Let’s Talk Story: Pacific Islands Heritage Marine National Monuments
Like most parents teaching kids about our world, I like to begin with basic facts – geography, physical features, and why they’re important. However, I firmly believe we need to connect those facts to current events. For example, if you’re teaching your children about the Ocean this year, why not include real-world events currently impacting our oceans? Hence why I’m starting this post with an ongoing current event with serious consequences for our environment.
Earlier this year, the United States government removed protections for ocean areas known as the Pacific Islands Heritage Marine National Monuments, to allow commercial fishing. These monuments serve as sanctuaries for marine biodiversity in some of the most ecologically sensitive waters. This includes being a sanctuary for coral reefs, seabirds, shorebirds and other endangered species, many of these recovering due to the stressors on the planet caused by humans.
These oceans also hold deep cultural significance for Pacific Islanders, who have relied on these waters for centuries. Understanding these issues are important for everyone who shares this planet, it’s that simple.
What Are The Pacific Islands Heritage Marine National Monuments
These waters have been federally protected from commercial fishing and resource extraction since 2009, when President George W. Bush established the monuments under the Antiquities Act. Years later, President Barack Obama expanded coverage to also enlarge Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument, covering nearly 490,000 square miles of ocean, reefs, and islands.
Within these waters, there are several national wildlife refuges and crucial breeding grounds for marine life. Preserving these ecosystems – which can take thousands of years to develop – is essential in maintaining balance in our world. Equally important are the cultures and traditions of Pacific Islander peoples who rely on healthy oceans for food, history and spiritual connections. The ocean has been central to their identity, culture and survival since before they began voyaging across it. Their stewardship has sustained these waters for generations, but ongoing colonization and profit-driven exploitation continue to threaten that balance.
What Changed in 2025?
In April, President Donald Trump signed an executive order allowing commercial fishing within the once protected area. The rolling back of this protection threatens endangered animals, damages coral reef ecosystems and harms food security for Pacific Islanders. This disrupts traditional fishing and cultural connections. Commercial fishing – and the looming threat of deep-sea mining – pose irreparable risks to our oceans.
Why Should We Care?
The ocean may feel distant – but its health directly influences our climate, weather patterns, food systems, and even the air we breathe. There is a chain reaction affecting everyone in the world when marine ecosystems are harmed. Oceans are vital in regulating the Earth’s climate by absorbing carbon dioxide and heat. Marine ecosystems, like coral reefs, when healthy can help to maintain the balance. If they are damaged, climate change effects are accelerated worldwide, thus leading to droughts, storms or other extreme weather occurrences. Nearly half of the oxygen we breathe comes from ocean life, especially tiny phytoplankton. Without clean oceans, none of us can survive.
Indigenous peoples in these areas will feel profound cultural and spiritual losses if protections are removed. Their intergenerational knowledge and practices, which emphasize respectful interaction with the environment, risk collapse. This also threatens food security for Pacific Islanders who have been stewards of these waters and islands for centuries. Their deep belief in living in balance with the Earth – not taking more than needed – sustains these ecosystems.
The decision to open the monuments to commercial fishing reflects a continuation of colonization – where the drive is to take, conquer, destroy, profit, and leave. This is an example of ongoing colonization fueled by corporate greed, disregarding Indigenous rights, cultures, and the long-term health of the oceans.
As parents, teaching these issues builds empathy, critical thinking and global citizenship in our children. It encourages them to care for our planet and to respect Indigenous traditions that support environmental health.
Current Updates as of August 2025
On August 8, 2025, a federal judge in Hawai’i blocked the April presidential order permitting commercial fishing, ruling it illegal. For now, the Pacific Islands Heritage Marine National Monument and Papahānaumokuākea remain protected.
This is a small but important victory. The fight continues, with a conference set for October 6, 2025 to determine if the blockade will hold.
Books to Inspire and Educate
We recommend these books to spark curiosity and conversation about the ocean, culture, and conservation. Keep in mind that these are only a small handful of books on these topics. If you find any that you love, share them with us.
The Ocean Calls: A Haenyeo Story by Tina Cho – Pick up a copy HERE at Nalu Books
We Have a Dream: Meet 30 Young Indigenous People and People of Color Protecting the Planet by Mya-Rose Craig – Pick up a copy HERE at Nalu Books
We Are Water Protectors by Carole Lindstrom
The Rainbow Fish by Marcus Pfister
Indigenous Pacific Islander Eco-Literatures published by University of Hawai’i Press (Editors: Kathy Jetñil-Kijiner, Leora Kava, Craig Santos Perez)
Safe Harbor by Padma Venkatraman
Waves of Knowing: A Seascape Epistemology by Karin Amimoto Ingersoll
Autumn Peltier, Water Warrior by Carole Lindstrom
If we don’t have these books, we highly recommend borrowing them from your local library or purchasing them from your favorite independent book store. Ours are Native Books Hawaii and da Shop.
Family Discussion Questions to Talk About Colonization and Conservation
- How do oceans help keep our planet balanced? If it is harmed in one place, who does it affect?
- Why do you think the ocean is important to Pacific Island people, besides giving them food?
- In this instance, Colonization means taking land or water from the people who lived there a long time. How do you think opening protected ocean places to fishing correlates to colonization?
- Why should we care about the ocean even if we live far away from it?
- How do you feel when you hear that protections for these special places may be taken away?
- What can you do to help keep the ocean safe and respect Indigenous people?
Questions for Middle and High School
- How does the history of colonization influence the way decisions are made about land, water and resources today?
- What do you think would happen if people always took as much as they wanted from nature without thinking of the future or of others? How does this current event relate to your answer?
- What does “justice” mean to you when it comes to sharing natural resources like oceans and land?
- How can listening to Indigenous peoples’ knowledge help all of us take better care of the planet?
Learn More to Get Involved
We encourage you to explore the work of environmental groups and marine biologists and seek out stories from Pacific Islanders who are connected to the ocean and depend on it. Head over to the store to grab a FREE Family Guide to use to discuss this with your children. Linked below you’ll find some resources to use to gain further knowledge on the topic, especially since this is a topic that is constantly changing.
Videos
Voices of Papahānaumokuākea – This is a 1 hour video featuring personal stories from Kānaka Maoli about Papahānaumokuākea. Although this video was posted in 2021, it’s still pertinent to the significance it holds today.
Native Hawaiian, Environmental Leaders Raise Alarms Federal Deep-Sea Mining Order – Highly recommend you watch this short video on the implications that sea mining has on the planet.
NOAA Sanctuaries – General video on what these are.
What Does Cultural Protocol Mean in Papahānaumokuākea? | Nautilus Live
Articles and/or Websites
Support for Papahānaumokuākea as Marine Monument and Sanctuary
NOAA Fisheries – Pacific Islands Heritage Marine National Monuments
NOAA Fisheries – National Monuments
Follow organizations and content creators below for updates on the environmental and cultural impacts of actions like these and others happening in the Pacific Ocean.
Kanaeokana – IG: @Kanaeokana Website: www.kanaeokana.net
ʻĀina Momona – IG: @ainamomona; Website: https://www.kaainamomona.org/