Washington D.C. - US President Donald Trump (78) signed a declaration last Thursday stating that US commercial fishing would once again be permitted in the waters of the Pacific Islands Heritage Marine National Monument. Numerous endangered species call this area home.

Former presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama had already campaigned for the protection of this area during their terms in office. It was closed to commercial fishing in order to protect the marine animals and migratory birds that live there.

However, the latest statement from the White House nullifies this protection agreement.

According to the information letter, the previous ban had done little to protect the fish population in the Pacific Islands Heritage Marine National Monument, as the species are migratory and spend little time in the monument.

The Trump administration is now allowing commercial fishing for US flagships within 50 to 200 nautical miles of the once protected area.

However, this decision has been met with criticism. According to People, scientist Alan Friedlander corrected the White House's reasoning and explained that the majority of the species living in the monument live permanently in the area and are not migratory animals.

A senator from Hawaii also criticized the decision, saying, "At a time when the climate crisis is threatening our fragile ocean ecosystem and costing us lives and livelihoods every year, President Trump's response is to cut protections for some of our nation's most important natural resources."