The Clearwater Marine Aquarium has been forced to furlough staff and cut salaries following significant hurricane damage.

CEO Joe Handy explained that the drastic cost-cutting measures stem from the low attendance numbers caused by last year’s storms, which heavily impacted the nonprofit’s primary revenue source: ticket sales.

If you’re a Tampa Bay resident, you’ve likely visited the dolphins, otters, and other sea life that call the aquarium home. However, Hurricanes Helene and Milton left behind structural damage and disrupted attendance, putting the organization in a tough financial position.

As of Jan. 20, 50 of the aquarium’s 175 employees—22 full-time and 28 part-time—have been furloughed for two to three months. Leadership has also taken salary cuts, with percentages increasing for higher-level staff, including Handy.

Attendance sharply declined when residents evacuated ahead of Hurricane Helene, and it never fully recovered after Hurricane Milton. Additionally, key infrastructure, such as water pumps and life-support systems critical to the animals’ care, suffered damage. Handy noted that the manatees had to be relocated, and renovations are underway.

“It wasn’t an easy decision to furlough staff,” Handy said. “We explored several other cost-saving options, including bringing in third-party vendors to offset expenses.”

Despite these challenges, Handy remains optimistic. “The hope is to bring those team members back as attendance picks up during spring break and into the summer.”

To help stabilize finances, the aquarium plans to ramp up marketing efforts to attract visitors and is urging the community to support its upcoming Rising Tides campaign, which will soon relaunch.

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(Image credit: Clearwater Marine Aquarium)