Protect the Science that Protects Us
We hold a simple truth. The ocean is our breath, our food, and our memory. Caring for it is an act of reciprocity and responsibility to those who came before us and to those who will inherit what we leave behind.
That care needs strong, trusted science. Defunding the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) would weaken the coastal, weather, and ocean research we rely on every day. NOAA is the foundation of hurricane forecasts, tide and flood warnings, fisheries management, coral restoration, and the long-term monitoring that shows how Marine Protected Areas help life return. When we give the ocean time and protection, biomass grows, habitats heal, and healthy marine life spreads beyond protected waters. Those benefits reach our communities through fishing, tourism, and jobs.
None of this progress is possible without NOAA scientists, vessels, satellites, monitoring systems, and funding. Cutting this work would leave communities with fewer tools to prepare for storms, less information to sustain fisheries and livelihoods, and less evidence to design and evaluate MPAs that keep our seas resilient.
Healthy oceans are the promise of safer coasts, good work, and a future held in balance. We call for a fully funded NOAA so that science and stewardship can work side by side to protect life above and below the waterline.