Press Release: 2/10/2026
STATEMENT: New England’s Canyons & Seamounts should remain protected
FEBRUARY 9, 2026
Eli Hochkeppel
Member, MASSPIRG Students Board of Directors
NATIONAL
Director, Protect Our Oceans Campaign, Environment America
BOSTON — Commercial fishing once again threatens one of the United States’ most unique and majestic underwater regions. The Trump administration on Friday released a proclamation to remove restrictions on fishing in the Northeast Canyons & Seamounts Marine National Monument. This area was designated as a marine national monument in 2016 to protect three underwater canyons and four extinct underwater volcanoes, known as seamounts — and the whales, fish and other marine life that thrive there.
The area’s unique geology creates the conditions for a vibrant marine ecosystem. The Canyons & Seamounts monument area is a hotspot for whales, dolphins, fish and seabirds, and also hosts seafloor-dwelling species, anchored by deep sea coral that can live for more than a millennium.
The monument has been the only permanent highly protected area in the U.S. waters of the Atlantic Ocean.
In response to the monument’s rollback, Kelsey Lamp, Protect our Oceans Campaign director with Environment America, released the following statement:
“A whale hotspot, home to centuries-old coral in underwater canyons so deep it’s hard to fathom – the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument is a biological treasure. From the creation of Yellowstone National Park to today, America has a proud tradition of protecting our country’s most incredible, unique and vibrant natural places. Preserving the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument was part of that important legacy. I hope that we can restore the protections that will keep this ocean treasure and the animals that live there safe for posterity.”
Eli Hochkeppel, a MASSPIRG Students board member, released the following statement:
“Young people and students love the ocean. But saving vital marine habitat takes more than love – it requires us to permanently preserve the ocean’s most important places and ecosystems so that our whales, dolphins and other marine life can thrive. Setting aside the Northeast Canyons & Seamounts Marine National Monument from commercial fishing was an investment in the future of New England’s ocean. The ecosystem is like building blocks; removing this one essential protection will mean a less resilient ocean with worldwide repercussions.”