U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich of New Mexico and Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut led a group of Democratic senators in a letter to President Trump on Mar. 10, urging him to reinstate protections for the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument.
The senators said that rolling back these protections threatens the biodiversity of the only marine national monument in the Atlantic Ocean, which is home to rare species and unique underwater landscapes. They argued that opening the area to commercial fishing could cause irreparable harm to its ecosystem and scientific value.
“These distinctive characteristics make the Monument a living laboratory and hotbed for scientific research that has led to new deep-sea discoveries about our marine resources,” the senators wrote. “Allowing fishing in this special place could hamper future scientific findings, kill or harm rare creatures that are unique to our waters, including some of the oldest living organisms on the planet, and cause irreparable damage to the Monument’s seascape.”
The letter pointed out that when commercial fishing was allowed in 2020, 99% of such activity still took place outside of the monument's boundaries. The senators said this shows opening up the protected area would not benefit fishermen as claimed by supporters of lifting restrictions. “In an era where fish stocks are shifting and being depleted, fishing communities need our support more than ever, but selling out the Monument to earn political points does nothing to actually help fishermen. Instead of senselessly allowing commercial fishing in one of our country’s most unique places, this administration should fully staff the National Marine Fisheries Service and all other National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) programs to ensure fishermen have access to the data needed to sustainably catch the maximum number of fish possible,” they continued.
The senators also argued that removing protections violates federal law under the Antiquities Act, which they say gives Congress—not presidents—the authority over diminishing or revoking national monuments. They described reintroducing commercial fishing as "a monumental mistake" with no clear benefit for Americans or fishermen.
“Aside from its illegality, reintroducing commercial fishing to the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts is a monumental mistake. With no clear benefit for fishermen or any American, it will needlessly risk vital habitats that support ocean health and provide lasting benefits for coastal communities in New England. We implore you to reverse course and immediately reinstate critical protections for this national treasure,” concluded Heinrich, Blumenthal, and their colleagues.
