Why Anglers Should Speak Up for NOAA

Fishing in New Jersey is a big deal. It supports thousands of jobs, brings in billions of dollars each year, and creates over 13 million recreational fishing trips annually. From tackle shops and marinas to party boats and seafood businesses, fishing keeps our coastal communities alive. To keep this fishing engine running, we need continued funding for NOAA.

NOAA helps keep fish populations healthy by doing the science that guides fishing rules. Their research ships and surveys—often done with help from fishermen—tell managers how fish stocks are doing. This science helps set seasons and size limits that are fair and based on facts. Without it, decisions would be made in the dark, leading to more uncertainty, stricter rules, and fewer fish to catch.

The ocean is changing, and anglers see it every season. Fish are moving, timing is off, and conditions aren’t what they used to be. Warmer water, rising seas, and habitat loss are changing where fish live and how they survive. That’s why research matters more than ever. NOAA’s work helps managers adjust and respond instead of falling behind the changes.

NOAA also helps restore important fish habitat. Healthy bays, estuaries, and reefs mean more fish. In New Jersey, NOAA supports programs that protect places like the Jacques Cousteau National Estuarine Research Reserve and improve water quality in the New York–New Jersey Harbor. These projects directly benefit anglers by improving spawning areas and nursery habitat.

Why this matters right now:

The United States has one of the best fisheries management systems in the world, supporting over 2.3 million jobs and many healthy fish populations. Right now, that system is at risk. The current administration is proposing deep cuts to NOAA’s fisheries budget, along with staff reductions, facility closures, and major deregulation of fisheries. While these changes are being framed as cost-saving measures, many fisheries experts and former NOAA employees warn they are poorly planned and could be devastating for U.S. fisheries. These cuts are happening quickly and with little public transparency, which makes it even more important for anglers to speak up.

A personal note from me, your Forage Fish & Habitat Committee Chair:

By popular opinion, the 2024 and 2025 fishing seasons were just awful and showed a clear decline. In order to make recreational fishing worthwhile, we must have an abundance of gamefish, and it is clear that—for whatever the reasons—we do not right now.

This decline isn’t coming from one problem alone. It’s not just beach replenishment. It’s overfishing of bunker, pressure on fish stocks, increased commercial pressure, destruction of estuaries, polluted waters from heavy rain and runoff, and changing ocean conditions. The problems are coming from all directions. That’s exactly why NOAA science is more critical now than ever before. Without strong research, monitoring, and data, these declines will only get worse.

Many members of Congress come from inland states and don’t hear much about fishing or the ocean. That’s why New Jersey anglers need to speak up. Letting lawmakers know that NOAA funding matters helps protect our fisheries, our fishing access, and our coastal jobs.