeletons of the reef that surrounds\u00a0<\/span>it.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n
\n

For millennia, Pacific atolls were important stopover and cultural sites for Polynesians who crossed the Pacific Ocean on seafaring\u00a0<\/span>voyages.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n

\n \"\"
\n Claire Harbage\/NPR<\/span><\/p>\n
\n
\n

Colonial powers reshaped many atolls, removing native forests to plant fast-growing coconut palm plantations. Although many were abandoned, the palms continued to spread, crowding out native\u00a0<\/span>trees.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n

\n \"\"
\n Claire Harbage\/NPR<\/span><\/p>\n
\n
\n

World War II brought even more changes. As fighting in the Pacific escalated, the U.S. military remade many atolls, building bunkers, air bases and refueling stations. Ship channels were dredged through coral reefs. Some atolls were used for nuclear and biological weapons\u00a0<\/span>testing.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n

\n \"\"
\n Claire Harbage\/NPR<\/span><\/p>\n
\n
\n

Still, Pacific atolls remain among the wildest places on the\u00a0<\/span>planet.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n

\n \"\"
\n Claire Harbage\/NPR<\/span><\/p>\n
\n
\n

Seabirds use them as nesting sites to raise their young, returning to the open ocean to hunt for fish. Sooty terns spend years at sea, flying thousands of miles before coming back to land to\u00a0<\/span>breed.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n

\n \"\"
\n Claire Harbage\/NPR<\/span><\/p>\n
\n
\n

The reefs surrounding many atolls are still largely untouched, with coral colonies the size of city\u00a0<\/span>buses.<\/p>\n

At Palmyra Atoll, blacktip and grey reef sharks cruise the reefs\u2019 edges. Scientists have found it has one of the highest densities of predators in the world, a rare example of a food chain that remains\u00a0<\/span>intact.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n

\n \"\"
\n Raffi Maghdessian\/Cavan Images via Getty Images<\/span><\/p>\n
\n
\n

Pacific atolls also attract deep-water species that swim hundreds of miles, like tuna. In the warm, nutrient-poor waters of the central Pacific where food is sparse, atolls are like bustling\u00a0<\/span>caf\u00e9s.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n

\n
\n <\/div>\n
\n
\n

NPR\n <\/p><\/div>\n

\n
\n

Scientists put satellite tags on yellowfin tuna,<\/span> tracking where they swam for months, and found they congregate around\u00a0<\/span>atolls.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n Caption:<\/span> Tuna were tracked between August 2024 and March 2026\n <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n
\n \"\"
\n Claire Harbage\/NPR<\/span><\/p>\n
\n
\n

Seabirds rely on those tuna and other large predators to corral schools of small fish. As tuna feed, they drive the schools near the ocean\u2019s surface, where birds can reach\u00a0<\/span>them.<\/p>\n

This interconnected ecosystem, stretching from treetops to the deep sea, is one of the reasons the waters around Pacific atolls were granted federal\u00a0<\/span>protections.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n

\n
\n
\n<\/p>\n
\n\t<\/p>\n
\n\t\t\"\"<\/p>\n
\n

United<\/p>\n

States<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Japan<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Pacific Ocean<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Mariana Trench<\/p>\n

Marine<\/p>\n

National Monument<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Wake<\/p>\n

Atoll<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Hawaii<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Johnston<\/p>\n

Atoll<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Pacific Islands Heritage<\/p>\n

Marine National Monument<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Kingman Reef<\/p>\n

and Palmyra Atoll<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Howland<\/p>\n

and Baker<\/p>\n

Islands<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Jarvis<\/p>\n

Island<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

New<\/p>\n

Guinea<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Rose Atoll<\/p>\n

Marine National Monument<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Australia<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

1,000 miles<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\t<\/p>\n

\n\t\t\"\"<\/p>\n
\n

United<\/p>\n

States<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Japan<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Mariana Trench<\/p>\n

Marine<\/p>\n

National Monument<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Pacific Ocean<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Hawaii<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Wake<\/p>\n

Atoll<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Johnston<\/p>\n

Atoll<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Pacific Islands Heritage<\/p>\n

Marine National Monument<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Kingman Reef<\/p>\n

and Palmyra Atoll<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Howland<\/p>\n

and Baker<\/p>\n

Islands<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Jarvis<\/p>\n

Island<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

New<\/p>\n

Guinea<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Rose Atoll<\/p>\n

Marine National Monument<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Australia<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

1,000 miles<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\t<\/p>\n

\n\t\t\"\"<\/p>\n
\n

United<\/p>\n

States<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Japan<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Mariana Trench<\/p>\n

Marine<\/p>\n

National Monument<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Pacific Ocean<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Hawaii<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Wake<\/p>\n

Atoll<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Johnston<\/p>\n

Atoll<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Pacific Islands Heritage<\/p>\n

Marine National Monument<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Kingman Reef<\/p>\n

and Palmyra Atoll<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Howland<\/p>\n

and Baker<\/p>\n

Islands<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Jarvis<\/p>\n

Island<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

New<\/p>\n

Guinea<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Rose Atoll<\/p>\n

Marine National Monument<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Australia<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

1,000 miles<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\n <\/div>\n

\n
\n

In January 2009, President George W. Bush established three national marine monuments in the Pacific. In 2014, the Pacific Islands Heritage Marine National Monument was\u00a0<\/span>expanded.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n

\n
\n
\n<\/p>\n
\n\t<\/p>\n
\n\t\t\"\"<\/p>\n
\n

United<\/p>\n

States<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Japan<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Papah\u0101naumoku\u0101kea<\/p>\n

Marine National Sanctuary<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Pacific Ocean<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Mariana Trench<\/p>\n

Marine<\/p>\n

National Monument<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Wake<\/p>\n

Atoll<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Hawaii<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Johnston<\/p>\n

Atoll<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Pacific Islands Heritage<\/p>\n

Marine National Monument<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Kingman Reef<\/p>\n

and Palmyra Atoll<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Howland<\/p>\n

and Baker<\/p>\n

Islands<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Jarvis<\/p>\n

Island<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

New<\/p>\n

Guinea<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Rose Atoll<\/p>\n

Marine National Monument<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Australia<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

1,000 miles<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\t<\/p>\n

\n\t\t\"\"<\/p>\n
\n

United<\/p>\n

States<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Japan<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Papah\u0101naumoku\u0101kea<\/p>\n

Marine National Sanctuary<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Mariana Trench<\/p>\n

Marine<\/p>\n

National Monument<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Pacific Ocean<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Hawaii<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Wake<\/p>\n

Atoll<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Johnston<\/p>\n

Atoll<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Pacific Islands Heritage<\/p>\n

Marine National Monument<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Kingman Reef<\/p>\n

and Palmyra Atoll<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Howland<\/p>\n

and Baker<\/p>\n

Islands<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Jarvis<\/p>\n

Island<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

New<\/p>\n

Guinea<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Rose Atoll<\/p>\n

Marine National Monument<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Australia<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

1,000 miles<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\t<\/p>\n

\n\t\t\"\"<\/p>\n
\n

United<\/p>\n

States<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Japan<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Papah\u0101naumoku\u0101kea<\/p>\n

Marine National Sanctuary<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Mariana Trench<\/p>\n

Marine<\/p>\n

National Monument<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Pacific Ocean<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Hawaii<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Wake<\/p>\n

Atoll<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Johnston<\/p>\n

Atoll<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Pacific Islands Heritage<\/p>\n

Marine National Monument<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Kingman Reef<\/p>\n

and Palmyra Atoll<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Howland<\/p>\n

and Baker<\/p>\n

Islands<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Jarvis<\/p>\n

Island<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

New<\/p>\n

Guinea<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Rose Atoll<\/p>\n

Marine National Monument<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Australia<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

1,000 miles<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\n <\/div>\n

\n
\n

Papah\u0101naumoku\u0101kea Marine National Monument was established in 2006 in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. Its boundaries were later expanded in\u00a0<\/span>2016.<\/p>\n

It is the largest fully protected conservation area in the United\u00a0<\/span>States.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n

\n
\n
\n<\/p>\n
\n\t<\/p>\n
\n\t\t\"\"<\/p>\n
\n

United<\/p>\n

States<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Japan<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Papah\u0101naumoku\u0101kea<\/p>\n

Marine National Sanctuary<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Pacific Ocean<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Mariana Trench<\/p>\n

Marine<\/p>\n

National Monument<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Wake<\/p>\n

Atoll<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Hawaii<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Johnston<\/p>\n

Atoll<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Areas for<\/p>\n

commercial fishing<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Kingman Reef<\/p>\n

and Palmyra Atoll<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Howland<\/p>\n

and Baker<\/p>\n

Islands<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Jarvis<\/p>\n

Island<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

New<\/p>\n

Guinea<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Rose Atoll<\/p>\n

Marine National Monument<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Australia<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

1,000 miles<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\t<\/p>\n

\n\t\t\"\"<\/p>\n
\n

United<\/p>\n

States<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Japan<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Papah\u0101naumoku\u0101kea<\/p>\n

Marine National Sanctuary<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Mariana Trench<\/p>\n

Marine<\/p>\n

National Monument<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Pacific Ocean<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Hawaii<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Wake<\/p>\n

Atoll<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Johnston<\/p>\n

Atoll<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Areas for<\/p>\n

commercial fishing<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Kingman Reef<\/p>\n

and Palmyra Atoll<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Howland<\/p>\n

and Baker<\/p>\n

Islands<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Jarvis<\/p>\n

Island<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

New<\/p>\n

Guinea<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Rose Atoll<\/p>\n

Marine National Monument<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Australia<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

1,000 miles<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\t<\/p>\n

\n\t\t\"\"<\/p>\n
\n

United<\/p>\n

States<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Japan<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Papah\u0101naumoku\u0101kea<\/p>\n

Marine National Sanctuary<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Mariana Trench<\/p>\n

Marine<\/p>\n

National Monument<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Pacific Ocean<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Hawaii<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Wake<\/p>\n

Atoll<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Johnston<\/p>\n

Atoll<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Areas for<\/p>\n

commercial fishing<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Kingman Reef<\/p>\n

and Palmyra Atoll<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Howland<\/p>\n

and Baker<\/p>\n

Islands<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Jarvis<\/p>\n

Island<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

New<\/p>\n

Guinea<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Rose Atoll<\/p>\n

Marine National Monument<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Australia<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

1,000 miles<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\n <\/div>\n

\n
\n

Last year, President Trump opened parts of the Pacific Islands Heritage Marine National Monument to allow commercial fishing beyond 57 miles from\u00a0<\/span>shore.<\/p>\n

After conservation groups sued, a judge ruled that the Trump administration must go through a full regulatory process to change the fishing rules. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is now in the process of considering those\u00a0<\/span>changes.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n

\n
\n
\n<\/p>\n
\n\t<\/p>\n
\n\t\t\"\"<\/p>\n
\n

United<\/p>\n

States<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Japan<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Papah\u0101naumoku\u0101kea<\/p>\n

Marine National Sanctuary<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Pacific Ocean<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Mariana Trench<\/p>\n

Marine<\/p>\n

National Monument<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Wake<\/p>\n

Atoll<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Hawaii<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Johnston<\/p>\n

Atoll<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

New areas for<\/p>\n

commercial fishing<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Kingman Reef<\/p>\n

and Palmyra Atoll<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Howland<\/p>\n

and Baker<\/p>\n

Islands<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Jarvis<\/p>\n

Island<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

New<\/p>\n

Guinea<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Rose Atoll<\/p>\n

Marine National Monument<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Australia<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

1,000 miles<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\t<\/p>\n

\n\t\t\"\"<\/p>\n
\n

United<\/p>\n

States<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Japan<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Papah\u0101naumoku\u0101kea<\/p>\n

Marine National Sanctuary<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Mariana Trench<\/p>\n

Marine<\/p>\n

National Monument<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Pacific Ocean<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Hawaii<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Wake<\/p>\n

Atoll<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Johnston<\/p>\n

Atoll<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

New areas for<\/p>\n

commercial fishing<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Kingman Reef<\/p>\n

and Palmyra Atoll<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Howland<\/p>\n

and Baker<\/p>\n

Islands<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Jarvis<\/p>\n

Island<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

New<\/p>\n

Guinea<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Rose Atoll<\/p>\n

Marine National Monument<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Australia<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

1,000 miles<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\t<\/p>\n

\n\t\t\"\"<\/p>\n
\n

United<\/p>\n

States<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Japan<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Papah\u0101naumoku\u0101kea<\/p>\n

Marine National Sanctuary<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Mariana Trench<\/p>\n

Marine<\/p>\n

National Monument<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Pacific Ocean<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Hawaii<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Wake<\/p>\n

Atoll<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Johnston<\/p>\n

Atoll<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

New areas for<\/p>\n

commercial fishing<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Kingman Reef<\/p>\n

and Palmyra Atoll<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Howland<\/p>\n

and Baker<\/p>\n

Islands<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Jarvis<\/p>\n

Island<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

New<\/p>\n

Guinea<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Rose Atoll<\/p>\n

Marine National Monument<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Australia<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

1,000 miles<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\n <\/div>\n

\n
\n

In June, Trump proclaimed that commercial fishing be allowed in the deep waters of three other Pacific monuments, including\u00a0<\/span>Papah\u0101naumoku\u0101kea.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re reclaiming our maritime heritage, empowering American fishermen and putting American consumers first,\u201d Trump said in June. \u201cAmerica\u2019s fishermen have never had a better ally in the White House than Donald\u00a0<\/span>Trump.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n

\n \"\"
\n Claire Harbage\/NPR<\/span><\/p>\n
\n
\n

Hawaii\u2019s fishing fleet supports the move to open monument waters. From Honolulu Harbor, longline boats travel hundreds of miles in search of fish, which they catch with thousands of baited hooks in deep\u00a0<\/span>water.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n

\n \"\"
\n Claire Harbage\/NPR<\/span><\/p>\n
\n
\n

At the Honolulu tuna auction, as much as 100,000 pounds of fish are unloaded every day. Most of it is bigeye and yellowfin tuna, which is sold fresh as high-grade fish used in poke and\u00a0<\/span>sushi.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n

\n \"\"
\n Claire Harbage\/NPR<\/span><\/p>\n
\n
\n

Hawaii\u2019s fishing industry says it\u2019s facing increasing competition on the high seas from foreign vessels also searching for tuna, as well as rising diesel fuel costs. Opening Pacific marine monument waters could give the fleet more opportunities, since foreign ships wouldn\u2019t be permitted to fish\u00a0<\/span>there.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n
\n

\u201cOur view is that we can have both: We can have very high levels of protection and allow sustainable fishing in the same place,\u201d says Eric Kingma, executive director of the Hawaii Longline Association. \u201cIt\u2019s really about the opportunity to fish away from foreign\u00a0<\/span>competition.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n

\n \"\"
\n Claire Harbage\/NPR<\/span><\/p>\n
\n
\n

Many Native Hawaiian cultural groups oppose opening the monuments to\u00a0<\/span>fishing.<\/p>\n

In Hawaiian culture, the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands are considered a sacred area, where life originated and where spirits go after they\u00a0<\/span>pass.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n

\n \"\"
\n Claire Harbage\/NPR<\/span><\/p>\n
\n
\n

After fighting for protections for Papah\u0101naumoku\u0101kea for decades, Native Hawaiian cultural leaders now help oversee the marine sanctuary alongside federal and state agencies, a rare example of Indigenous\u00a0<\/span>co-management.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n
\n

\u201cIt\u2019s not just about the ecology and the plants and animals, but the living systems of human communities that evolved with those resources are just as important,\u201d says Kekuewa Kikiloi, associate professor at the Kamakak\u016bokalani Center for Hawaiian Studies at the University of Hawai\u02bbi at\u00a0<\/span>M\u0101noa.<\/p>\n

\u201cWith this new administration, we\u2019re probably under the biggest threat we\u2019ve ever faced in terms of trying to hold the line of defense for this place,\u201d he\u00a0<\/span>says.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n

\n \"\"
\n John Burns\/NOAA<\/span><\/p>\n
\n
\n

Conservation groups say allowing fishing could harm the sensitive ecosystem. While catching tuna, fishing vessels also inadvertently catch other species, like\u00a0<\/span>sharks.<\/p>\n

In 2015, the last year fishing was allowed around the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, the longline fishing fleet caught and discarded more than 7,000 sharks. While some sharks survive being caught, others\u00a0<\/span>don\u2019t.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n

\n \"\"
\n Greg McFall\/NOAA<\/span><\/p>\n
\n
\n

Closing some parts of the ocean can also help fishing fleets in some cases. Ecologists have found that protected areas can allow more fish to breed, increasing the population. They then swim outside protected zones, where they can be caught \u2014 what\u2019s known as\u00a0<\/span>spillover.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n

\n \"\"
\n Claire Harbage\/NPR<\/span><\/p>\n
\n
\n

Researchers are trying to figure out whether that spillover effect happens for highly migratory species like tuna, which swim in and out of protected\u00a0<\/span>zones.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n

\n \"\"
\n NOAA<\/span><\/p>\n
\n
\n

After the protections for Papah\u0101naumoku\u0101kea were expanded, a study in 2022<\/a> found that the catch rate of yellowfin tuna went up 54%. Bigeye tuna catch rates went up\u00a0<\/span>12%.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n
\n

A 2024 study<\/a> by another group of researchers found no evidence that catching yellowfin tuna was easier. It did find that bigeye tuna was 13% easier to\u00a0<\/span>catch.<\/p>\n

Federal officials at NOAA did not respond to questions about opening the marine monuments or the potential impacts of\u00a0<\/span>fishing.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n

\n \"\"
\n Claire Harbage\/NPR<\/span><\/p>\n
\n
\n

Conservation groups say that with climate change, the Pacific marine monuments deserve the highest level of protection. The healthier an ecosystem is, the better chance it has to withstand the impacts of warming\u00a0<\/span>waters.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n

\n \"\"
\n Claire Harbage\/NPR<\/span><\/p>\n
\n
\n

\u201cThese are the jewels in the crown not only for the U.S., but they\u2019re globally significant,\u201d says Alan Friedlander, affiliate researcher at the Hawai\u2018i Institute of Marine Biology. \u201cIt\u2019s really incumbent upon us to make sure that they\u2019re here for not only us, but for future\u00a0<\/span>generations.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n

\n \"\"
\n Claire Harbage\/NPR<\/span><\/p>\n
\n
\n

Conservation and Hawaiian cultural groups say they plan to file a lawsuit to challenge the opening of the three Pacific marine monuments, including\u00a0<\/span>Papah\u0101naumoku\u0101kea.<\/p>\n

For the fourth monument, Pacific Islands Heritage Marine National Monument, federal officials at NOAA are expected to release a decision on commercial fishing this\u00a0<\/span>year.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n

\n <\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Claire Harbage\/NPR Some of the most pristine ecosystems left in the world are found in the\u00a0Pacific. Claire Harbage\/NPR<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":0,"featured_media":6000,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5998","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-world-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5998","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=5998"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5998\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/6000"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=5998"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=5998"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=5998"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}