After Outcry, Monitors the Trump Administration Tried to Scrap Return to Sea

A 238-foot research ship set sail from Saturday to reinstall the first batch of monitors tied to a $368 million U.S. ocean observing network that the Trump administration earlier moved to dismantle. The system used about 900 deep-sea instruments anchored off Oregon, Washington, Alaska, North Carolina and the Irminger Sea between Greenland and Iceland, including seismic gear and robotic gliders near undersea features. Scientists and fishermen said the data—covering ecosystem health, currents, ocean acidity, heat waves and a key Atlantic current—has become even more important during a developing El Niño. After a New York Times report in June and bipartisan pressure led by Senators Jeff Merkley and Lisa Murkowski, the NSF reversed course and is now seeking feedback on whether the network still adds value.