Proposed Funding Cuts to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Threaten U.S. Oceans  - Oceana USA

Proposed Funding Cuts to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Threaten U.S. Oceans 

Press Release Date: July 2, 2025

Location: Washington, D.C.

Contact:

Megan Jordan | email: mjordan@oceana.org | tel: 202.868.4061

This week, the Department of Commerce released a detailed description of the president’s proposed 2026 budget for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), including massive funding cuts. The proposal would decrease funding for the National Marine Fisheries Service by more than one-third and reduce funding for the conservation of marine mammals and endangered species. The president’s budget request will be considered by Congress as it drafts the fiscal year 2026 spending bills before the federal government’s fiscal year begins on October 1, 2025.  

NOAA is a world-renowned science agency that positions the United States as a leader on global issues, including oceans and weather. The agency manages our nation’s fisheries, monitors and forecasts our weather, charts our oceans, and protects our coastal communities and infrastructure. It has set the standard for fishery management around the world.     

Senior Campaign Director Gib Brogan had the following reaction: 

“It’s easy to overlook what’s happening quietly behind the scenes, but now these proposed cuts to NOAA are on paper and they are massive. This isn’t just about the ocean…It’s about the seafood we eat, the marine jobs we rely on, the coastal communities where we live and visit, and the weather warnings that keep Americans safe. Weakening NOAA puts families, fishers, and coastal economies at risk. If we look the other way now, we could be facing long-term consequences that we — and our oceans — can’t afford later. Congress must reject this short-sighted proposal and restore NOAA’s funding to strengthen its functions to conserve, protect, and manage our oceans — not eviscerate this critical agency.” 

Some potential ocean-related consequences from cutting NOAA resources: 

  • U.S. fisheries set the bar as some of the best managed, most abundant fisheries in the world, but without effective management, U.S. waters could become overfished, depleted, and empty; 
  • Increased imports of illegally sourced or mislabeled seafood into the United States will unfairly disadvantage U.S. fishers;  
  • Endangered or threatened marine wildlife like North Atlantic right whales could go extinct;   
  • With a lack of information about severe weather events to convey timely and life-saving information, more lives and property could be lost in disasters; and more.