Ocean Conservancy’s CEO Janis Searles Jones (@InVeritas_Jones) released the following statement on President Trump’s proclamation to strip essential protections from the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument.

“President Trump is stripping essential protections from one of our nation’s most special ocean places. This decision is a dangerous and deliberate step forward in the Administration’s larger plan to rob Americans’ of their shared public resources.

“In a time where our nation desperately needs leadership, this Administration is clearly not focused on responding to the national crises of anti-Black racism or a global health pandemic. Instead, the Administration is counting on our national pain and suffering as a distraction to hide its overreach.

“Fishing is a key part of our national economy and culture. Our nation’s fishermen are currently experiencing unprecedented losses of revenue due to economic impacts from COVID-19, and we must act to ensure the stability of this industry. President Trump should be working collaboratively with fishermen and other stakeholders to figure out how we can support both conservation and the fishing industry. Today’s proclamation is a clear attempt to distract from the work that must be done.

“Support for national monuments is bipartisan and overwhelming. Studies have shown that 90% of voters support Presidential proposals to protect some public lands and waters as parks, wildlife refuges and wilderness. Republican President George W. Bush established several national monuments while in office, including the Pacific Remote Islands and Rose Atoll marine national monuments. He said that the benefits of the national monuments reach “far beyond nature,” citing the many cultural, navigation, military, and economic interests tied to ensuring the protection of these areas.

“Ocean Conservancy will work to fight this action and all other attempts to undermine ocean conservation and sustainable fisheries management.”

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Ocean Conservancy is working to protect the ocean from today’s greatest global challenges. Together with our partners, we create science-based solutions for a healthy ocean and the wildlife and communities that depend on it. For more information, visit oceanconservancy.org, or follow us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.