# 2026-22815: Commercial Fishing May Return to Vast Pacific Marine Monument 2026-22815, Pacific Island Fisheries; Commercial Fishing in the Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument Expansion, is a Federal Register proposed rule from Commerce Department, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration published 2026-11-09, effective NMFS must receive comments by December 9, 2026.; PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-11-11). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-22815 - As of: 2026-11-11 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Document number: 2026-22815 - Title: Pacific Island Fisheries; Commercial Fishing in the Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument Expansion - Type: Proposed Rule - Agencies: Commerce Department; National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration - Citation: 91 FR 70827 - Published: 2026-11-09 - Effective: NMFS must receive comments by December 9, 2026. - Comments close: 2026-12-09 - Significant: no - Touches household money: yes - Regulation identifier numbers: 0648-BN99 - Last updated: 2026-11-11 ## In one line Commercial Fishing May Return to Vast Pacific Marine Monument ## Summary The government plans to allow commercial fishing again in the Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument Expansion, which covers waters around Johnston Atoll, Wake, and Jarvis Islands. This change follows recent presidential orders and a court decision, aiming to balance fishing opportunities with protecting the environment. Fishermen and related businesses should get ready to follow updated rules, and public comments are open until December 9, 2026. ## Abstract NMFS proposes to amend regulations that prohibit commercial fishing in the Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument Expansion (PRIMNM Expansion), which comprises waters of the U.S. exclusive economic zone (EEZ) between 50 to 200 nautical miles (nmi; 93 to 370 kilometers (km)) around Johnston Atoll and Wake and Jarvis Islands. This action is necessary to conform fishing regulations with Presidential Proclamation 10918 of April 17, 2025--Unleashing American Commercial Fishing in the Pacific, as amended by Presidential Proclamation 11035 of June 11, 2026--Restoring American Commercial Fishing in the Pacific, and in light of a court order. Fisheries in the PRIMNM Expansion would be regulated pursuant to existing fishing regulations under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act), the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Convention Implementation Act (WCPFCIA), the South Pacific Tuna Act (SPTA), and other applicable laws, that apply to all U.S. commercial fishing vessels but were superseded and made inapplicable when the commercial fishing prohibition for the PRIMNM Expansion was established. The proposed rule supports the long-term sustainability of U.S. fisheries and provides for the proper care and management of the PRIMNM and PRIMNM Expansion and the objects of historic or scientific interest therein, as directed by Proclamation 10918, as amended by Proclamation 11035. ## Effects PRIA read - Reopens 50–200 nmi Monument Waters: benefit, medium. NOAA proposes to allow commercial fishing in the Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument Expansion — the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone waters between 50 to 200 nautical miles (93 to 370 km) around Johnston Atoll, Wake, and Jarvis Islands. The rule would expand areas open to commercial fishin… - Nearshore 50‑nmi Zone Remains Closed: cost, low. Commercial fishing would remain prohibited shoreward of 50 nautical miles (93 km) around Wake Island, Johnston Atoll, and Jarvis Island. That means fisheries for bottomfish, crustaceans, coral reef fish, and precious corals (habitat found inside 50 nmi) will continue to be closed to commercial fish… - Purse Seine Vessels: Potential Access Fee Savings: benefit, medium. Purse seine vessels could avoid foreign EEZ daily access fees that range from $10,000 to $13,000 per day by fishing in reopened U.S. waters. NMFS estimates fleetwide access‑fee savings could be as high as $1,367,340, and for the 13 currently licensed and active purse seine vessels that operated rec… - Who Can Use the Reopened Area: benefit, low. The proposed rule would apply to fisheries managed under the PRIA and Pelagics FEPs and to U.S. purse seine and longline vessels. While the reopening could apply to as many as 224 longline and 40 purse seine vessels, NMFS expects it would likely affect about 163 permitted and active longline vessel… - Most Affected Firms Qualify as Small Businesses: benefit, low. NMFS uses a small business standard of combined annual receipts not in excess of $11 million for commercial fishing businesses. NMFS believes most affected fish harvesting businesses meet that $11 million threshold and certified the proposed rule would not have a significant economic impact on a su… ## Related documents - [2026-14204](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-14204): Lake Ontario National Marine Sanctuary; Delay of Effective Date, 2026-07-15 - [2026-14195](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-14195): Rescinding the Definition of “Harm” Under the Endangered Species Act, 2026-07-14 - [2026-07536](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-07536): Taking and Importing Marine Mammals; Taking Marine Mammals Incidental to Geophysical Surveys in the Gulf of America, 2026-04-17 - [2026-05599](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-05599): Deep Seabed Mining: Notice of Receipt of Applications for Deep Seabed Mining Exploration Licenses and Announcement of Public Comment Period…, 2026-03-23 - [2026-04256](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-04256): Atlantic Highly Migratory Species; Spatial Fisheries Management; Amendment 15 to the 2006 Consolidated Atlantic Highly Migratory Species Fi…, 2026-03-04 - [2025-12513](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2025-12513): Deep Seabed Mining: Revisions to Regulations for Exploration License and Commercial Recovery Permit Applications, 2025-07-07 ## Sources - [2026-22815 on federalregister.gov](https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2026/11/09/2026-22815/pacific-island-fisheries-commercial-fishing-in-the-pacific-remote-islands-marine-national-monument) - [2026-22815 as published (PDF)](https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2026-11-09/pdf/2026-22815.pdf) ## Related - [Previous: 2026-22809, Threshold for the Requirement To Collect, Retain, and Transmit Information on F…](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-22809) - [Next: 2026-22826, Pecans Grown in the States of Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Florida,…](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-22826) - [All Federal Register documents](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register) Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-22815 (as of 2026-11-11).