So the president has the authority to create monuments under the antiquities act. If I not mistaken the act has little mention of undoing these monuments. Generally any changes to monuments were simple border changes, nothing too radical until Trump. Trump greatly downsize the monument Obama created in Utah by 75%. Hence the lawsuits and the outcry. Instead this time the president is attempting to subvert those kind of lawsuits, by maintaining the boundaries. Instead he is basically neutering any protections within this marine area. The issue is the antiquities law applies to many things, ranging from important natural areas to civil rights sites. Its not a natural resource only law, hence the president has a fair amount of flexibility in enforcement and actions that can occur within monuments (which should not be viewed as stringent as say national parks). I still expect there to be lawsuits but to be honest there footing is far weaker, than other lawsuits regarding the antiquities act and Donald Trump.
My personal thoughts now: The United States has the second largest exclusive economic zone in the world. And we manage these waters better than many countries thanks to great organizations such as NOAA and a network of marine protected areas. The issue is much of this protection has always happened on the West Coast and Pacific Islands. This monument is the only major protected area on the Eastern seaboard to my knowledge. Its only like 1.6% of that areas waters as well, so its not like much is off limits to commercial fishing. Trump is doing this just for publicity and to make conservatives in Maine think he is working for them, as Trump is focused on winning one of Maines three electoral college votes later this year (Maine splits based on congressional district, not winner takes all). Its not like fisherman, had declining catches because of this. In fact catches on average are up since its creation. As well government studies showed the vast majority of the monument was not utilized for commercial fishinh prior, and many areas are simply unsutable to it. Overall its another hollow decision by Trump that does little to help the American people and instead just treats the lands the government holds in trust for the public as profit machines.
