The former head of NOAA said mass layoffs at the agency implemented by the Trump administration could upset the economic stability of the U.S. commercial fishing industry.
“That's a USD 320 billion [EUR 305 million] annual industry, and it's hard to be the best in the world in an industry like that if you can't support the industry with things as fundamental as stock assessments,” former NOAA Administrator Richard Spinrad said during a 28 February press conference. “By the way, there are 2.3 million jobs associated directly with NOAA’s management of the commercial fishing industry.”
Since taking office in January, U.S. President Donald Trump has worked swiftly to cut spending on programs that don’t align with his administration’s priorities. After encouraging federal employees to resign with the promise of a payout, the Trump administration and the Elon Musk-led Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) have restricted federal hiring and begun mass layoffs at government agencies.
Democrat lawmakers warned that the Trump administration had set their targets on NOAA after DOGE gained access to NOAA premises and systems at the beginning of February, citing rumors of layoffs and budget cuts. Those layoffs began at the end of February.
Spinrad, who resigned in January before Trump took office, joined Democratic lawmakers in Congress along with other former NOAA leaders to denounce the mass layoffs, arguing that ...
