Frazer, I agree with you.  But I would like to see them lift the ban for commercial fishermen in the monument.  Keep the monument intact but open it up to Hawaii's fishery, that includes longlining, trolling and bottom fishing.  Compared to many foreign fisheries, Hawaii is one of the most documented and researched fisheries in the world.  What many don't know is there are likely illegal foreign boats fishing there now that go unreported or unregulated.  While a majority think it's easy for our longliners to simply move grounds, fishing doesn't work that way.  Our local supply drops, seafood wholesalers are forced to bring in inferior foreign product with little to no health regulations.  Example: hep A tainted scallops from the PI.  It will get supplemented from elsewhere.   

Longlining doesn't affect corals and they have very minimal by catch interactions.  The idea of MPAs does sound good but there is no hard scientific evidence that proves these monuments work.