Trump Reopens Protected Atlantic Ocean Area to Commercial Fishing

President signs executive order to allow fishing in Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument

Feb. 6, 2026 at 5:23pm

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President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Friday that reopens 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 corals and ecosystems.

Why it matters

The move to reopen the protected area to commercial fishing is the latest in a series of actions by the Trump administration to roll back environmental protections in order to strengthen the fishing industry. Environmental groups have strongly criticized the decision, warning that it will put the unique marine life in the area at risk.

The details

Trump's executive order reverses protections that were put in place by the Obama administration in 2016. The president has long been critical of the marine monument, describing it as an unfair penalty on commercial fishermen. The White House said the move would "support the vital Maine lobster industry by ensuring unfettered access to the coastal waters of the United States." Commercial fishing groups have voiced support for the decision, while environmental organizations have vowed to fight it in court.

  • President Trump signed the executive order on Friday, February 6, 2026.
  • The Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument was created by former President Barack Obama in 2016.
  • President Trump rolled back protections in the area in 2020, and President Joe Biden later restored them.

The players

Donald Trump

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

Barack Obama

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

Joe Biden

The 46th President of the United States, who later restored the protections that Trump had rolled back.

Bob Vanasse

The executive director of Washington, D.C.-based Saving Seafood, a commercial fishing advocacy group that voiced support for the decision to reopen the protected area.

Gib Brogan

The fisheries campaign director at the environmental group Oceana, who criticized the move to reopen the monument to fishing.

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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 the executive order in court, arguing that it removes important protections for the marine life in the area.

The takeaway

The decision to reopen the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument to commercial fishing is the latest in a series of actions by the Trump administration to prioritize the interests of the fishing industry over environmental protection. This move has drawn strong criticism from environmental groups, who warn that it will put the unique marine ecosystems in the area at risk.