The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration oversees marine fisheries and conducts research on climate, weather and the ocean. This executive branch agency, overseen by the U.S. Department of Commerce, comprises six main offices, including the National Weather Service, which monitors and predicts the weather, and the National Marine Fisheries Service, which manages fish and other marine animals. NOAA maintains accurate nautical charts for navigation; tracks changes in the Earth’s climate and weather via satellite; and supports research on Pacific salmon recovery, aquatic invasive species, ocean acidification and other issues. Its 2016 budget was about $6 billion, and the agency employs about 12,000 people.
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