Three recently fired NOAA researchers are speaking out about their team's important work protecting vulnerable species along the Northern California coast, which was abruptly disrupted last Thursday when over 800 probationary employees at the agency were fired.

Matt Koller, Allison Cluett, and Heather Welch were part of a team called the Climate, Ecosystems, and Fisheries Initiative at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), which has been working to create a nationwide support system providing timely climate change information, tools, and advice to agencies and nonprofits that manage the coast.

The researchers spoke to ABC7 about their work and how they fear the recent firings will impact the Northern California coastline for "generations to come." The trio's jobs involved protecting species along the coast, such as whales, great white sharks, salmon, and Dungeness crab.

Some of the projects they worked on include preventing collisions between commercial ships and whales, monitoring changing ocean temperatures, and anticipating threats to the habitats of different species.

The researchers are determined to continue their work in spite of the recent layoffs. Several state governments are looking to snap up former federal employees, including Hawaii, Washington State, Virginia, Pennsylvania, Maryland, and New York.

Considering California is home to the most federal workers in the country — according to Economic Policy Institute, here's hoping California is next in line, and this critical work protecting our coastline can continue.

Previously: Friday Morning Constitutional: Mass Layoffs Deal a Blow to NOAA

Image: Goat Rock, Sonoma County; Don McCullough/Flickr