Activists, Fishermen Sound Alarm on Cuts at NOAA Fisheries' Alaska Branch

 

The Alaska division of NOAA's National Marine Fisheries Service has shed about a quarter of its staff since the start of planned force reduction initiatives under the Trump administration, raising alarm among ocean environmental advocates. NOAA Fisheries handles quota and permit management for Alaska's increasingly challenged commercial fish stocks, including much-reduced populations of snow crab, king crab and cod.

In a regular status update released May 30, NMFS' Alaska office reported that it has shed 28 staffers since January 1, including people who left through retirement, voluntary separation, the DOGE-initiated "deferred resignation program," or probationary period termination. The office provided brief biographies for 19 people who departed in the last 60 days, including their contributions and skills; for several personnel, the office described a loss of talent that was "impactful" or "vital" to the mission.

Advocacy group Oceana first reported the staff reductions, and warned that the cuts will likely reduce NOAA's ability to gather data and perform the science needed to guide Alaskan federal fisheries towards long-term sustained yields.  

"Losing one quarter of the regional staff in six months is a direct threat to fisheries, ocean animals and marine ecosystems in the state and beyond," said Ben Enticknap, Pacific Campaign Director & Senior Scientist for Oceana. "Without adequate staffing at NOAA Fisheries the whole fishery management system is at risk, making it ever harder to tackle critical issues."

Some fishermen are also concerned that the reduction in staffing at NMFS could hit Alaska's commercial fishing interests, too. "The indiscriminate firing of NOAA personnel could cripple our fisheries," Alaska Longline Fishermen’s Association director Linda Behnken told the Alaska Beacon earlier this year. "The impact to resources and the seafood industry will be substantial unless the administration corrects course."

The staffing cuts may already be having an impact. Last month, NFMS missed the deadline for an Endangered Species Act review for Chinook salmon in the Gulf of Alaska, and now faces a lawsuit for failing to complete it on time. 

The cuts come as the NMFS is working out a new framework for fisheries management, focused on "restoring American seafood competitiveness." The agency is also planning to revise its interpretation of the Endangered Species Act to narrow its application and remove any consideration of habitat impacts.