Updated at 4:46 p.m. EST.

The Commerce Department agency that oversees everything from daily weather forecasts to storm warnings, climate monitoring and fisheries management would be transferred to the Interior Department under an ambitious plan of government consolidation announced by the president today.

In an address, President Obama proposed merging six government agencies that primarily oversee business and trade into one, a move designed to "help businesses grow, save businesses time and save taxpayer dollars."

As part of the plan, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration would be transferred to Interior, an agency charged with managing energy development, recreation, wildlife and other resources on roughly one-fifth of the nation's land and virtually all of its oceans.

An Interior spokesman said the White House would release more details this afternoon.

NOAA conducts oversight of marine mammals, some endangered species and offshore oil and gas drilling and other coastal developments. While NOAA has no organic legislation, it was not immediately clear whether the president would need congressional approval for the move.

"As it turns out, the Interior Department is in charge of salmon in fresh water, but the Commerce Department handles them in saltwater," Obama said this afternoon, echoing a joke he delivered at last year's State of the Union speech. "No business or nonprofit leader would allow this kind of duplication or unnecessary complexity in their operations. So why is it OK in our government? It's not. It has to change."

Obama asked Congress to grant him authority that past presidents, as recently as Ronald Reagan, have received in order to streamline and consolidate government agencies.

"Let me be clear: I will only use this authority for reforms that result in more efficiency, better service and a leaner government," he said.

Previous administrations have had discussions about moving NOAA to Interior to create one resource agency. But NOAA officials in the past have quietly opposed the idea. NOAA has some autonomy within the Commerce Department, and the agency's leaders could have less control when under a new department.

Some oceans advocates have feared what would happen to the agency if swallowed into Interior, which carries the dual mandate to protect and develop the nation's resources.

Obama proposed merging into one agency Commerce's core business and trade functions, the Small Business Administration, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, the Export-Import Bank, the Overseas Private Investment Corporation and the U.S. Trade and Development Agency.

Reporters Allison Winter and Jason Plautz contributed.