WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, President Donald Trump signed an executive order opening the Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument to commercial fishing from 50 to 200 nautical miles within its boundaries. House Committee on Natural Resources Chairman Bruce Westerman (R-Ark.) issued the following statement in response:

"Our fellow Americans in the Indo-Pacific region rely on commercial fishing for their economic stability and their future. Today's decision by President Trump will help support local communities in places like American Samoa, and will allow for greater access to American fishing grounds. I'd like to thank President Trump for his leadership on this issue and I know my friends in the Pacific are celebrating this monumental new economic opportunity."

Background

The Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument was expanded to its current size of more than 490,000 square miles of open ocean in 2014. It is managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and is home to some of the world’s most fertile fishing grounds. Today's decision to provide the United States’ commercial fishing fleet access to this resource will allow for responsible commercial fishing in the region, representing a massive economic boon for Americans in Hawaii and the Pacific territories, including American Samoa.