Trump Reopens Huge Atlantic Ocean Area to Commercial Fishing

President overturns Obama-era protections for Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument

Feb. 6, 2026 at 9:55pm

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President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Friday reopening a nearly 5,000-square-mile protected area in the Atlantic Ocean off the New England coast to commercial fishing. The area, known as the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument, was created by former President Barack Obama in 2016 to protect vulnerable undersea ecosystems. Trump has long been critical of the monument, describing it as an unfair penalty on commercial fishermen.

Why it matters

This move is part of Trump's broader efforts to strengthen U.S. fishing by reducing regulatory burdens on the industry. However, environmental groups have strongly criticized the decision, warning that it puts marine life and habitats at risk. The reopening of the protected area is likely to face legal challenges from conservation advocates.

The details

Trump's executive order reverses protections that were first put in place by Obama in 2016. The nearly 5,000-square-mile area is located southeast of Cape Cod and was designated as a marine national monument to safeguard vulnerable deep-sea corals and other ecosystems. Trump has argued that 'appropriately managed commercial fishing' would not endanger the protected features of the monument.

  • On February 7, 2026, President Donald Trump signed an executive order reopening the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument to commercial fishing.
  • In 2020, the Trump administration had previously rolled back protections for the monument, but President Joe Biden later restored them.

The players

Donald Trump

The 45th President of the United States who signed the executive order reopening the protected area to commercial fishing.

Barack Obama

The 44th President of the United States who originally created the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument in 2016.

Joe Biden

The 46th President of the United States who had previously restored the protections for the monument that Trump had rolled back.

Oceana

An environmental group that has vowed to fight the reopening of the monument in court.

Saving Seafood

A Washington, D.C.-based commercial fishing advocacy group that voiced support for Trump's executive order.

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What they’re saying

“By reopening the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts to commercial fishing, fairness, transparency, and science-based governance has been restored to the affected fisheries.”

— Bob Vanasse, Executive Director, Saving Seafood

“The Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument was created to provide strong protections for the wide range of marine life that live in these unique habitats.”

— Gib Brogan, Fisheries Campaign Director, Oceana

What’s next

Environmental groups have vowed to challenge Trump's executive order in court, setting the stage for a legal battle over the future of the protected marine area.

The takeaway

This decision highlights the ongoing tensions between commercial fishing interests and environmental conservation efforts. While the Trump administration argues the move will support the fishing industry, critics warn it puts vulnerable marine ecosystems at risk and undermines previous efforts to protect the region.