Letter to the President - Senators Urge Trump to Fund National Sea Grant College Program

Letter

Dear President Trump:

As you work to complete your final Fiscal Year 2019 budget, we urge you to fund the National Sea Grant College Program at no less than current levels. The National Sea Grant College Program is a federal-local partnership that funds 33 university-based research, extension, and education centers. These centers are results-driven and provide vital resources to local businesses and communities in our states.

Sea Grant's work supporting waterfront and maritime businesses speaks for itself. The federal investment in Sea Grant centers yields $611 million in economic benefit, an 825% return on federal investment. This economic impact includes creating and sustaining 1,300 local businesses and 7,100 jobs. In 2016, Sea Grant helped 19,900 fishers adopt sustainable fishing practices and trained 2,002 people in safe seafood handling methods.

Sea Grant staff also assist communities with projects to become more resilient and preserve coastline habitat. In 2016, Sea Grant staff helped 300 communities improve coastal resiliency, aided 494 communities in adopting sustainable development practices, and supported 4,600 resource managers in using ecosystem-based management strategies. They also helped preserve or protect 1,400,000 acres of wildlife habitat.

Finally, Sea Grant is helping to educate the next generation of freshwater and marine scientists. Last year, Sea Grant programs reached 781,000 K-12 students and in 2016 Sea Grant supported over 2,300 undergraduate and graduate students.

Sea Grant is vital to local businesses and an important part of preserving coastal communities for generations to come. We encourage you to provide robust support for the program in your final Fiscal Year 2019 budget.

Sincerely,