The Trump administration plans to propose deep budget cuts and program closures at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) in its budget for next year. This would devastate NOAA’s work helping to restore the Chesapeake Bay, manage the Bay’s fisheries, and educate the next generation of Bay stewards.
The plan, outlined in a leaked White House memo and press reports, would slash NOAA’s total budget by $1.7 billion, or 27 percent, from the current level of $6.1 billion to $4.5 billion in fiscal year 2026.
The budget for the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), the NOAA agency that manages fisheries and protects marine ecosystems, would be cut roughly 30 percent, from $1.1 billion currently to $789.3 million in fiscal 2026.
The White House would move NMFS fisheries and marine species protection functions to the Interior Department’s Fish and Wildlife Service and direct what remains of NMFS to prioritize permitting energy development projects like offshore drilling.
The plan also calls for zeroing out funding for NOAA’s Office of Education and effectively eliminating its Oceanic and Atmospheric Research.
NOAA’s Chesapeake Bay Office is a key partner in Chesapeake Bay restoration, leading work and science across the region that protects fisheries, improves climate resilience, and supports high-quality environmental education. Housed within NMFS, the Bay Office coordinates closely with the EPA’s Chesapeake Bay Program on Bay restoration work across the watershed.
NOAA’s Bay Office provides the science and technology to protect oysters, blue crabs, striped bass, and their habitat—fisheries vital to the Bay ecosystem and the region’s economy. NOAA’s research and science are critical to protecting homes and businesses from flooding and extreme storms due to climate change.
The Chesapeake Bay is home to the largest and most successful oyster reef restoration projects in the world, thanks to NOAA’s expertise, leadership, and investment. The NOAA Chesapeake Bay Office’s expertise is essential to implementing large-scale oyster restoration projects that boost the native oyster population, improve water quality, promote biodiversity in the Bay and tidal tributaries, and support the seafood industry.
NOAA’s Bay Office also administers the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Education and Training (B-WET) environmental literacy program. Chesapeake B-WET gives students and educators the tools, resources, and funding to learn first-hand about local environmental issues, the natural wonders of the Bay ecosystem, and how to protect it.
Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF) Senior Vice President for Programs Alison Prost issued the following statement:
“Dismantling and defunding NOAA would be an incredible blow to the Chesapeake Bay.
“NOAA’s science is critical for restoring oyster reefs, managing commercially important fisheries like blue crabs, and protecting our region’s homes and businesses from climate change.
“This attack on NOAA jeopardizes what we know works best for restoration: world-class science, innovation, and a strong partnership between the states and federal government. Now is the time for everyone who loves the Bay to speak up and urge Congress to protect NOAA from these dangerous cuts.”
CBF Vice President for Education Tom Ackerman issued the following statement:
“It will be up to the next generation to ensure a future with clean air, clean water, and a healthy Chesapeake Bay.
“NOAA has helped connect countless students with the world around them, from paddling a canoe to walking through the marsh or using state-of-the-art scientific tools to measure local water quality.
“These programs help prepare students to solve the complex problems of tomorrow. Environmental education is a smart investment for the future, not just a line item to delete from the budget.”
Washington, D.C. Communications & Media Relations Manager, CBF
lcaruso@cbf.org
202-793-4485
