September 29, 2023 — As the National Atmospheric and Oceanic Administration studies next steps for its Northeast Fisheries Science Center in Woods Hole, Barnstable County and state officials have joined forces to urge the agency to stay in the village.
To that end, the Barnstable County Board of Regional Commissioners endorsed a letter to NOAA from state Representative Dylan A. Fernandes (D-Barnstable, Dukes and Nantucket) on Wednesday, September 27.
“Moving NOAA’s facilities out of Woods Hole would not only fragment our scientific community, but would also further silo research, impede collaboration and the sharing of best practices between institutions, and negatively impact the oceanic sciences in our region for generations to come,” said the letter, which was co-signed by several other state legislators representing the Cape.
NOAA’s Northeast Fisheries Science Center was founded in 1871; a permanent facility was built on Water Street in 1885. The current building, still in the original location, dates back to 1961.