BOSTON— President Donald Trump announced today that he is once again attempting to strip away critical protections for the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument.

The monument’s dramatic geological features — including underwater canyons that rival the depth of the Grand Canyon and undersea mountains that rise higher than any mountain east of the Rockies — support abundant and diverse ecological resources.

Designated for protection in 2016, the monument is home to deep-sea corals, endangered species, and countless other animals, some of which are found nowhere else on earth. The president’s rollback of conservation efforts puts this irreplaceable ecosystem at risk of harm from commercial fishing.

“The Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument is a biodiversity hotspot and one of the most biologically productive areas in the Atlantic Ocean. It deserves our full protection,” said Erica Fuller, senior counsel at Conservation Law Foundation. “This latest attempt by the Trump administration to undermine the monument is not only unlawful, but it also demonstrates a blatant disregard for the health of our oceans. We will not stand by while his administration destroys vital habitats that are irreplaceable in our marine environment. We’ve fought this battle before, and we are ready to fight it again.”

The Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument is the first and only marine national monument in the Atlantic Ocean. The area spans nearly 5,000 square miles of protected waters off the coast of New England and plays a crucial role in preserving biodiversity and mitigating the harms of climate change by safeguarding critical habitats.

“These magnificent canyons and seamounts are protected because vulnerable animals like the endangered sperm whale depend on them for survival. It’s illegal and unconscionable for Trump to try to strip away safeguards just to throw commercial fishing a few more bucks,” said Kristen Monsell, oceans legal director at the Center for Biological Diversity. “So few places in the ocean are protected from harm, and marine life is suffering badly because of it. Nobody wants to see more whales and sea turtles entangled in fishing gear and more coral reefs collapsing. We’ll keep fighting hard to protect our marine national monuments and the precious life they support.”

The Trump administration’s order to open the monument to commercial fishing and other destructive activities is a direct threat to the fragile marine life that depends on these protected waters. As the Gulf of Maine warms faster than 97% of the world’s waters, the nation’s marine monuments are more vital than ever. Scientific evidence demonstrates the extraordinary biodiversity within the monument’s boundaries that supports ocean resilience.

“Northeast Canyons and Seamounts is a truly special place: a living scientific laboratory, a refuge for creatures as varied as cold-water corals and sperm whales. Its status as a national monument means that it’s permanently protected from damage by commercial fishing and other extractive activities, keeping it intact for future generations. An attack on Northeast Canyons and Seamounts is an attack on this entire system of protections that safeguards our most treasured places,” said Brad Sewell, managing director of oceans at NRDC. “Trump’s move to dismantle those protections is unlawful, and we’re confident that it won’t stand.”

Trump briefly imperiled the national monument in 2020 when he signed a proclamation allowing commercial fishing in the area, but CLF, NRDC and the Center sued to challenge his unlawful rollback, and President Biden swiftly restored protections when he took office in 2021.

CLF, NRDC and the Center also intervened in a federal lawsuit in 2018 to protect the monument, and the district court and appeals court in D.C. ruled that the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts was created legally.

The administration’s efforts to undermine the monument’s protections are part of a broader pattern of stripping away safeguards for America’s natural resources. But CLF, NRDC and the Center are committed to fighting these unlawful actions in the courts and the public square to ensure that the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts remains protected from exploitation.