Fish Story

How can Pres. Obama declare areas of the oceans far from our shores national monuments? The Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument is 150 miles south of Cape Cod. Recently, he declared the Papahanaumokuakea ( pronounced papa-oom-mow-mow) Marine National Monument off the coast of Hawaii. It’s 582,578 square miles––almost the size of Alaska––one of the largest protected chunks of Earth. What gives him the right? Well, Pres. Reagan apparently. Back in 1983, Reagan proclaimed through Proclamation No. 5030 that the USA’s Exclusive Economic Zone stretches 200 miles from our shores.

All the articles are written from a scientific and environmental point of view and praise the president’s actions. Almost always buried deep at the bottom of the article is a couple of lines about the objections by the fishing industry. These are people who have been commercial fishermen for generations and the regulations on fishing are many and severe already. On one hand, they’re tasked to feed the world. On the other, they’re told they can’t.

I think I can see the future. With all the rules, regulations, environmental concerns, bleeding hearts and whatnot regarding raising fish, farmed animals, GMO crops, drought and climate change, there’s only one uncontested and unregulated source of food left. Insects. Bon appetit.