NOAA scientists face restrictions on foreign collaboration

Staff at a division of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) have been told to halt contact with foreign nationals, raising concerns about the future of international scientific cooperation.

Scott Dance reports for The Washington Post.

In short:

• NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service has ordered employees to stop communicating with foreign nationals, affecting international agreements on seafood catch limits and tsunami tracking.
• The restrictions come as the Trump administration reviews government science policies, with some NOAA websites and diversity-related pages already removed.
• Democratic lawmakers are pushing back, fearing further efforts to weaken the agency and limit research on climate and environmental issues.

Key quote:

“Nerves are definitely frayed.”

— Craig McLean, former NOAA official

Why this matters:

NOAA plays a critical role in weather forecasting, climate research and fisheries management. Limiting international collaboration could hinder efforts to track natural disasters, enforce environmental protections and maintain scientific integrity. Scientists fear the agency is being sidelined, echoing concerns from Trump’s first term.

Read more: Heritage Foundation proposal to dissolve NOAA raises wildfire and agricultural risks, experts say