Federal Court Suspends Fishing in Pacific Islands Nat'l Monument

Letter: Fishing ban toothless without enforcement | Honolulu Star-Advertiser

It’s great news that a U.S. District Court judge halted trade fishing in parts of the Pacific Islands Heritage Marine National Monument. I can only imagine what the ecological balance of the Pacific Ocean will be if the sanctuary is opened to commercial fishing.

Federal Court Suspends Fishing in Pacific Islands Nat'l Monument

A federal district court has vacated a letter from NOAA Fisheries that told tuna boats to fish within the previously-protected Pacific Islands Heritage Marine National Monument. In a summary judgment, U.S. District Judge Micah Smith found that he had little choice but to rule that the letter was legally invalid, as NOAA didn't defend its merits in court. In mid-April, President Donald Trump signed a proclamation to open up the Pacific Islands He…