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Healthy coastal ecosystems play crucial roles in the U.S. economy, from supporting multibillion-dollar fisheries and tourism industries to protecting coastlines from storms.

They're also difficult to manage, requiring specialized knowledge and technology.

That's why the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration—the federal agency best known for collecting and analyzing the data that make weather forecasts and warnings possible—leads most of the government's work on ocean and coastal health, as well as research into the growing risks posed by climate change.

The government estimates that NOAA's projects and services support of the nation's gross domestic product. Yet, this is one of the agencies that the Trump administration has targeted, with discussions of trying to and disband its crucial climate change research.

As a marine environmental historian who studies relationships among , I have seen how NOAA's work affects American livelihoods, coastal health and the U.S. economy.

Here are a few examples from just NOAA's coastal work, and what it means to fishing industries and coastal states.

Preventing fisheries from collapsing

One of the oldest divisions within NOAA is the National Marine Fisheries Service, known as . It dates to 1871, when Congress created the . At that time, the first generation of conservationists started to worry that America's natural resources were finite.

By conducting surveys and interviewing fishermen and seafood dealers, the fish commissioners discovered that freshwater and saltwater fisheries across the country were declining.

Oil spills and raw sewage were polluting waterways. Fishermen were using high-tech gear, such as , to catch more and more of the most valuable fish. In some areas, overfishing was putting the future of the fisheries in jeopardy.

One solution was to promote , also known as fish or shellfish farming. reared baby fish in hatcheries and transferred them to rivers, lakes or bays. The Fish Commission even used refrigerated to ship fish eggs across the country.

Today, U.S. aquaculture is a and the world's . Much of the salmon you see in grocery stores . NOAA provides , and to support the industry.

NOAA Fisheries also helps to regulate and fishing to keep fish populations healthy and .

The 1976 and other laws implemented catch limits to prevent overfishing. To develop and combat , NOAA and its predecessors have worked with fishing organizations through for decades.

These industries generate in sales and support .

Restoring coral reefs to help marine life thrive

NOAA also benefits U.S. coastal communities by .

Corals over centuries, creating "." When they're healthy, they provide nurseries that protect valuable fish species, like snapper, from predators. Reefs also and protect coastlines by breaking up waves that cause and erosion.

The corals of , , and other tropical areas provide over a year in benefits—from sustaining marine ecosystems to recreation, including sport fishing.

However, reefs are , , and other damage. Warming water can cause events, as the world saw in 2023 and 2024.

NOAA . It also works with , such as breeding strains of coral that resist bleaching, so reefs have a better chance of surviving as the planet warms.

Battling invasive species in the Great Lakes

A third important aspect of NOAA's coastal work involves controlling in America's waters, including those that have menaced the Great Lakes.

Zebra and quagga mussels, and dozens of other Eurasian organisms colonized the Great Lakes starting in the late 1900s after arriving in from transoceanic ships. These invaders have disrupted the Great Lakes food web and clogged cities' water intake systems, causing at least .

In the Northwest Atlantic, Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico, , native to Asia and Australia, have spread, preying on native fish essential to coral reefs. Lionfish have become one of the world's .

NOAA works with the , and to prevent the spread of invasive aquatic species. Stronger ballast water regulations developed through the have helped in the Great Lakes.

Understanding climate change

One of NOAA's most crucial roles is its leadership in global research into understanding the causes and effects of climate change.

The oil industry has known for decades that greenhouse gases released into the atmosphere from burning fossil fuels would raise global temperatures.

Evidence and research have connected greenhouse gas emissions from human activities to climate change. The data have shown how rising temperatures have increased risks for coastal areas, including and that harm marine life; , which threaten coastal communities with tidal flooding and higher storm surges; and .

NOAA conducts U.S. climate research and , as well as producing the data and analysis for weather and ocean forecasting that coastal states rely on.

Why tear apart an irreplaceable resource?

When consolidating several different agencies into NOAA in 1970, he told Congress that doing so would promote "better protection of life and property from natural hazards," "better understanding of the total environment" and "exploration and development leading to the intelligent use of our marine resources."

The Trump administration is instead discussing . The administration has been from government research, websites and policies—despite the rising risks to communities across the nation. The next federal budget is likely to .

argue that much of NOAA's weather data and forecasting, crucial to coastal areas, couldn't be duplicated by the private sector.

As NOAA marks its 55th year, I believe it's in the nation's and the U.S. economy's best interest to strengthen rather than dismantle this vital agency.

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