The White House recently released its 2027 budget proposal, a document that clearly signals the president’s priorities, though it could face substantial changes as it makes its way through appropriations subcommittees in Congress this spring and summer.
While the latest proposal would bolster some maritime programs, it would, unfortunately, eliminate funding for important programs that states administer with federal agencies such as the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
It requests funding to support “American Maritime Dominance”—basically funding for new ships for the armed services, as well as a new Arctic research vessel and $135 million for shipbuilding.
It also proposes much-needed investments in an “America First Seafood” strategy, including funds to address unfair trade practices and illegal, unreported, and unregulated global fishing that undermine the competitiveness of our well-regulated domestic fisheries.
While these measures fund work that may help Maine, a much bigger concern is the proposal to eliminate funding for NOAA programs that directly affect the state.
The budget calls for a $1.6 billion reduction in spending on NOAA’s research and grant programs. The 792-page document dedicated to NOAA includes a list of proposed program terminations. Many of these grant programs are how NOAA supports “cooperative federalism”—the partnership with states to achieve shared goals. This structure recognizes that many coastal issues are better addressed by states rather than through a one-size-fits-all approach.
NOAA provides money and guardrails for its use, while the state can provide expertise, local connections, and matching funds. The state entity serves as the face of the work and its implementation. Cutting grants for these programs fundamentally alters the federal-state partnership and hinders states’ ability to manage their coastal resources.
Several consequential cooperative federalism programs that benefit Maine are on the termination list. Two of them are critical partners to Maine’s coastal communities, businesses, and organizations like Island Institute. The second two are less visible but play a key role in the management of our state’s fisheries.
NOAA’s National Sea Grant College Program promotes the sustainable development, conservation, and practical use of coastal resources through technical assistance, applied research, and education on topics such as working waterfronts, aquaculture, and storm resilience. According to Maine Sea Grant, in 2024 the program helped to do a number of things, including generating an estimated $20.2 million in economic benefits; creating or supporting 489 jobs and 283 businesses; improving resilience in 60 communities; getting more than 2,710 people to adopt safe and sustainable fishing practices, restoring or protecting an estimated 5,314 acres of habitat, and supporting the education of 138 college students.
Another offering, Coastal Zone Management, helps states address issues related to coastal resources and economic development. The Maine Coastal Program, administered by the state Office of Community Affairs, helps towns develop plans for coastal uses, maintain working waterfront access, and strengthen coastal infrastructure. Some of these funds also go directly to communities.
One of the less visible programs is Interjurisdictional Fisheries, which provides funding to state agencies, including $190,000 to Maine which annually supports monitoring and management of fisheries that span multiple jurisdictions, including herring, lobster, and shrimp.
Another behind the scenes program, Cooperative Enforcement, provides funding to state agencies that share responsibility for law enforcement of priority federal fisheries—supporting the salaries of four marine patrol officers in Maine. NOAA and Coast Guard lack the equipment to haul lobster gear, so state agencies do all such enforcement in federal waters.
As Susie Arnold, Island Institute’s senior ocean scientist, notes in this issue’s Fathoming column, NOAA funding is critical to our long-term monitoring. It also supports weather-related work, hydrographic surveys, research grants, and tracking where species like the North Atlantic Right Whale are and, importantly, are not.
Our congressional delegation has consistently shown strong support for NOAA funding and for these and other cooperative federalism programs. They understand the importance of addressing these issues locally, and they see this work matters to Maine, its businesses, and its communities. I hope that support continues well into the future.
Nick Battista is chief policy and external affairs officer for Island Institute, publisher of The Working Waterfront. He may be contacted at nbattista@islandinstitute.org.
