Senate Approves Funding to Keep NOAA Fisheries Operating Through 2026

January 28, 2026
12:50 pm

▶

Listen to Article

In a move that flew under the radar amid the usual D.C. fireworks, the U.S. Senate just greenlit funding to keep NOAA Fisheries humming through 2026, ensuring the agency's enforcement arm—think heavily armed agents patrolling coastal waters—stays fully operational. This isn't some sleepy budget line item; NOAA's Office of Law Enforcement boasts over 300 commissioned officers with full arrest powers, sidearms like the Glock 19, patrol rifles, shotguns, and even less-lethal options like the TASER 10, all deployed to crack down on illegal fishing, smuggling, and environmental violations. While the surface story from Keith Lusher's Fishing report paints it as a win for sustainable seafood, dig deeper: this pours millions into expanding their fleet of patrol vessels and surveillance tech, from drones to radar-equipped cutters, turning America's waterways into a federal fiefdom patrolled by badge-wielding bureaucrats. For the 2A community, this is a stealthy reminder of government overreach creeping into everyday American life—far from the border or battlefield, these NOAA enforcers exemplify how alphabet agencies are increasingly militarized. Remember the 2022 scandals where NOAA agents were caught in turf wars with local sheriffs over jurisdiction, or the quiet push for more AR-15 platforms in their arsenal? This funding locks in that expansion, potentially justifying broader surveillance powers under the guise of conservation. Pro-2A folks should see it as exhibit A in the case against unchecked federal spending: every dollar sustains not just fish cops, but a blueprint for domestic control that could one day scrutinize your own boat or backwater hunting spot. It's why we fight for Second Amendment protections—to keep armed feds in check, not proliferating them like chum in the water. The implications ripple outward: with NOAA's budget ballooning amid Biden-era green agendas, expect more crossover enforcement with ATF or EPA on environmental crimes involving firearms, like unregulated duck hunts or coastal carry. 2A advocates, mark your calendars for 2026 oversight hearings—this is prime time to demand transparency on their armory acquisitions and training protocols. In the end, while fishermen cheer steady ops, we're left asking: who watches the fish watchers? Stay vigilant, arm informed, and keep pushing back against the tide of federal firepower.

Best FFL Software Ranked and Compared!

In a move that flew under the radar amid the usual D.C. fireworks, the U.S. Senate just greenlit funding to keep NOAA Fisheries humming through 2026, ensuring the agency’s enforcement arm—think heavily armed agents patrolling coastal waters—stays fully operational. This isn’t some sleepy budget line item; NOAA’s Office of Law Enforcement boasts over 300 commissioned officers with full arrest powers, sidearms like the Glock 19, patrol rifles, shotguns, and even less-lethal options like the TASER 10, all deployed to crack down on illegal fishing, smuggling, and environmental violations. While the surface story from Keith Lusher’s Fishing report paints it as a win for sustainable seafood, dig deeper: this pours millions into expanding their fleet of patrol vessels and surveillance tech, from drones to radar-equipped cutters, turning America’s waterways into a federal fiefdom patrolled by badge-wielding bureaucrats.

For the 2A community, this is a stealthy reminder of government overreach creeping into everyday American life—far from the border or battlefield, these NOAA enforcers exemplify how alphabet agencies are increasingly militarized. Remember the 2022 scandals where NOAA agents were caught in turf wars with local sheriffs over jurisdiction, or the quiet push for more AR-15 platforms in their arsenal? This funding locks in that expansion, potentially justifying broader surveillance powers under the guise of conservation. Pro-2A folks should see it as exhibit A in the case against unchecked federal spending: every dollar sustains not just fish cops, but a blueprint for domestic control that could one day scrutinize your own boat or backwater hunting spot. It’s why we fight for Second Amendment protections—to keep armed feds in check, not proliferating them like chum in the water.

The implications ripple outward: with NOAA’s budget ballooning amid Biden-era green agendas, expect more crossover enforcement with ATF or EPA on environmental crimes involving firearms, like unregulated duck hunts or coastal carry. 2A advocates, mark your calendars for 2026 oversight hearings—this is prime time to demand transparency on their armory acquisitions and training protocols. In the end, while fishermen cheer steady ops, we’re left asking: who watches the fish watchers? Stay vigilant, arm informed, and keep pushing back against the tide of federal firepower.

Share this story