The federal government is discontinuing a $4.5 million grant program for Maine Sea Grant, a key fisheries organization, as part of broader budget cuts to NOAA under President Trump’s administration. The decision, which was communicated to the University of Maine System, terminates a four-year funding agreement, leaving 20 employees and Maine Sea Grant’s programming in limbo. The program, which supports coastal communities, sustainable fisheries, and climate research, has been deemed “no longer relevant” to the administration’s priorities. The cuts align with a larger effort to reduce NOAA’s budget and workforce, though it remains unclear if other Sea Grant programs nationwide will be affected.