Court bans fishing in Pacific protected area overriding Trump officials’ rollback

Judge in Hawaii rules that commercial fishing is illegal in Pacific Islands Heritage marine national monument

A federal judge in Hawaii has ruled that commercial fishing is illegal in the Pacific Islands Heritage marine national monument, a federally protected area in the central Pacific Ocean.

The decision from Judge Micah WJ Smith overturns an April letter released by the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) - also known as National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (Noaa) Fisheries - that allowed fishing in parts of the monument that Barack Obama had protected during his presidency. The letter came about a week after Donald Trump's presidential proclamation to reverse fishing regulations across the national monument, a world heritage site that includes archeological treasures, marine mammals, seabirds and coral reefs.