What should Hawaii and New England have in common?

• Position: Brief article

IN a SURPRISING MOVE, President Bush recently designated nearly 140,000 square miles of the Pacific Ocean off-limits to fishing and commercial exploitation by designating the area as a National Monument. The Northwestern Hawaiian Islands National Monument, larger than the Great Barrier Reef protected area in Australia, is home to over 7,000 different species including endangered turtles and sensitive coral reefs.

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Several fishing groups were opposed to National Monument status. Yet today, fewer than ten commercial fishing boats operate in these waters. In New England, over 3,500 commercial boats fish in the Gulf of Maine and Georges Bank for groundfish, herring, scallops, tuna and other species. Add lobster boats to the tally and the number increases significantly.

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