Today, President Obama designated 4,913 square miles off the coast of New England as a new marine monument. This monument is expected to cause massive damage to the local seafood industry. Chairman Rob Bishop (R-UT) issued the following statement:

“This is another example of the President making a big decision without talking to people first. The mayor asked for input; the community asked for input; the seafood industry asked for input and even created a compromise proposal of their own, but it wasn’t even considered by the President. It’s an abuse of the Antiquities Act and it risks destroying the entire local seafood industry. This proves once again that he is more interested in leaving his legacy with radical environmental groups than creating American jobs. President Obama will certainly leave his legacy—on the backs of fishermen and our entire domestic seafood supply.”

The New England marine monument designation comes shortly after the 442,781 square mile expansion of the Papahānaumokuākea Marine Monument off the coast of Hawaii.

The Committee held two oversight hearings on marine national monument designations, including one in Riverhead, NY. On October 7^th, 2015. Committee members also sent a letter to the administration requesting further information on the President’s plans for marine designations given the lack of transparency and public input in this process.

Click here to read Chairman Bishop’s op-ed in The Hill titled, “Obama Will Leave His Legacy at the Expense of Fishermen.”