Florida’s economic health depends on the federal agency’s services. But NOAA is on the DOGE chopping block.
By Alice Herman/Suncoast Searchlight
Original Air Date: May 23, 2025
Host: Sweeping cuts to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration could imperil Florida’s multibillion-dollar fishing industry and coastal economy—a dire prospect for a region built on tourism, seafood and the health of its waters. Alice Herman with Suncoast Searchlight reports.
Alice Herman: NOAA’s most visible role is to run the national weather monitoring and alert systems. But it also works to prevent overfishing, monitor the coastal environment, and support local ocean research.
For Florida’s Gulf Coast, that means researching red tide, addressing habitat loss and restoring overfished species. Since 2020 alone, NOAA has supported these efforts with more than $35 million in grants and contracts for Suncoast governments and nonprofits. That includes Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium in Sarasota.
But now, more than 2,000 employees have left NOAA as Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency makes its way through the agency, sources with knowledge of the matter told Suncoast Searchlight.
Photo by Alice Herman via Suncoast Searchlight.
Steep funding cuts soon could follow. The White House this month recommended slashing NOAA’s budget by more than $1.5 billion, with a special focus on “climate-dominated research, data and grant programs.”
And a leaked memo outlines a host of goals to further reduce the agency’s work: It seeks to halve the budget for NOAA’s National Ocean Service line office, which oversees coastal conservation; close its Oceanic and Atmospheric Research line office, which conducts research on climate, oceans, the Great Lakes and weather systems; and strip 30% of the budget for its National Marine Fisheries Service.
The memo also recommends Congress terminate funding for grants focused on species recovery, habitat conservation and restoration. That could potentially cause ripple effects for local governments and nonprofits in the Suncoast.
In an email, a spokesperson for NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service wrote that the agency “remains dedicated to its mission” and declined to comment on personnel and management-related concerns.
Scott Hickman is a Galveston, Texas-based charter captain and the founder of the Charter Fisherman’s Association.
Scott Hickman. Photo courtesy of Scott Hickman via Suncoast Searchlight.
In an interview with Suncoast Searchlight, he said, “What makes Florida special? Do you think people want to go to Florida and spend millions of dollars on condos and houses and boats and because they want dirty water, and ugly beaches, and no fish in the water, and no live corals, and no seagrass beds?”
People go to Florida “for the wild beauty,” Hickman explained. He believes cuts to the agency could threaten Florida’s coastal waters.
President Richard Nixon established NOAA under the U.S. Department of Commerce in 1970. From its inception, the agency was tasked with managing the country’s fisheries to ensure a sustained seafood supply.
Over time, Congress expanded its mission—charging the agency with protecting endangered marine species, extending its reach 200 miles offshore and setting up regional councils to work with NOAA to cap catches based on scientific research.
Building on that foundation, the agency has worked to replenish depleted fish populations. It has rebuilt at least 50 overfished stocks and rolled out recovery plans for species like red snapper.
Last year, NOAA reported the number of overfished stocks had dropped to historic lows.
Photo by Michael Barfield via Suncoast Searchlight.
In Florida, the stakes are high. Commercial and recreational fishing supported more than $24.5 billion in economic activity in 2022 alone.
Janet Coit, the former director of the National Marine Fisheries Service from 2021 until January 2025, spoke to Suncoast Searchlight in an interview.
“By collecting data and making sound management decisions, we have made huge headway toward ending overfishing. The biggest tragedy here would be if we hollow out or undercut the system upon which these sustainably managed fisheries rest.”
Earlier this month, a coalition of fishers travelled to DC to underscore the importance of NOAA to their industry. In a letter, the group—called Fishing Communities Coalition—asked for investments in the National Marine Fisheries Service and the Sea Grant research programs, both of which have been threatened by significant cuts.
This has been Alice Herman with Suncoast Searchlight. For the full report, go to suncoastsearchlight.org/noaa-cuts-florida-fishing-economy-red-tide.
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