I’ve gone back and forth for weeks about how to write an article on the layoffs at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). It’s a tough subject to tackle, not just because of the numbers involved, but because of how far-reaching NOAA’s work really is. So, let’s begin with the basics:
On February 27, NOAA laid off 880 employees. That’s roughly 7% of the agency’s workforce, which had stood at around 12,000. These cuts were part of broader federal reductions initiated under President Donald Trump‘s administration by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
What makes this so hard to unpack is that NOAA isn’t a single-focused agency. Its footprint is enormous. NOAA touches nearly every part of the U.S. environment, from forecasting hurricanes to managing fisheries and conservation efforts.
To get a sense of just how wide-ranging NOAA and its impact is, take a look at the graphic below, created five years ago, to celebrate NOAA’s 50th birthday. It’s a powerful reminder of everything the agency does.
If you take a close look at this image, you may react and think, I had no idea NOAA did all of this. And that’s part of the problem; most people simply don’t know what NOAA does.
When news first broke about the layoffs, I saw comments online like, “We don’t need NOAA, I get everything I need from my weather app.” Honestly, those kinds of comments hurt my head, because here’s the truth: if NOAA disappeared tomorrow, your weather app wouldn’t work—the forecasts, satellite data, radar imagery, and models behind those apps ALL come from NOAA.
You could make the argument, then, NOAA has become a victim of its own success. They’re so effective and make it look so effortless that many assume someone else must be doing the heavy lifting. That assumption has even led to calls for private companies to take over NOAA’s role, but that’s a conversation for another day.
Another challenge NOAA faces is communication. They’ve never been particularly good at telling their own story. Most of the scientists at NOAA are brilliant, but they’re focused on the work, not the PR. As a result, their contributions often go unnoticed while others take the credit.
Emily Gracey recently tackled this issue in an episode of her Off the Radar Podcast, highlighting how NOAA’s quiet excellence has left them underappreciated by the public.
Now, to be fair, mass layoffs aren’t unusual in the private sector. Companies often make large cuts in the name of saving money. But do those cuts really work?
A good friend of mine and workplace culture expert Betsy Allen-Manning, wrote a great piece recently about the real impact of mass layoffs. Her findings are eye-opening: large-scale firings often end up costing companies more than they save. When it comes to government, it’s worth asking what will the true cost be?
We all want our tax dollars used wisely and not wasted. But swinging a chainsaw instead of a scalpel at NOAA’s budget wasn’t the solution. Chainsaws are fast and dramatic; scalpels take care, time, and expertise. NOAA’s budget is set to drop from $6.1 billion in 2025 to $4.5 billion. When you break that down, it’s less than $5 per person in the U.S. For everything NOAA provides, is that really too much?
NOAA has weathered budget cuts before, as discussed in The Everything Weather Podcast, but this round is different. The scale of these layoffs is unprecedented, and the consequences could ripple far beyond what most people expect.
Getting back to the Gulf:
Last week, we shared the story of the important work happening at the Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary. If you missed it, you can catch up here.
In our documentary, we introduced you to Marissa Nuttall, who (at the time) served as the sanctuary’s research ecologist. Among her many responsibilities, she also acted as NOAA’s diving supervisor, responsible for ensuring the safety of every dive. Watching her in action was nothing short of inspiring. She led with calm confidence, and her entire team clearly respected her.
But here’s where the story takes an unexpected turn.
For 17 years, Marissa worked at the Flower Garden Banks as a contractor. Then, on September 9, 2024, she was officially hired into a full-time NOAA position, her dream job. It was a hard-earned and long-overdue promotion.
Marissa essentially did the work of two people. One of her standout projects involved leading a fish tracking initiative that uncovered something extraordinary: the presence of great white sharks in the Gulf! That discovery alone was a landmark moment for the sanctuary.
But she didn’t stop there. Marissa also developed groundbreaking techniques for conducting underwater surgeries, yes, underwater surgeries, to implant acoustic tracking devices in invasive lionfish. This was the first time such a method had ever been used in the sanctuary, and it opened new doors for studying and managing invasive species.
Below is a photo of Marissa performing one of these surgical procedures underwater, a powerful example of science, skill, and innovation coming together beneath the surface.
Marissa has led more than 100 dive and remotely operated vehicle (ROV) missions in the Gulf. She’s also the one who created all the maps used for the sanctuary’s research and exploration.
One of the coolest parts of her story is that she discovered a new species of squat lobster. The researchers who officially identified it honored her by naming it Uroptychus marissae.
Here’s a photo of the species named after her; a small but lasting legacy of her work.
But the smiles end here.
Because Marissa had been in her full-time NOAA position for less than a year, she was still considered probationary. Her 17 years of dedicated service as a contractor didn’t count toward that status. And in February, just months after finally achieving her promotion, she, like other NOAA probationary employees, was let go.
What happens to the Flower Gardens now?
The Flower Garden Banks are home to one of the most active dive units in all of NOAA. Because of the inherent risks, the NOAA Diving Program demands meticulous oversight to protect its divers.
As the Unit Dive Supervisor, Marissa was at the center of it all. She was responsible for enforcing safety protocols, coordinating and overseeing every dive, and ensuring full compliance with NOAA’s rigorous diving regulations. Without her, dive operations have come to a standstill.
This summer, 20 divers were ready and eager to contribute at the sanctuary, but there was no one left to train them. That was Marissa’s role. And now, that critical work is on pause.
How do you measure costs and value?
Marissa wasn’t just the dive supervisor—she also served as the sanctuary’s permit coordinator and managed several large-scale research projects in collaboration with academic institutions and partner agencies. With her departure, the permitting process has slowed to a crawl. The science projects she was overseeing carried a combined value of over $500,000. And because Marissa was the subject matter expert on those efforts, there’s currently no one with the expertise to pick up where she left off.
Her 17 years at NOAA weren’t just a job—they were an investment. She built relationships, knowledge, and systems. The training she received and the experience she brought to the table were paid for by taxpayers, and now that investment is gone. That loss isn’t just personal—it’s financial, operational, and institutional.
Adding to the sting of her departure is this: In 2024, Marissa was awarded the National Ocean Service Team Member of the Year for her leadership in diving safety. And just weeks before her layoff in February 2025, she received another award recognizing her emergency response work in resource protection. Then, she was let go.
What Comes Next?
Like much of the fallout from NOAA’s broader layoffs, the long-term impact of losing Marissa is still unclear. What I do know is that the sanctuary staff are scrambling to figure out how to keep things moving. Right now, it’s costing more money and taking more time just to get people back in the water.
Fortunately, there’s a bright spot: After word of her layoff spread, Marissa was hired by Texas A&M Galveston. It’s a win for them, but NOAA’s loss remains significant.
If you watched our special on the Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary, you saw Marissa’s pivotal role firsthand in the work done there. What you didn’t see is that even after we wrapped taping in July 2024, she continued helping behind the scenes. She answered questions, clarified details, and stayed involved because that’s who she is.
I’m grateful she was able to attend our special screening at Moody Gardens last week. It was a fitting moment to recognize someone whose contributions to ocean science and safety will ripple far beyond her time at NOAA.
