Commercial Fisheries Research Foundation Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
THE MISSION OF THE COMMERCIAL FISHERIES RESEARCH FOUNDATION IS TO SUPPORT AND CONDUCT RESEARCH AND EDUCATION THAT ASSISTS IN THE ACHIEVEMENT OF SUSTAINABLE FISHERIES THROUGH THE GENERATION OF BETTER INFORMATION AND EFFECTIVE TECHNOLOGIES FOR THE BENEFIT
- Income
- $3.9 million
- Spending
- $4.0 million
- Spent on programs
- 84%
- Reserves
- 1.1 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 79%
- Employees
- 18
- Volunteers
- 0
- Highest pay
- $170,526, executive director
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Fair: 58 out of 100. Higher than 17% of charities in its peer group (animals, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
10 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 1.1 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 15% of what it owns.
Living within its means
8 of 15Spending exceeded income by 2% of income.
Income trend
5 of 15Income fell 19% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1584% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 93 out of 100. Higher than 64% of charities in its peer group (animals, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 2511 of 11 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
8 of 8Has a written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
0 of 7Reports no written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
10 of 10Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Pay set independently
5 of 5Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.
Independent check of accounts
15 of 15Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Impact evidence
Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.
Programs described in its return (5)
- $467,898 spent. REVOLUTION WIND VENTLESS TRAP SURVEY GATHERS INFORMATION ABOUT THE POPULATION, MOVEMENT AND HABITAT USAGE OF LOBSTERS AND JONAH CRABS IN THE LEASE AREA WHERE THE REVOLUTION WIND FARM IS BEING CONSTRUCTED. THE SURVEY WILL BE CONDUCTED BEFORE, DURING AND AFTER THE BUILDING OF THE WIND FARM TO DETERMINE WHETHER THE CONSTRUCTION IMPACTS THESE SPECIES.
- $540,641 spent. SUNRISE WIND TRAWL SURVEY IS A COLLABORATION BETWEEN CFRF AND THE UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS DARTMOUTH SCHOOL FOR MARINE SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY AND LOCAL FISHERMEN. THE SURVEY IS DESIGNED TO ASSESS THE SEASONAL ABUNDANCE, DISTRIBUTION AND POPULATION STRUCTURE OF FISH IN THE REVOLUTION AND SUNRISE WIND LEASE AREAS PRIOR TO THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE REVOLUTION WIND FARM AND SUNRISE WIND FARM.
- $1.1 million spent. CFRF IN PARTNERSHIP WITH LOCAL FISHERMEN ARE CONDUCTING PRE- CONSTRUCTION FISHERIES MONITORING SURVEYS OF THE SOUTH FORK OFFSHORE WIND FARM. IT INCLUDES UP TO 15 WIND TURBINE GENERATORS,SUBMARINE CABLES BETWEEN TURBINES AND OFFSHORE SUBSTATION. THE PROJECT AIMS TO COLLECT PRE-CONSTRUCTION DATA ON 1)THE ABUNDANCE,SIZE STRUCTURE, AND DISTRIBUTION OF MARINE SPECIES AND 2)OCEANOGRAPHIC DATA THAT CAN BE USED TO CHARACTERIZE THE CONDITIONS OF THE SOUTH FORK WIND FARM LEASE AREA.
- $1.2 million spent. THE BLACK SEA BASS RESEARCH FLEET, SHELF RESEARCH, SEA SCALLOP PROGRAMS, SQUID JIGGING AND OTHER PROJECTS ARE MAINTAINED AND OVERSEEN BY CFRF THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
- THE BLACK SEA BASS RESEARCH FLEET, SHELF RESEARCH, 1221459. 0. 1333496.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Legitimacy checks
Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.
Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.
Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.
Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.
On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.
Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending June 2025.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since December 2008.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.
Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.
Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 21, 2026.
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