BREMEN, Maine — Fishermen across the U.S. and seafood processors aiming to transition to environmentally friendlier systems are struggling due to frozen or inaccessible federal funding. This setback arises from significant budget cuts advocated by the Department of Government Efficiency under President Donald Trump.
These initiatives involve replacing diesel-powered engines and outdated cooling systems and have been championed by environmental groups as effective ways to minimize the seafood industry’s carbon emissions. Washington state salmon harvesters, Maine scallop distributors, and Alaskan halibut fishermen have reported that commitments from federal programs for new boat engines and refrigeration systems are now either revoked or under review.
“The uncertainty. This is not a business-friendly environment,” stated Togue Brawn, a seafood distributor from Maine, who has faced the loss of tens of thousands of dollars. “If they want to make America great again, then honor your word and tell people what’s going on.”
Environmental activists have recently targeted the fishing sector for decarbonization. A Marine Policy journal study notes that over 200 million tons of carbon dioxide were emitted by this industry in 2016. While this is less than agriculture’s contribution, it remains a significant factor in global emissions. Scientists stress that reducing fossil fuel use across various industries is crucial to combat climate change, especially as Earth faces increased extreme weather and record-high temperatures in 2024.
Climate-friendly projects often incur substantial costs, prompting fishermen to seek financial help from the U.S. Department of Agriculture or the Environmental Protection Agency. However, federal budget reductions spearheaded by the commission for government efficiency, DOGE, have targeted the funding of these agencies.
This financial strain leaves fishermen like Seattle-based Robert Buchmayr burdened with the costs. Buchmayr is concluding a salmon boat refrigeration project, having anticipated a $45,000 USDA grant to fund a portion. Last month, the agency informed him that his funding was on hold.
“I’m scrambling, where does the money come from. I was counting on the grant,” Buchmayr expressed. “I was under the impression that if you got a grant from the United States, it was a commitment. Nothing in the letter was saying, ‘Yes, we’ll guarantee you the funds depending on who is elected.’”
Fishermen are seeking clarity after receiving disappointing updates. The extent of the budget cuts remains unknown, and the affected fishermen have described the situation as chaotic and confusing.
Requests for comments from USDA and EPA representatives about the cuts’ scope and permanence were unanswered. Dan Smith from USDA Rural Development in Alaska mentioned that some grant updates might arrive in April.
In February and March, numerous fishermen, industry groups, and advocates for working waterfronts learned their grant money status had changed. Some were outright informed the funds would not be available, while others faced frozen funds subject to review.
Grant recipients have found it challenging to obtain updates from federal agencies. This lack of information has left many worried and searching for answers, according to Sarah Schumann, a Rhode Island fisherman and director of the Fishery Friendly Climate Action Campaign.
“They’ve started contacting me in the last couple of weeks because they’ve had the plug pulled on money that was already committed,” Schumann said. “If they miss a season they could go out of business.”
In Homer, Alaska, Lacey Velsko from Kaia Fisheries was optimistic about her decarbonization project, which depended on a USDA grant for a new boat refrigeration system. While successfully completing the project which now uses less fuel and yields better quality products, the funding has become unavailable, leaving Velsko with significant expenses to manage.
The funding cuts have also impacted seafood processors like Togue Brawn in Bremen, Maine. Brawn received part of a $350,000 USDA grant for Dayboat Blue, an initiative to distribute Maine seafood nationwide with reduced carbon emissions. However, she recently discovered the rest of the funds might not come through.
“This model can really help fishermen, it can help consumers, it can help communities,” Brawn highlighted. “What it’s going to do is it’s going to stop the program.”
The funding uncertainties underscore the chaotic nature of cutbacks implemented by the Trump administration. The government halted layoffs in nuclear weapons programs and reconsidered rehiring workers in food safety roles lost to mass firings. New tariffs on essential trading partners have further added to the confusion.
In Bellingham, Washington, EPA funding has been put on hold for five engine replacement projects involving three companies, stated Dan Tucker, executive director of the Working Waterfront Coalition of Whatcom County. He noted that this funding uncertainty hinders fishermen’s progress on projects beneficial to their enterprises and the broader community.
“A lot of the small guys are like, ‘Well, I really want to help out with climate change but I can’t afford it,’” Tucker explained.
