Earthjustice filed suit last week on behalf of three Hawaii-based environmental advocacy groups to block the Trump administration from moving forward with its plans to open the Pacific Islands Heritage Marine National Monument to commercial fishing.
The non-profit environmental law organization is representing Kapaa, the Conservation Council for Hawaii, and the Center for Biological Diversity in their challenge to Trump’s April 17 executive order allowing U.S.-flagged vessels to fish commercially in the protected area.
Congresswoman Uifaatali Amata declared her strong support for President Trump’s fishing order. She said in a statement, “These islands within PRIMNM are not Hawaiian islands, nor are they American Samoan islands; these are America’s islands and waterways, and food security is national security. Ensuring the safe supply of domestic American canned tuna for our military, schoolchildren, and consumers is paramount and a national emergency that President Trump has recognized and acted upon with the urgency that is needed.
“I commend his Administration for both enacting his Executive Orders in this regard in his first 100 days and for doing so on April 17, American Samoa’s Flag Day, when the union between the United States and American Samoa was enacted.
“The President recognized and honored Fa’a Samoa, the Samoan way of life, by taking this action on the historic 125th Flag Day just a few weeks ago and helped all Americans during these critical times of food and other resource needs to protect our whole country.
“Lastly, neither Presidents Bush, Obama or Biden ever asked American Samoa what they wanted before they took away our indigenous fishing rights without any science — they decided what they wanted first, gave us lip service, and back filled their decisions with bureaucracy and outside interests. President Trump asked and acted, and I thank him again for his EO for the safety and security of the food supply for American Samoa and all America.”
