WASHINGTON — Congresswoman Kimberlyn King-Hinds joined President Donald J. Trump at the White House on Thursday for the signing of a presidential proclamation addressing commercial fishing access in parts of the Pacific, including specified waters within the Islands Unit of the Mariana Trench Marine National Monument.
The proclamation modifies prior monument restrictions to allow commercial fishing in specified areas, consistent with applicable federal fishery management plans and regulations. Commercial fishing under the proclamation remains subject to the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act and other federal laws protecting marine mammals, endangered species, habitats and ocean resources. The proclamation limits commercial fishing within the monument boundaries to United States flagged vessels, with limited permits available for foreign flagged vessels only to transport fish harvested by United States fishermen.
“The CNMI respects the Mariana Trench Marine National Monument and the environmental importance of the waters around our islands,” said Congresswoman King-Hinds. “At the same time, the people who live closest to these waters should have a meaningful voice in how they are managed. This proclamation creates a path for American fishing activity under existing federal law, with science-based management and conservation requirements still in place.”
King-Hinds said the action reflects a broader need for federal policy in the Pacific to better account for the people, economies and communities directly affected by decisions made in Washington.
“For the CNMI, ocean policy is local policy,” King-Hinds said. “It affects food security, small businesses, working families, cultural practices, and the future of our islands. Any implementation of this proclamation should include local fishermen, the Commonwealth government, federal scientists, environmental stakeholders, and the broader CNMI community.”
King-Hinds said responsible implementation could create opportunities for local industry tied to American fishing activity, including vessel services, fuel, cold storage, fish handling, transportation, maintenance and seafood-related small businesses.
In a video message posted after the signing, King-Hinds said the proclamation opens fishing in CNMI waters to American fishermen under existing science-based management rules and does not remove existing environmental protections or federal fisheries co-management responsibilities. She said she will share the proclamation publicly once she receives it so residents can see the areas of opportunity for themselves.
King-Hinds said she also used the White House visit to raise broader challenges facing the islands, including the economy, workforce, infrastructure and cost of living, and expressed appreciation for federal assistance provided in response to Super Typhoon Sinlaku.
“As our community continues to recover, my responsibility is to keep bringing those concerns forward and to make sure federal policy reflects the realities facing the people of the Northern Mariana Islands,” King-Hinds said.