What’s Haunting Our Ocean?

When autumn comes around, cue the leaves changing color, pumpkin spice, candies, apple picking and my favorite part of all: the spooky traditions of Halloween. From haunted houses to scary movies, one of the most fun parts of Halloween is getting a little scared.

But have you ever wondered, what is spooking sea life? Believe it or not, one of the scariest and deadliest things to marine life is plastic pollution. But unlike the ghosts, ghouls and monsters haunting our imaginations, plastic pollution is a very real and deadly threat to the animals that rely on a healthy ocean.

Here are a few examples of the types of plastic pollution haunting our ocean:

Ghost Gear

Fishing gear is designed to catch fish, and if lost in the ocean, it continues to catch and kill marine life indefinitely, hence the name “ghost gear” or “ghost fishing”—as if a ghost is still fishing. Ghost gear is the single deadliest form of plastic pollution to marine life. A study of 870 ghost nets recovered from the Puget Sound in Washington state found that they contained more than 32,000 marine animals, including more than 1,000 fish, 500 seabirds and 20 marine mammals.

Fortunately, Ocean Conservancy leads the Global Ghost Gear Initiative^® (GGGI), which is the largest alliance dedicated to tackling ghost gear on a global scale. Our GGGI works with everyone from small-scale fishers to government leaders to remove lost fishing gear from the ocean and promote ways to prevent gear from being lost in the first place.

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Balloons

To most people, the scariest part of the famous horror movie “It” is the clown, but to a seabird, the red balloon he holds is even more terrifying. According to a 2019 study, balloons are the deadliest type of plastic to seabirds. Balloons are 32 times more likely to kill seabirds than hard plastics and even a small shred of a popped balloon can kill a single bird.

Over the last 40 years, volunteers with Ocean Conservancy’s International Coastal Cleanup^® (ICC) have picked up more than 1.8 million balloons littering coastlines worldwide. That’s why Ocean Conservancy has advocated for laws to ban the intentional release of balloons, including the recent balloon release ban that passed in Florida in 2024.

Plastic bags

Who thought the spookiest part of trick-or-treating could be the plastic bag holding the candy? Well, to a sea turtle, it would be. Sea turtles have been known to eat plastic bags, which they mistake for jellyfish, one of their favorite foods. Americans are estimated to use 100 billion plastic grocery bags each year. That means that if it took you two minutes to read this far into the blog, there have been 400,000 plastic bags used in the United States alone.

The solution to prevent plastic bag pollution is simple: We need to use fewer plastic bags in the first place. In June 2025, a peer-reviewed study showed that plastic bag bans lead to a 25% to 47% reduction of plastic bags in the environment. So, to help protect sea turtles from more plastic bags lurking in their homes, remember to use a reusable bag instead of a plastic one, whether trick-or-treating or at the grocery store.

Microplastics

In horror movies such as “The Invisible Man” and “Blair Witch Project,” sometimes the most terrifying threats are those that you don’t readily see. Microplastics, defined as pieces of plastic smaller than 5 millimeters (roughly the size of the eraser on a pencil) are a nearly invisible threat lurking in the ocean. Research shows that 60% of fish studied globally contained microplastics. Microplastics are also ingested by seabirds and mammals. Blue whales—the largest living marine animal—consume up to 10 million pieces of microplastics per day. When animals eat microplastics, studies show they can have negative health outcomes, including reduced food consumption, impaired growth and damage to their DNA.

Currently, Ocean Conservancy is advocating to reduce microplastic pollution at the local, federal and international levels, from the U.N. Plastics Treaty to laws at the state level to require filters on washing machines—a major source of microplastic pollution.

How you can help

While ocean plastic pollution can be scary, there are many ways to take action to prevent it. For example, you can opt for reusable cups or bags and buy in bulk to use less plastic. You can also join or host a cleanup at a local park or beach using Ocean Conservancy’s app Clean Swell^® where you can log what you find and help contribute to citizen science. And finally, join Ocean Conservancy in calling on Congress to tackle plastic pollution during spooky season and beyond—adding your name takes less than two minutes. The ocean and all its creatures are counting on you.

The post What’s Haunting Our Ocean? appeared first on Ocean Conservancy.

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Forecasting a Future for South Atlantic Red Snapper

Fishermen and the latest fishery stock assessment agree: There are a lot of red snapper in the South Atlantic. Yet, promising numbers alone do not tell the whole story of red snapper off the U.S. East Coast.

South Atlantic red snapper is a favorite among offshore anglers, but it’s been in a rebuilding plan for almost two decades. The first stock assessment in 2008 determined the red snapper stock was depleted due to overfishing. As a result, managers have had to keep catch limits low and fishing seasons short, and in some years, fishing was prohibited altogether.

But now, there are many small and very young red snapper that have a chance to rebuild this stock so that it better supports coastal communities. These little fish are almost entirely under 10 years old, a concern for a fish that can live up to 50 years. While these younger fish are growing in numbers, the stock is still vulnerable without a healthy population of older fish. That’s because, unlike with humans, older, larger fish are more reproductively successful. If you want a lot of fish to support a fishery, you need a good number of older fish.

The South Atlantic red snapper stock has seen booms of young fish in the past, but they never made it to their later years—why? One big reason is the high number of these fish are caught and discarded at sea by the recreational fishing sector. The number of red snapper caught and released by recreational fishermen in the South Atlantic is estimated to be between approximately 1 million to 4 million fish annually, and almost a quarter of these fish die after release. This number is more than 10 times greater than the sustainable limit of fish that can be caught and kept in the fishery.

There is hope that these young red snapper, if allowed to age, could help successfully rebuild the fishery. That’s the best path towards a future where a healthy stock can support more fishing.

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New approaches and new challenges on the horizon

There are two efforts on the horizon for South Atlantic red snapper that aim to incorporate new science and management approaches with the goal of improving fishing opportunities for the South Atlantic. Both present some real opportunities to improve our management of this stock, but they come with significant risks if not implemented well.

State management of South Atlantic red snapper

The first effort is that policy makers are considering shifting the responsibility of sustainably managing recreational catch of red snapper to a state management system. This would move management away from the U.S.’s current unified federal system administered by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council over to individual state management by Florida, Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina.

State management has been tested on recreational fishing for Gulf red snapper for nearly a decade, and managers are still developing methods to combine their data and management systems to ensure catch is sustainable. Tracking red snapper landings in the Gulf against catch limits remains nearly impossible, and there are signs the stock there is in decline. Changing to a new state management system in the South Atlantic would mean those states would have to support extensive and costly management and data collection systems that manage the fishery sustainably and address the issue of high recreational discards.

South Atlantic Red Snapper Research Program

The second effort is a new research program, the South Atlantic Red Snapper Research Program, that seeks to answer this question: “How many red snapper are there?” This study combines several scientific survey approaches, including novel methods using fish genetics, to estimate the abundance of red snapper in the region. The preliminary report (released last week) provides two estimates of population size and cautions that the results should not be misinterpreted prior to peer review and integration with other available data sets and assessments.

The science that underlies fishery management involves many interconnected variables, which means that changing one of those factors requires scientists to assess the changes to the whole system. Our understanding from a population count is connected to our estimates of how well we think the fish are reproducing and how many are dying. It will be important for managers to not overinterpret the results and change catch levels before the study has been peer-reviewed, revised and added into the stock assessment process.

The South Atlantic red snapper fishery–abundant in potential, with the right protections

Scientists, fishermen and managers have a chance to protect a generation of young fish that are just entering into their productive years. Although there are many complexities in charting a way forward for red snapper, a simple choice will decide their future.

If allowed to mature, these fish could usher in a golden era of red snapper fishing in the South Atlantic. But raising catch limits too high, or losing our ability to monitor catch, will wipe out these young fish and cause our best chance in years for a huge, healthy fishery to slip away for today’s fishermen and for future generations.

Ocean Conservancy is working collaboratively with many partners to keep the red snapper stock sustainable. Our policy experts and scientists attend fishery management council meetings, share comment letters, track red snapper landings and monitor rebuilding progress. We’re not working only for red snapper—we’re also working for a healthy ocean and thriving planet, forever and for everyone. Please make a gift to Ocean Conservancy today and make a difference for the future of our ocean.

The post Forecasting a Future for South Atlantic Red Snapper appeared first on Ocean Conservancy.

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What is a DAF and How Can it Support the Ocean?

A person’s legacy is often defined by the people they’ve touched and the causes they’ve supported throughout their lives. A Donor-Advised Fund (DAF) provides an opportunity to be a part of the solutions driving a healthier ocean and a thriving planet for future generations.

You can create lasting impact for our ocean and those you care about by establishing and giving from a DAF today. This investment account is designed to make charitable giving an efficient and fiscally-savvy choice for donors. Making a DAF gift is easy and helps Ocean Conservancy continue to unite science, people and policy to inspire global action for our ocean.

What is a Donor-Advised Fund (DAF)?

A Donor-Advised Fund (DAF) is an investment account created specifically for individuals to make charitable donations.

Through DAFs, you can contribute money, stocks or other assets and, depending on your DAF provider, you may receive an immediate tax deduction.* Your funds are held with the possibility of growth over time and when you are ready to donate, you can specify an organization, like Ocean Conservancy, to support.

What is DAF Day?

DAF Day is October 9 and was created to showcase the benefits and impact of DAF-giving for charitable organizations and for donors. Now giving from your DAF is easier than ever with options to streamline your giving and inspire others to take action for causes that matter most to them, like protecting our ocean, forever and for everyone.

How can a DAF help support our ocean?

Every second breath we take is made possible by the ocean and life on Earth would be unrecognizable without it. Ocean Conservancy supports evidence-based solutions that protect marine wildlife and clear out toxic plastic pollution.

No matter how close or how far you live from the coast, the ocean touches your life through weather, recreation, nutrition and more. Using your DAF to support the ocean is one way you can share your love for this vital aspect of our world and safeguard it for generations to come. Giving a DAF donation can help shape a healthier ocean. When you select Ocean Conservancy for your DAF, you are supporting bold action for a thriving ocean. The research, advocacy and actions that can protect ocean biodiversity and address rising ocean temperatures.

We all have a stake in the health of our ocean, and now there are more options to pledge your support with DAF. Consider taking time on October 9 to give a gift from your DAF to support the work of Ocean Conservancy and a brighter future for the ocean we share.

Together, we can leave the ocean cleaner and healthier for tomorrow.

If you don’t have a DAF, there are other great ways to support ocean protection, and every gift helps keep our ocean healthy and thriving.

• Donate stocks of appreciated securities: Give in a tax-smart way and maximize your impact.
• Make a gift from your IRA (if 70 ½ or older): Satisfy your annual required minimum distribution with a gift for the ocean.
• Include Ocean Conservancy in your estate plans: Leave a lasting legacy for the ocean.
• Looking for something else? See all ways to give here.

*Please consult your financial or tax advisor about tax benefits associated with your gift.

The post What is a DAF and How Can it Support the Ocean? appeared first on Ocean Conservancy.

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40 Years of Cleaner Beaches Powered by People and Community

Earlier this summer, my daughter and I walked along the shores of Sitka, Alaska, to pick up plastic pollution with 35 other volunteers. We scanned the beach together with a single goal: to make a place we care about cleaner and safer for people and marine life. 

Partners and community members representing all facets of Sitka took time away from their days to clear plastic waste and other trash from this incredible shoreline. I’m grateful I could share this vibrant town and its rich cultural heritage with my family for the 40th International Coastal Cleanup® (ICC).

Community connections and a legacy of service are at the heart of each cleanup. Just as my father sparked my love of marine life, Kathy O’Hara, ICC co-founder, was inspired by her grandfather’s love of the ocean to start the yearly beach cleanup along the Texas Gulf Coast that would eventually become the ICC. 

Tracing the impact of cleanups around the world

From the very beginning, founders Kathy O’Hara and Linda Maraniss knew data was an important part of the process. Over the last 40 years, we’ve evolved from paper cards to Clean Swell®, an app that connects users around the world to Ocean Conservancy’s global marine debris database.

The ICC has blossomed from a handful of volunteers in a few locations to nearly 19 million volunteers around the world conducting cleanups year-round. 

Over the years, I’ve fielded a familiar question: Does cleaning our beaches really make a difference? The answer is a resounding yes. Yet, there are times that test our resolve, like proposed cuts to vital research funding for fisheries and rollbacks on crucial ocean protection laws. In those moments, I remember that not only are we making our local shoreline safer, healthier and more beautiful—we’re also collecting vital data that we publish every year in one of the longest running continuous datasets of ocean debris available. This data helps us identify—and solve—the biggest challenges facing our ocean. 

Thanks to the dedicated Coordinator Network, millions of volunteers and Ocean Conservancy staff, we are able to publish an annual ICC report that is changing mindsets and legislation in favor of cleaner coasts.

Our ICC collection research report, “What The Foam?!”, provided fuel for the introduction of the Farewell to Foam Act, which would phase out single-use plastic foam such as food containers, coolers, and packing peanuts nationwide.

Since 1986, volunteers have counted, collected and removed more than 400 million pounds of plastics and other debris from our coastlines and waterways through the ICC. 

We hope that one day, cleanups will no longer be necessary, but today, we know we are making an immediate difference for our ocean. By finding and removing plastics, protecting rare species like the pocket shark found in the Gulf of Mexico and threatened coastal species like the  Florida manatee, Ocean Conservancy is taking an all-hands-on-deck approach to our work.

Small actions can make big ripples

Another aspect of the ICC that keeps me inspired is the stories and connections made between the dedicated Coordinators who manage cleanups throughout the year.

One story that struck a chord with me was about a cleanup where volunteers collected hundreds of cigarette butts. The cleanup coordinator brought those buckets and buckets of cigarette waste to the local city hall—and as a result the city voted to ban smoking on that beach, significantly reducing the number of cigarettes polluting the shoreline. 

A day spent cleaning on the coast ripples out far beyond the beach and the community where the event takes place. I can say with confidence that every piece of plastic, rubber and metal removed helps to build physical evidence, research and public support with measurable benefits for our ocean.

Our work would not be possible without you

I am full of gratitude for each and every person who has cleaned up a local shoreline, waterway or city street; spread the word about a cleanup or recorded their impact in Clean Swell®. 

Whether you attended your first cleanup this year, volunteered for the last 40 or decided to start your own local cleanup, your contribution is deeply appreciated by all of us at Ocean Conservancy. 

We invite you to join a cleanup near you or start one of your own. There are so many ways to support our ocean, and whatever way you choose, we hope you will join us for the next 40 years of impact. 

The post 40 Years of Cleaner Beaches Powered by People and Community appeared first on Ocean Conservancy.

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40 Years of Cleaner Beaches Powered by People and Community

Earlier this summer, my daughter and I walked along the shores of Sitka, Alaska, to pick up plastic pollution with 35 other volunteers. We scanned the beach together with a single goal: to make a place we care about cleaner and safer for people and marine life. 

Partners and community members representing all facets of Sitka took time away from their days to clear plastic waste and other trash from this incredible shoreline. I’m grateful I could share this vibrant town and its rich cultural heritage with my family for the 40th International Coastal Cleanup® (ICC).

Community connections and a legacy of service are at the heart of each cleanup. Just as my father sparked my love of marine life, Kathy O’Hara, ICC co-founder, was inspired by her grandfather’s love of the ocean to start the yearly beach cleanup along the Texas Gulf Coast that would eventually become the ICC. 

Tracing the impact of cleanups around the world

From the very beginning, founders Kathy O’Hara and Linda Maraniss knew data was an important part of the process. Over the last 40 years, we’ve evolved from paper cards to Clean Swell®, an app that connects users around the world to Ocean Conservancy’s global marine debris database.

The ICC has blossomed from a handful of volunteers in a few locations to nearly 19 million volunteers around the world conducting cleanups year-round. 

Over the years, I’ve fielded a familiar question: Does cleaning our beaches really make a difference? The answer is a resounding yes. Yet, there are times that test our resolve, like proposed cuts to vital research funding for fisheries and rollbacks on crucial ocean protection laws. In those moments, I remember that not only are we making our local shoreline safer, healthier and more beautiful—we’re also collecting vital data that we publish every year in one of the longest running continuous datasets of ocean debris available. This data helps us identify—and solve—the biggest challenges facing our ocean. 

Thanks to the dedicated Coordinator Network, millions of volunteers and Ocean Conservancy staff, we are able to publish an annual ICC report that is changing mindsets and legislation in favor of cleaner coasts.

Our ICC collection research report, “What The Foam?!”, provided fuel for the introduction of the Farewell to Foam Act, which would phase out single-use plastic foam such as food containers, coolers, and packing peanuts nationwide.

Since 1986, volunteers have counted, collected and removed more than 400 million pounds of plastics and other debris from our coastlines and waterways through the ICC. 

We hope that one day, cleanups will no longer be necessary, but today, we know we are making an immediate difference for our ocean. By finding and removing plastics, protecting rare species like the pocket shark found in the Gulf of Mexico and threatened coastal species like the  Florida manatee, Ocean Conservancy is taking an all-hands-on-deck approach to our work.

Small actions can make big ripples

Another aspect of the ICC that keeps me inspired is the stories and connections made between the dedicated Coordinators who manage cleanups throughout the year.

One story that struck a chord with me was about a cleanup where volunteers collected hundreds of cigarette butts. The cleanup coordinator brought those buckets and buckets of cigarette waste to the local city hall—and as a result the city voted to ban smoking on that beach, significantly reducing the number of cigarettes polluting the shoreline. 

A day spent cleaning on the coast ripples out far beyond the beach and the community where the event takes place. I can say with confidence that every piece of plastic, rubber and metal removed helps to build physical evidence, research and public support with measurable benefits for our ocean.

Our work would not be possible without you

I am full of gratitude for each and every person who has cleaned up a local shoreline, waterway or city street; spread the word about a cleanup or recorded their impact in Clean Swell®. 

Whether you attended your first cleanup this year, volunteered for the last 40 or decided to start your own local cleanup, your contribution is deeply appreciated by all of us at Ocean Conservancy. 

We invite you to join a cleanup near you or start one of your own. There are so many ways to support our ocean, and whatever way you choose, we hope you will join us for the next 40 years of impact. 

The post 40 Years of Cleaner Beaches Powered by People and Community appeared first on Ocean Conservancy.

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House Budget Proposal for NOAA Would Spell Disaster for Fisheries

In early September, the House Committee on Appropriations passed its proposed budget for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), as part of the larger Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies bill. The bill would be enormously damaging to our ocean, but one part of NOAA would be hit especially hard. The House bill proposes to slash the budget for the National Marine Fisheries Service, also called NOAA Fisheries, by 40%. These cuts would hobble the sustainability of United States fisheries, threaten marine wildlife, reduce the conservation of coastal and ocean habitats and affect communities around the country. 

NOAA Fisheries is the key part of NOAA responsible for the stewardship of the nation’s ocean resources and their habitats, including in more than 4 million square miles of ocean in the U.S. exclusive economic zone. Using a science-based approach, NOAA Fisheries provides services that all Americans can benefit from, including productive and sustainable fisheries, safe seafood, healthy coastal and ocean ecosystems and the conservation and recovery of protected resources like marine mammals, sea turtles, corals and salmon.

Under NOAA Fisheries, America has been a global leader in managing our fisheries and ocean resources sustainably. Historically, Congress has provided broad support to fund the science-based management system that is a hallmark of our success. The cuts proposed in the House budget would devastate NOAA Fisheries at a time whenchallenges like climate change and economic headwinds for fishing communities are making fishery management more complicated than ever. We saw a preview of the effects that cuts could have earlier this year when fishermen were unable to fish because disruptions to staffing and regulatory delays at NOAA Fisheries left the agency unable to open some fishing seasons. To manage fisheries effectively and allow fishermen the best fishing opportunity, NOAA Fisheries needs robust funding.

As we’ve previously noted, the President’s Budget for Fiscal Year 2026 (FY26), if passed as-is, would be a disaster for our ocean and the millions of Americans across the country who rely on NOAA’s services every day. That is why it is striking that the cuts to NOAA Fisheries in the House proposal often go beyond those proposed in the President’s Budget. The House funding proposal’s total for NOAA Fisheries is just $686 million—a stunningly low number. In contrast, the Senate proposal keeps the NOAA Fisheries budget roughly flat with previous years at $1.1 billion. All of these proposed cuts are happening amid other funding challenges for NOAA—from administrative funding claw-backs to delayed contracts and grants—that are already limiting the ability of NOAA and its partners to achieve the mission. 

Some of the biggest cuts to NOAA Fisheries in the House proposal include:  

• Cuts to science: A 42% cut in funding for fisheries science, including surveys and fish stock assessments. These scientific activities are critical for providing information on the status of fish stocks and for informing sustainable levels of fisheries catch. 
• Cuts to sustainable and accountable management: Actions to prevent overfishing and rebuild overfished stocks are an essential reason why U.S. fisheries are some of the most sustainably managed in the world. The portion of the budget to carry out these management actions would be cut by 44%, along with funding that supports the adoption of innovative technologies to monitor and report catch, reduce bycatch through improvements in fishing gear and ensure seafood safety and quality for American consumers.   
• Cuts to habitat protection: A 38% cut for NOAA’s Office of Habitat Conservation and Restoration. This faction of NOAA protects and restores habitats in order to sustain fisheries, support protected species and maintain resilient coastal ecosystems and communities.   
• Cuts to marine species protection: A 55% cut in funding that conserves and protects marine mammals and other species (sea turtles, salmon and corals, to name a few) and their ecosystems, including in partnership with states and others.

To achieve its mission, NOAA Fisheries works with countless partners: states, Tribes, the regional fishery management councils, local communities, academic institutions and others. Much of the funding that comes into NOAA Fisheries helps support the work of these partners. NOAA Fisheries also has a presence across the country, with five regional offices, six science centers and more than 20 laboratories around the U.S. The cuts proposed in the House bill would reverberate around the nation, affecting these partners, local communities and places with NOAA facilities.  

All Americans, but especially fishermen and fishing communities, have so much to lose from these cuts. Fishing is an economic driving force in many coastal communities, but it depends on having abundant fish, well-managed fisheries and healthy habitats. History shows that investing in NOAA Fisheries’ science and management pays dividends towards supporting fishing and the seafood industry, which created 2.3 million jobs and more than $321 billion in sales impacts in 2022. We know what it looks like when weakened management results in overfishing, tanking fish stocks and collapsing fisheries—communities suffer.

Thankfully, the House bill is just a proposal. Ultimately, the full House must pass the NOAA budget, and the House and Senate must come to an agreement, so there is still a chance for Congress to reject these harmful cuts to NOAA Fisheries. Take action now and call on Congress to ensure NOAA is fully funded in the FY26 budget.

The post House Budget Proposal for NOAA Would Spell Disaster for Fisheries appeared first on Ocean Conservancy.

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Honoring New Orleans 20 Years After Hurricane Katrina Means Protecting NOAA

Nayyir Ransome builds relationships between the government and the people it serves to support the ocean. As Senior Analyst with Ocean Conservancy, Nayyir sees the power of small, incremental steps that lead to big impacts for people and waterways.

“I want to encourage people to start where they are. Start with your friends, your church group, your classroom”, Nayyir shared.

Nayyir started advocacy work when they were young, joining the Campfire Youth Legislature as a seventh-grade student in Broadmoor Middle School in East Baton Rouge Parish School System, a school that was closed in 2019. “I was one of the youngest people in the room. The bill that I proposed didn’t even make it out of committee. So, when it was time to come together on the floor and vote on all the bills that came out of committee, I decided that I was going to speak on every single bill that hit the floor, literally, all of them. I ended up winning Outstanding Legislator that year. This honor is given only to one legislator out of almost 500 young people from across the state. I still have the medal. I keep it on my desk lamp with all my other conference tags and medals. It reminds me how much impact a person simply speaking up can have. Whether or not the vote goes your way at that moment, someone is still listening.”

A collection of Nayyir Ransome’s metals and lanyards from Youth Legislature conferences and award ceremonies.

Nayyir got involved in Youth Legislature at a time in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, when many students were feeling unheard, anxious and facing physical displacement after Hurricane Katrina.

Remembering the day Hurricane Katrina landed

On August 29th, 2005, Hurricane Katrina made landfall in New Orleans. At least 1,900 people were killed in the storm and, due to medical and infrastructure complications, post-storm. The devastation of one of the deadliest hurricane seasons in United States history forced 650,000 survivors from their homes—some were never able to return. 

“We were out of school for two weeks. Compared to New Orleans where many schools closed for months and others shut their doors permanently, this felt like a privilege. When we went back to school, there were 200 more students in the building. Many families from New Orleans were forced to move to temporary housing in Baton Rouge. Our school was one of many that saw a large influx of students from New Orleans where many schools were unable to reopen due to Katrina. There wasn’t enough space, services or support to handle that, and it became a tense environment for all of us.”

Nayyir’s family moved to Baton Rouge just one year before the storm. Coming from Philadelphia, one of the largest metropolitan cities in the country, Nayyir experienced an intense culture shock when adjusting to life in open-air, sea-centric Southern Louisiana. Nayyir reflected on the contrast of towering buildings and lightning-fast train transport to kids catching mudbugs from the crawfish mounds in the drainage ditches, designed to channel storm water, along roads without sidewalks.  

“When I started participating in Camp Fire USA’s Youth Legislature program, I felt intimidated. It was a strange experience, grappling with my own sense of displacement while watching other kids being displaced on such a large scale due to Hurricane Katrina. I wasn’t from the area, but I was there, and I did understand how it felt to be pushed out, to feel discarded.”

New Orleans has a culture unlike any other place in the world, and this rich weaving of languages, ethnicities and histories creates an unshakable strength that still stands today. Yet, the crippling impacts of Hurricane Katrina can be traced through the yet-to-be-rebuilt homes in the Lower Ninth Ward and the reality of long-term health consequences and economic instability for many residents, even now, 20 years after the storm.

Hurricane detection is better than ever, thanks to NOAA

In 2005, the best hurricane detection science provided around a 48-hour warning. The people of New Orleans had less than 24 hours from the time the mandatory evacuation order was issued to when water began to spill over one of the levees. 

When Hurricane Katrina developed into a Category 3 storm, receded and then reformed as a Category 5 storm, scientists, local officials and communities scrambled to keep up and spread information quickly. 

“We didn’t know what was happening in New Orleans for three days. People with friends and family there were starting to panic.” 

Now, thanks to the steady, decades-long efforts of organizations like the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), current predictive technologies can provide up to five days warning of extreme weather—enough time potentially to prevent storms from having the same catastrophic impact as Katrina. Yet, the question remains, ”Will we continue funding the  hurricane forecasting systems we know are protecting our communities?”

Tell Congress to Protect NOAA Today

Take action to ensure Congress stands up for NOAA, demanding the agency be fully funded and fully staffed.

Act Now

Understanding NOAA’s vital role during storm season

It might not be clear what NOAA does during hurricane season because much of their work is behind the scenes. The National Weather Service sits under NOAA, and NOAA scientists and professionals are key players in many of the long-term conservation measures, research and technology that prevent the most dire consequences of extreme weather. Their work includes projects that we may not think of as disaster preparedness and resilience, such as coastal restoration initiatives. 

NOAA uses a variety of scientific instruments on crafts such as planes, saildrones and gliders to gather data from inside hurricanes. Long term ocean observations contribute to hurricane and weather models. This hurricane season we have an opportunity to speak up about the proposed cuts to NOAA and the vital resources we would lose if these budget changes are approved by Congress. Continuing to fund NOAA is one way to ensure ongoing improvements to weather forecasting, honor those lost to Hurricane Katrina and, in the aftermath, support the people of New Orleans today, as they rebuild and heal.

We can all speak up for life-saving hurricane detection and research

As storm seasons intensify, we need faster, more accurate weather prediction and storm detection more than ever. NOAA is America’s first line of defense against the deadliest impacts of natural disasters on our communities. Yet, NOAA’s funding is facing major cuts that, if enacted, will result in lives lost. We need to keep moving forward keeping in mind and heart the nearly 2,000 people who lost their lives during Katrina, the thousands more New Orleanians who lost their land and legacies, and the hundreds of thousands of people who are impacted by deadly storms in the United States each year. 

Looking back, Nayyir can see how these experiences growing up in post-Katrina Louisiana shaped their advocacy and approach to community organizing. 

“My time in Southeast Louisiana taught me a lot about people-centered advocacy. Even if we haven’t experienced something at its most extreme, we can find a way to understand the root of it by looking at our lives and the places we live. Ocean Conservancy has helped me to grow in how and why we must work across government agencies and lines to protect our ocean and the people who rely on it.”

Ocean Conservancy works alongside NOAA as a science-led advocacy organization mobilizing federal, state and local action for our ocean. Every investment in NOAA translates into vital seconds, hours and days of response time for communities when hurricane season strikes. The more data we can collect and use to predict the behavior and patterns of storms, the better we can respond and prevent tragedies.

Each year, storm season is intensifying from climate change—and not just on our coasts. Communities throughout the U.S. are affected by hurricanes and floods that threaten lives and livelihoods. We all rely on NOAA’s vital research and tools for weather prediction and extreme weather warnings. These services are a lifeline we cannot afford to lose. 

Call on your Congress members today and insist they support full funding and operation of NOAA.

The post Honoring New Orleans 20 Years After Hurricane Katrina Means Protecting NOAA appeared first on Ocean Conservancy.

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