1. United States
2. Mass.
3. Letter

There is a stretch of ocean larger than Texas and twice the size of California. For decades, it was completely off limits. Papahānaumokuākea is home to over 7,000 marine species. Endangered Hawaiian monk seals. Humpback whales. Green sea turtles. To Native Hawaiians, the waters are physically and spiritually sacred—the place where life begins and souls return. Now, over 500,000 square miles of these protected Pacific boundaries are open to commercial fishing. The executive order is part of an "America First" maritime strategy. The underlying argument is both economic and strategic. Backers, including the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, point out that American fishing fleets operate under strict sustainability standards. They argue that unlocking these zones allows domestic crews to compete against foreign vessels operating with little to no oversight. Marine biologists see it differently. They warn that dropping commercial longlines and nets into a highly sensitive natural sanctuary risks a trophic cascade—a total collapse of the local food web triggered when apex predators are suddenly removed. Please put the protection back.