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DEQ deputy warns cuts threaten Marine Fisheries' science and monitoring capacity
Summary
DEQ Chief Deputy Secretary John Nicholson told the commission the department has lost positions and appropriated funding over 15 years and faces an immediate $2.9 million reduction in the base budget that will likely reduce full‑time equivalents and affect monitoring, stock assessment and equipment maintenance for the Division of Marine Fisheries.
John Nicholson, Chief Deputy Secretary at the Department of Environmental Quality, told the Marine Fisheries Commission the department and division face significant long‑term fiscal challenges that affect the division’s ability to conduct scientific monitoring and stock assessment. Nicholson said the division has lost 42.5 positions and nearly $8 million in appropriated dollars over the past 15 years and that the department’s current base budget includes $2.6 million in cuts that must be found before Oct. 1 and another $600,000 by June 30 — a total of about $2.9 million in reductions to appropriated funds.
Nicholson said the division has offset some losses by leveraging federal grants and receipts, but that reliance on grants (the department is about two‑thirds grant/receipt funded) leaves the division vulnerable when federal funds are delayed or cut. He flagged staffing shortages, the difficulty of recruiting qualified coastal scientists at competitive coastal wages, and overdue federal program funding (a cited example of roughly $500,000 in overdue program funds). He urged commissioners to use their contacts and voice with decision‑makers to highlight the need for sustained state support for fishery science and infrastructure.
Commissioners thanked Nicholson and asked technical follow‑ups about vacancy rates, possible public engagement actions, and whether the commission could help the department advocate for restored appropriations and vessel/survey funding. Staff and commissioners discussed next steps for documenting resource needs and sending a commission letter to the legislature requesting additional support for monitoring, a new survey vessel and position stabilization.
