The administration released details earlier this month for the President’s Budget for Fiscal Year 2026 (FY26) and what it would mean for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Unfortunately, if passed as-is, the proposed federal budget would be a disaster for our ocean and Americans across the country who rely on NOAA’s services every day. 

From producing weather reports and tracking severe storms, supporting safe and efficient maritime navigation and ensuring fish and shellfish are safe to eat, to providing commercial, subsistence and recreational fishing opportunities and protecting marine mammals and endangered species, NOAA provides critical services that impact us every day.

At a high level, the President’s FY26 budget proposes to cut $1.8 billion from NOAA’s topline funding—more than a quarter of the total amount. The budget proposal also calls for the complete elimination of programs, labs and cooperative institutes that provide essential services, including:

• Complete elimination of the research line office of NOAA, the Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research (OAR): OAR provides the cutting-edge research that helps power all the other services NOAA provides. This includes the modeling capabilities for timely and accurate forecasts that are crucial to protecting lives and property. OAR also works to improve understanding of global weather systems and hazards, such as red tides. This research helps ensure safe boat trips and plentiful seafood, benefitting fisheries, aquaculture, coastal economies and communities.

• Elimination of research labs and cooperative institutes: By eliminating OAR, the budget would also eliminate its many laboratories that work in partnership with local universities and research institutions to produce research that advances our understanding of the ocean, climate, weather and more. Cutting this research will not only slow progress on the delivery of services and products, but it will also destroy locally important centers of learning and undermine the strength of the United States as a science leader.

• Elimination of the Sea Grant Program:  This 50-year-old federal-state partnership program focuses on unleashing the economic power of our coastal states and fisheries. Each federal dollar invested in Sea Grant and its 34 programs in coastal and Great Lakes states yielded $8.81 in economic benefit in 2023.

• Eliminating the U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS): This widely used network provides real-time observations of ocean conditions, ensuring safe fishing and shipping, enhancing emergency response and producing observational data for weather forecasting. These observations are also critical for tracking harmful algal blooms.  

• Elimination of the National Estuarine Research Reserves (NERRs): The administration has proposed defunding coastal reserves that draw millions of tourists to local communities, protect 1.4 million acres of wildlife habitat, support major fisheries and local fishing communities and generate millions of dollars in revenue. There are 30 NERRs across 23 states and Puerto Rico.

• Elimination of critical programs that support our nation’s fisheries: The administration has proposed eliminating NOAA’s Fisheries Office of Habitat Conservation, the Pacific Coast Salmon Recovery Fund and interjurisdictional fisheries grants. These eliminations will undercut the nation’s ability to manage and conserve coastal habitats that support fisheries and will impact our ability to manage and protect iconic Pacific Salmon and Steelhead populations.

The list above is comprised only of services that the administration has proposed to eliminate completely. Additional cuts, coupled with a 17% reduction in staff, will reduce NOAA’s services across the board, leaving it unable to help us safely put fish on the table, move goods across the country and go about our daily lives.

We need NOAA to be fully funded and fully staffed. We should be looking for ways to grow and improve these services, not leaving communities and businesses without critical resources that they need.

The good news is that this is just a proposal. It is now up to Congress to pass spending bills that keep these essential NOAA programs and services funded and staffed. For the safety of all Americans and for the health of our ocean, marine wildlife and coastal economies Congress must reject these harmful cuts to NOAA. Join Ocean Conservancy in taking action to safeguard NOAA now.