South Carolina shrimpers weigh costs, vote in crucial US midterms
News Source
β’Tue, 03 Nov 2026 17:22:45 +0000
π° What Happened
In Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, shrimpers went to the polls on Tuesday. Mark Marhefka has fished these waters for 49 years. He uses weather forecasts and ocean buoys from NOAA to judge when it is safe to go out.
He worries about President Trump's plan to cut spending at NOAA, the government agency that studies oceans and weather. The agency has lost about 20 percent of its staff since January 2025.
The proposed 2027 budget would cut ocean monitoring and end a programme that supports regional ocean watching. Storms and warm water have already hurt this year's season.
π The Backstory
NOAA runs weather forecasts, storm warnings and ocean data. Fishing crews, shipping firms and farmers all use it, and its forecasts are free to the public.
South Carolina's shrimpers face many pressures. Cheap imported shrimp have pushed prices down for years. Fuel, boats and repairs cost more each season.
Warm sea water and strong storms have also cut catches. Some families have sold their boats and left the trade their parents worked in.
π― Why It Matters
Fishing families rely on government weather data to stay safe and earn a living. Cuts to that service reach real boats and real incomes.
In Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, shrimpers went to the polls on Tuesday. Mark Marhefka has fished these waters for 49 years. He uses weather forecasts and ocean buoys from NOAA to judge when it is safe to go out.
He worries about President Trump's plan to cut spending at NOAA, the government agency that studies oceans and weather. The agency has lost about 20 percent of its staff since January 2025.
The proposed 2027 budget would cut ocean monitoring and end a programme that supports regional ocean watching. Storms and warm water have already hurt this year's season.
NOAA runs weather forecasts, storm warnings and ocean data. Fishing crews, shipping firms and farmers all use it, and its forecasts are free to the public.
South Carolina's shrimpers face many pressures. Cheap imported shrimp have pushed prices down for years. Fuel, boats and repairs cost more each season.
Warm sea water and strong storms have also cut catches. Some families have sold their boats and left the trade their parents worked in.
Fishing families rely on government weather data to stay safe and earn a living. Cuts to that service reach real boats and real incomes.