The Northeast Fisheries Science Center (NEFSC)—a branch of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) with an office in Woods Hole—has seen a 27 percent reduction in staff since President Donald Trump took office, according to current and former NOAA employees, who asked not to be named in this story for fear of retaliation.
In addition to the lab in Woods Hole, the NEFSC has four other offices—one each in Rhode Island, New Jersey, Connecticut and Maine. It is not yet clear how many of the departed staff worked in Woods Hole, which is described on the NOAA Fisheries website as the “focal point for the Northeast Fisheries Science Center's operations, management and information needs.”
The 27 percent reduction in staff includes people who took early retirement or voluntary separations. It also includes individuals who were let go as “probationary” employees—new hires or employees who have moved into a new role.
NOAA declined to comment, citing a policy at the agency not to discuss internal personnel matters. This reduction in staff comes as part of the Trump administration’s efforts to reduce federal spending.
Among the departed staff is Teri Frady, chief of research communications for the NEFSC, whose last day in the federal service was April 30, according to an email from Frady. She did not respond to CAI’s request for an interview.
NOAA Fisheries is a branch of NOAA that is divided into five different regions. NEFSC covers the northeast and mid-Atlantic. NOAA Fisheries aims to protect the ocean around the United States and maintain sustainable and productive fisheries, according to its website.
NEFSC’s Woods Hole office faced other irregularities last week. In an email shared with CAI, a NOAA official announced that, due to a lapse in the office’s janitorial contract, staffers would be responsible for emptying their trash and recycling and cleaning restrooms at the end of each day. They were also told they would be expected to manage security concerns, as gate closures and windows would no longer be handled by maintenance.
In addition, the Woods Hole Science Aquarium—which is part of NEFSC’s Woods Hole office—had to close its indoor exhibits for two days last week because of the lack of janitorial services. The aquarium and the adjacent lab were under one service contract, according to Frady.
Late last week, a NOAA spokesperson announced that the aquarium’s indoor exhibits would reopen on Monday, indicating that a new janitorial contract was in place.
