Guam Department of Agriculture Director Chelsa Muna has voiced strong opposition to federal regulations that she claims hamper local control of marine resources, particularly citing proposed endangered-species listings that could affect the island's developing aquaculture industry.
In a recent Pacific Islands Fisheries Group report to the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council in Honolulu, Muna, who is a member of the council, criticized federal oversight that requires Guam to obtain permits for conservation activities in its own waters.
"It is ludicrous to list giant clams while we are actively working on solutions, and even more frustrating that we would need a federal permit just to outplant them in our own waters," stated Muna.
The council discussed recent executive orders from the Trump administration, including Executive Order 14192, "Unleashing Prosperity through Deregulation," which requires federal agencies to eliminate at least 10 existing regulations for any new regulation implemented.
The Guam Daily Post reached out to Muna, who welcomed the administration's deregulatory approach, stating it could benefit sustainable fisheries and marine conservation efforts in Guam. She specifically identified marine critical habitat designations as regulations that should be eliminated.
"Critical habitat was developed for terrestrial implementation. It was never designed to apply to the marine environment," Muna said. "NOAA, the agency implementing CH because the law/rules require it, are not able to measure success or provide any data that CH has ever led to the proliferation of a species."
Muna emphasized that declines in marine species populations, particularly coral, are primarily due to global warming rather than other human causes, and that critical habitat designations "restrict the work of natural resource managers when federal permits are required to outplant coral."
Muna articulated a vision in which federal agencies would reduce their oversight while providing support for local management efforts. "I have always been a conservationist and will always do what is within my ability to protect Guam's natural resources," she said. "However, it has become evident that federal mandates do not serve our cultural and economic needs when the goal is protecting our natural resources."
According to Muna, the proposed Endangered Species Act listing for giant clams would directly inhibit Guam's economic diversification through aquaculture. "When we grow clams via aquaculture, we will not be allowed to put them into our oceans, without expressed permission from NOAA," she explained.
To address these regulatory barriers, Guam Agriculture is taking multiple approaches, including working with Guam Del. James Moylan to support legislation amending the Endangered Species Act. Gov. Lou Leon Guerrero has also initiated conversations with U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins about how these regulations are restricting growth on Guam.
Despite challenges with federal regulations, Guam Agriculture continues to advance local aquaculture initiatives. The department is working to develop a mariculture hatchery that would produce sea cucumbers, mangrove crabs, bivalves and marine finfish fingerlings like rabbitfish and grouper to support local aquaculture growers with needed seed stocks.
According to Muna, Chief Michael Ogo of the Division of Aquaculture has written a proposal to assess and create a streamlined process for aquaculture infrastructure, while Dave Crisostomo of the University of Guam Sea Grant program will offer workshops to teach interested residents how to operate aquaculture systems at home, with participants receiving their own systems upon completion.
Regarding marine protected areas, Muna believes Guam already has a sufficient number but needs better enforcement. "Now with the support of this administration we have been able to hire more conservation officers and conservation apprentices in our law enforcement division," she said. "With these officers we can offer our community more education, as well as enforcement, to ensure our MPAs are able to do what they were meant to do: proliferate our reef fish so they spill over into other areas and are caught by subsistence fishers who feed our community."
Muna also revealed that Guam Agriculture is developing the island's first coral reef fisheries management plan in consultation with the fishing community, as part of a comprehensive "Ridge to Reef" approach to resource management.
"Mother Nature has provided our island with everything we need to thrive," Muna said. "It is our duty, passion, and intrinsic drive to support Mother."
The fishery council will advise the Trump administration of its Endangered Species Act concerns, including proposed critical habitat designations for corals and green sea turtles, the proposed giant clams listing, and recognition of indigenous cultural harvest of green sea turtles.