Conservation groups and Native Hawaiian cultural practitioners took legal action on May 22, 2025, fighting President Trump’s recent decision to open protected Pacific waters to commercial fishing. The lawsuit challenges Trump’s April 17 proclamation that lets U.S. fishing boats enter the Pacific Islands Heritage Marine National Monument, an ocean sanctuary that spans 490,000 square miles of ocean, coral reefs, and island habitats. This ocean sanctuary, first protected by President Bush in 2009 and expanded by President Obama in 2014, serves as home to five species of threatened or endangered sea turtles, 22 species of protected marine mammals, and millions of … Continue reading Trump Faces Lawsuit After Opening 490,000-Square-Mile Pacific Monument to Commercial Fishing