Still no management plan after nearly 15 years—Palacios

Gov. Arnold I. Palacios has raised with the U.S. Department of the Interior the status of its plans for the Mariana Trench Marine National Monument, which he described as a unique national treasure in CNMI waters.

In his letter Thursday to DOI Secretary Deb Haaland, Palacios said that it’s been nearly 15 years since the Mariana Trench National Monument was created, yet there is still no management plan for the monument, there is still no functioning monument advisory council, and only minimal progress in the development of conservation programs and a contact center for public outreach and engagement.

A presidential proclamation established the Marianas Trench Marine National Monument in January 2009.

At that time, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration stated that the monument designation would provide international, national, and local recognition that the Marianas is a refuge for seabirds, sea turtles, unique coral reefs, and a great diversity of seamount and hydrothermal vent life worth preservation.

The monument is cooperatively managed by the Secretary of Commerce (NOAA), the Secretary of the Interior (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service) and the CNMI government, in cooperation with the Department of Defense and the Department of State.

In his letter to Haalandlast week, Palacios asked to be briefed on the status of his nominations to the Monument Advisory Council and the timeline for releasing the monument management plan.

He also asked for a briefing on the progress of planned renovations for the contact station on Saipan and the resources that will be directed to that project.

The governor also requested information on the process to begin discussions to develop a co-management and/or co-stewardship agreement among federal agencies, Commonwealth agencies, and representatives of the indigenous peoples of the Marianas to manage the monument.

Palacios would like to discuss how the CNMI government can work better with the federal partners to improve communications between agencies, and ultimately improve the stewardship of the monument’s natural and cultural resources.

Since 2008, when he was then-speaker of the House of Representatives, Palacios was involved in the discussions to establish the marine monument in the Marianas. Palacios later served as a member of the Monument Advisory Council in his capacity as the secretary of Department of Lands and Natural Resources.

Now as governor, Palacios said he continues to have a keen interest in ensuring that the Mariana Trench Marine National Monument fulfills its promise and potential to deliver conservation outcomes for the CNMI’s people. He said it should be a model for meaningful co-management and collaborative research, and the focal point for conservation programs that engage and educate the community and visitors about the natural wonders of the Mariana Trench, and the CNMI’s deep cultural connections to the sea.

“It should be a jewel in the Pacific,” the governor added.

Palacios said he is, however, pleased to see the recent hirings by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife of park superintendent Dr. Sean Macduff and park ranger Jihan Younis, who are “both Marianas natives and dedicated resource managers.”

He said Haaland’s visit to the CNMI, along with assistant secretary for International and Insular Affairs Carmen Cantor, was a testament to the Biden administration’s commitment to building enduring partnerships in the territories and the wider Pacific region.

Arnold I. Palacios

Deb Haaland