Yes—but not without limits. In 2026, President Donald Trump took separate actions affecting commercial fishing in specified areas of Pacific and Atlantic marine national monuments. The Pacific proclamation, signed June 11, allows commercial fishing in designated zones subject to U.S.-flag vessel and fishery-management rules. In the Atlantic, a February proclamation reopened fishing in the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument, while gear restrictions remain. Neither action opened an entire marine sanctuary to unrestricted fishing.
What did the Pacific proclamation change?
On June 11, 2026, Trump issued a proclamation modifying protections in parts of three Pacific marine national monuments. It removes some monument-based prohibitions on commercial fishing in specified areas and directs the Secretary of Commerce to amend or repeal inconsistent regulations, including regulations within Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Sanctuary. The action concerns named monument areas; it should not be described as opening the whole sanctuary to fishing. The proclamation says fishing remains subject to applicable laws and fishery-management requirements.
Areas covered
- The Islands Unit of the Mariana Trench Marine National Monument.
- The Mau and Ho‘omalu zones, and areas seaward of 50 nautical miles, within Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument.
- Waters between 12 and 50 nautical miles around Rose Atoll.
Who may fish, and what limits remain?
Commercial fishing in the affected areas is limited to U.S.-flagged vessels. The proclamation allows permits for foreign-flagged vessels to transport fish harvested by U.S. fishermen; it does not give those vessels general permission to fish. Applicable fishery statutes, plans, and regulations still apply. The proclamation also preserves certain monument restrictions, including specified waters near Northwestern Hawaiian Islands features and waters within 12 nautical miles of Rose Atoll. The White House summary describes the Pacific action.
What happened in the Atlantic?
A separate action concerned the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument in the Atlantic. Trump issued a proclamation on February 6, 2026, removing commercial fishing from the monument’s list of prohibited activities. NOAA’s final conforming rule took effect April 3, 2026. NOAA describes the monument as 4,913 square miles. NOAA’s rule page explains the effective date and continuing restrictions.
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- From an abundance of fish off the coast of Georgia to the dazzling coral displays in American Samoa and the Gulf of Mexico, U.S. national marine sanctuaries and marine national monuments have protected areas with special ecological, cultural, and historical significance for 50 years.
- The 16 stamps on the National Marine Sanctuaries pane showcase the abundant wildlife and diverse ecosystems that can be found throughout the National Marine Sanctuary System.
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Fishing is allowed with gear restrictions
The reopening is not unrestricted. NOAA says the Georges Bank Deep-Sea Coral Protection Area continues to restrict bottom-tending gear in a large portion of the monument. Red crab pots are an exception to that restriction. NOAA also says red crab, Atlantic highly migratory species, and pelagic fishing are allowed throughout the monument under the conditions it describes. The rule’s gear and fishery conditions therefore matter as much as the headline that fishing is permitted.
How the two 2026 actions differ
| Action | Area | Date and mechanism | Key limits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pacific | Specified zones in the Mariana Trench, Papahānaumokuākea, and Rose Atoll monuments | Presidential proclamation signed June 11, 2026 | Commercial fishing limited to U.S.-flagged vessels, subject to fishery-management rules; certain areas remain restricted. |
| Atlantic | Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument | Presidential proclamation issued February 6, 2026; NOAA conforming final rule effective April 3, 2026 | Bottom-tending gear remains restricted across a large portion of the monument, with NOAA-described exceptions and fishery conditions. |
Why the phrase “marine sanctuary” needs qualification
The Pacific proclamation names marine national monuments, not a blanket opening of a sanctuary. It also directs Commerce to address inconsistent regulations, including those within Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Sanctuary. That distinction matters: the policy change targets defined monument areas and does not erase every protection, boundary rule, or fishery regulation in the broader region.
What prompted the policy changes?
An April 17, 2025 executive order, “Restoring American Seafood Competitiveness,” directed the Department of Commerce, in consultation with the Department of the Interior, to review existing marine national monuments and recommend any that should be opened to commercial fishing. That review directive was background to later actions; it was not itself an area-specific authorization to fish. The 2025 executive order is distinct from the subsequent Pacific proclamation and Atlantic proclamation and NOAA rule.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What the economic figures do—and do not—show
NOAA reported that U.S. commercial and recreational fisheries contributed more than 2.1 million jobs and $319 billion in national fishery sales in 2023. Those figures describe the national fishing sector, not the projected economic effect of reopening either monument. They should not be read as a forecast of local jobs, revenue, or fishing activity resulting from these specific actions. NOAA’s 2026 release provides the national figures.
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