The U.S. Senate has confirmed a new leader to head the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s fisheries division, the agency responsible for managing the nation’s marine fisheries and conserving protected ocean species.
The Senate approved Timothy Petty as the new Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere, the top position overseeing NOAA Fisheries, on Dec. 19, 2025. The confirmation follows Petty’s nomination by the White House and a Senate hearing in October where lawmakers questioned him on fisheries management issues, including stock assessments and disaster relief funding.
A geologist, Petty previously served as a senior staffer for the U.S. House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee’s Subcommittee on Water and Environment, and as Assistant Secretary for Water and Science at the Department of the Interior from 2018 to 2021.
Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, said Petty will oversee U.S. fisheries programs and coastal ocean resource protection in his role as second-in-command at NOAA. It is expected Petty will also serve as NOAA Deputy Administrator.
