Monterey Bay Aquarium Foundation
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
THE MISSION OF THE MONTEREY BAY AQUARIUM IS TO INSPIRE CONSERVATION OF THE OCEAN. MILLIONS OF PEOPLE WORLDWIDE DRAW INSPIRATION FROM THE AQUARIUM AND LOOK TO US TO ADVOCATE FOR THE OCEAN AND ITS WILDLIFE.
- Income
- $208.1 million
- Spending
- $123.5 million
- Spent on programs
- 81%
- Reserves
- 45.6 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 49%
- Employees
- 658
- Volunteers
- 1,213
- Highest pay
- $474,067, chief development officer
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Strong: 100 out of 100.
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 45.6 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 3% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 41% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 34% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1581% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 7 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 100 out of 100.
Independent board
25 of 2517 of 18 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
7 of 7Has a 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 December 31, 2024, 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 (3)
- $77.7 million spent. ANIMAL CARE AND AQUARIUM EXPERIENCE: MARINE LIFE EXHIBITION AND CARE EXPENSES OF $77,717,140 INCLUDE THE COST OF OPERATING AND MAINTAINING THE AQUARIUM'S LIVING EXHIBIT GALLERIES. WE CELEBRATED OUR 40TH ANNIVERSARY IN 2024, ALLOWING US TO LOOK BACK ON FOUR DECADES OF INNOVATIVE EXHIBITS, AMAZING ANIMALS, AND INSPIRING OUR GUESTS OF ALL AGES AND BACKGROUNDS. SETTING THE BAR FOR AQUARIUM EXHIBITIONS: FROM THE ICONIC KELP FOREST TO THE MOST RECENT INTO THE DEEP/EN LO PROFUNDO, OUR EXHIBITS HAVE SHOWCASED SPECIES NEVER SEEN ELSEWHERE, INSPIRED THE PUBLIC TO TAKE CONSERVATION ACTION, AND SET THE HIGHEST BAR FOR EXHIBIT DESIGN. OUR EXHIBITIONS HAVE PUSHED THE BOUNDARIES OF TECHNOLOGY AND EXHIBITION STANDARDS FOR OURSELVES AND ACROSS THE INDUSTRY. THE EXPERIENCE AND KNOWLEDGE WE'VE GAINED ARE THE FOUNDATION THAT WILL ALLOW US TO CONTINUE TO SURPRISE AND DELIGHT MILLIONS OF GUESTS IN THE YEARS TO COME. OVER THE YEARS, WE'VE INTRODUCED NEW ELEMENTS TO OUR PERMANENT GALLERIES, FROM CUSTOM-COMPOSED MUSIC TO INTERACTIVE EXHIBIT ELEMENTS, ONE-OF-A-KIND FILM AND VIDEO DISPLAYS, AND BILINGUAL LABELS-INNOVATIONS WE PIONEERED IN OUR SPECIAL EXHIBITIONS. AND OUR EXHIBITS HAVE SPARKED CONSERVATION ACTION, SUCH AS THE FISHING FOR SOLUTIONS EXHIBITION THAT BEGAN A MOVEMENT TO RAISE CONSUMER AWARENESS WORLDWIDE ABOUT THE RISKS OF OVERFISHING, THE WORK THAT BECAME OUR RESPECTED SEAFOOD WATCH PROGRAM. WE'VE ALSO HIGHLIGHTED SOME OF THE UNIQUE AND WONDERFUL ANIMALS WHOSE HABITATS ARE MOST AT RISK DUE TO CLIMATE CHANGE AND OTHER HUMAN IMPACTS, SUCH AS SEAHORSES, TUNAS, AND SEA TURTLES. AMAZING ADVANCES IN JELLY CARE: DISPLAYING DEEP-SEA JELLIES IS POSSIBLE IN PART BECAUSE OF A ONE-OF-A-KIND LIFE SUPPORT SYSTEM WE DESIGNED THAT ALLOWS US TO RECREATE SOME OF THE MORE CHALLENGING PARAMETERS OF THE DEEP-SEA ENVIRONMENT. IT'S A COMPLEX, INNOVATIVE SYSTEM THAT USES GEL MEMBRANES, COMPRESSED GAS, AND COUNTERCURRENT FLOW TO MAINTAIN REDUCED OXYGEN AND PH LEVELS. SIGNIFICANTLY, THE SYSTEM ALSO ENABLES US TO CUSTOMIZE THE EXHIBIT ENVIRONMENT TO SUIT THE VARIED NEEDS OF DIFFERENT SPECIES. INSPIRING OUR YOUNGEST VISITORS: NEARLY ONE-THIRD OF OUR GUESTS VISIT IN FAMILY GROUPS THAT INCLUDE CHILDREN. AS A LEADER IN CONSERVATION EDUCATION, THE AQUARIUM HAS A STRONG TRADITION OF EXHIBITIONS AND PROGRAMS THAT ENGAGE YOUNG CHILDREN AND THEIR FAMILIES. OUR GOAL IS TO FOSTER EMPATHY AND CARE IN YOUNG PEOPLE FOR THE NATURAL WORLD AROUND THEM. IN 2024, WE WELCOMED 326,225 CHILDREN UNDER THE AGE OF 13 TO THE AQUARIUM TO EXPLORE AND LEARN FROM OUR MARINE HABITATS. OUR EXHIBITS ARE INFORMAL SCIENCE-LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS FOR YOUNG LEARNERS. WHEN OUR YOUNGEST VISITORS COME TO THE AQUARIUM, THEY CAN VIEW AND INTERACT WITH A WIDE VARIETY OF MARINE ANIMALS. THEY CAN OBSERVE HOW ANIMALS MOVE IN THEIR ENVIRONMENTS AND EXPLORE THOSE MOVEMENTS WITH THEIR OWN BODIES THROUGH PLAY, INSPIRING EMPATHY FOR OCEAN LIFE. BY ENCOURAGING THIS KIND OF EMPATHY FOR MARINE ANIMALS EARLY ON, WE AIM TO INSPIRE THE NEXT GENERATION OF OCEAN STEWARDS. UNDERWATER EXPLORERS TOPS 50,000 DIVES: PARTICIPANTS IN OUR UNDERWATER EXPLORERS PROGRAM SURFACE SCUBA DIVE IN THE AQUARIUM'S GREAT TIDEPOOL, ACCOMPANIED BY TRAINED DIVE INSTRUCTORS. SINCE THE PROGRAM'S INCEPTION OVER 20 YEARS AGO, UNDERWATER EXPLORERS HAS SERVED MORE THAN 50,000 KIDS. THIS INCLUDES WELL OVER 1,500 WHO PARTICIPATED IN OUR DAYS OF DISCOVERY PROGRAM FOR CHILDREN AND YOUNG ADULTS WITH DISABILITIES. IN 2024, WE WELCOMED 2,749 UNDERWATER EXPLORERS; 62 PARTICIPATED DURING TWO DAYS OF DISCOVERY EVENTS. MAKING THE AQUARIUM MORE ACCESSIBLE TO ALL: SINCE OUR FOUNDING, THE AQUARIUM HAS ENGAGED WITH OUR LOCAL COMMUNITY THROUGH A VARIETY OF PROGRAMS-INCLUDING EDUCATION PROGRAMS AND FREE SCHOOL FIELD TRIPS, COMMUNITY ACCESS PROGRAMS AND ONSITE EVENTS, AND REGIONAL PARTNERSHIPS AROUND OCEAN POLICY AND SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH-ALL IN SERVICE OF OUR OCEAN CONSERVATION MISSION. IN 2024, WE EMBRACED NEW WAYS TO MEET PEOPLE WHERE THEY ARE, SUPPORT OUR NEIGHBORS, AND SHOW UP FOR OUR LOCAL COMMUNITIES. THE MOST IMMEDIATE RESULT WAS OUR PARTICIPATION IN THE NATIONAL MUSEUMS FOR ALL PROGRAM, THROUGH WHICH WE PROVIDE FREE AQUARIUM ADMISSION TO PEOPLE WHO RECEIVE FEDERAL FOOD ASSISTANCE AND UP TO THREE OF THEIR GUESTS. NEARLY 200,000 PEOPLE VISITED THE AQUARIUM THROUGH MUSEUMS FOR ALL FROM THE MAY 2024 LAUNCH THROUGH THE END OF THE YEAR. IN HONOR OF OUR 40TH ANNIVERSARY, WE EXTENDED COMPLIMENTARY ADMISSION TO THE LOCAL COMMUNITY TO VISIT THE AQUARIUM. IN TOTAL, 35,000 LOCAL PEOPLE VISITED FOR FREE DURING OCTOBER 2024. MOVING FORWARD, WE'LL CONTINUE TO REFINE AND EXPAND OUR OTHER COMMUNITY ACCESS PROGRAMS. THIS INCLUDES OUR COMMUNITY GROUP VISITS PROGRAM, PROVIDING COMPLIMENTARY ADMISSION TO ELIGIBLE NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS AND GOVERNMENT AGENCIES FOR VISITS WITH THE PEOPLE THEY SERVE.
- $8.7 million spent. EDUCATION AND OUTREACH: EDUCATION AND OUTREACH EXPENSES OF $8,734,219 INCLUDE THE COST OF EDUCATION PROGRAMS FOR TEACHERS, STUDENTS, AND EMERGING TEEN LEADERS. OUR COMMITMENT TO OFFERING FREE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS, WHICH DATES BACK TO OUR FOUNDING, IS STRONGER THAN EVER. THROUGHOUT 2024, OUR EDUCATION TEAM CONTINUED TO BUILD UP OUR MANY PROGRAMS FOR TEENS, TEACHERS, AND SCHOOLCHILDREN SO WE CAN FULFILL THE FULL POTENTIAL OF OUR BECHTEL FAMILY CENTER FOR OCEAN EDUCATION AND LEADERSHIP. FROM PRESCHOOL THROUGH HIGH SCHOOL AND BEYOND, OUR PROGRAMS BUILD EMPATHY, TEACH ABOUT THE WONDERS OF THE OCEAN, AND BUILD PARTICIPANTS' CONFIDENCE TO ACT. FREE FIELD TRIPS FOR SCHOOL CHILDREN: OUR BOARD HAD A VISION: WE WOULD PROVIDE FREE SCHOOL VISITS TO THE AQUARIUM TO ENSURE FUTURE GENERATIONS ARE SCIENCE AND OCEAN LITERATE. OVER THE PAST 40 YEARS, WE'VE WELCOMED MORE THAN 2.7 MILLION SCHOOLCHILDREN FOR AN EDUCATIONAL VISIT. DURING SCHOOL TRIPS, STUDENTS FROM PRE-K THROUGH COLLEGE AND THEIR TEACHERS LEARN ABOUT OCEAN ANIMALS AND ECOSYSTEMS AS THEY EXPLORE THE AQUARIUM GALLERIES OR PARTICIPATE IN A HANDS-ON OCEAN CONNECTION LAB. SOME JOIN US ONLINE FOR VIRTUAL TIDE TALKS. IN THE 2023-2024 SCHOOL YEAR, 37,146 SCHOOL CHILDREN PARTICIPATED IN FIELD TRIPS AND HANDS-ON PROGRAMS IN OUR LEARNING LABS. CURRENTLY, 40,000 STUDENTS VISIT EACH YEAR FOR FREE. WE'RE WORKING TO GROW THAT NUMBER BACK TO PRE-PANDEMIC LEVELS, WITH A PARTICULAR GOAL TO BETTER SERVE YOUNG PEOPLE FROM OUR LOCAL COASTAL COMMUNITIES OF COLOR WHO ARE MOST IMPACTED BY ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES. WE'RE ALSO EXPANDING OUR OUTREACH TO YOUTH BY WORKING WITH COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS AND LIBRARIES-TO CREATE NEW OPPORTUNITIES FOR THEM TO VISIT. IN ADDITION, WE'RE COLLABORATING WITH THESE PARTNERS TO DESIGN PROGRAMMING TO BE OFFERED AT COMMUNITY SITES. WE'RE HEARING INCREASINGLY MORE STORIES FROM CLASSROOM AND INFORMAL EDUCATORS WHO VISITED THE AQUARIUM AS STUDENTS AND ARE NOW BRINGING THEIR OWN STUDENTS BACK FOR A FIELD TRIP-A TESTAMENT TO THE GENERATIONAL IMPACT THESE TRIPS HAVE HAD OVER THE PAST 40 YEARS. MOBILIZING EDUCATORS FOR CONSERVATION: OUR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS FOR EDUCATORS HAVE REACHED OVER 38,000 TEACHERS IN OUR FIRST FOUR DECADES. WE OFFER PROGRAMS DESIGNED TO HELP TEACHERS GET THEIR STUDENTS EXCITED ABOUT LEARNING SCIENCE AND EXPLORING NATURE WHEREVER THEY LIVE. IN OCTOBER 2024, WE WELCOMED 80 CLASSROOM EDUCATORS TO THE KICKOFF OF ONE OF OUR PROGRAMS-THE CLIMATE ACTION PROJECTS SUMMIT, WHICH ENGAGES TEACHERS IN CLIMATE CHANGE LEARNING AND GIVES THEM THE TOOLS TO HELP THEIR STUDENTS INNOVATE MEANINGFUL CHANGE IN THEIR COMMUNITIES. WE WELCOMED ELEMENTARY, MIDDLE, AND HIGH SCHOOL TEACHERS TO THIS YEAR'S SUMMIT. BACK IN THEIR CLASSROOMS, TEACHERS SUPPORTED STUDENTS IN DESIGNING AND IMPLEMENTING CLIMATE CHANGE PROJECTS. THE EDUCATORS RETURNED FOR A MID-YEAR CHECK-IN IN FEBRUARY 2025, AND STUDENTS PRESENTED THEIR PROJECTS AT A FINAL SYMPOSIUM IN MAY 2025. ENGAGING TEENS IN CONSERVATION LEARNING: STARTING WITH THE STUDENT OCEANOGRAPHY CLUB DECADES AGO, OUR PROGRAMS FOR TEENS HAVE GONE THROUGH MULTIPLE ITERATIONS AS WE'VE WORKED TO ADJUST CURRICULUM AND OFFERINGS TO THE DYNAMIC NEEDS OF YOUNG PEOPLE. SERVING MORE THAN 6,000 PARTICIPANTS, YOUTH PROGRAMS ARE A LAUNCHING PAD FOR ACADEMIC AND CAREER CHOICES THAT HAVE LED MANY OF OUR ALUMNI TO BECOME CONSERVATION ADVOCATES, TEACHERS, AND EVEN AQUARIUM EMPLOYEES. CURRENTLY, WE OFFER TWO PROGRAMS FOR TEENS-OUR OCEAN LEARNING ADVENTURES CAMP FOR MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS AND OUR TEEN CONSERVATION LEADERS PROGRAM FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS. LAST SUMMER, OUR OCEAN LEARNING ADVENTURES CAMP ENGAGED 106 STUDENTS ACROSS FOUR WEEKS. THIS EXPERIENCE AIMS TO GET STUDENTS EXCITED ABOUT THEIR CONNECTION TO THE OCEAN, AND PARTICIPANTS TOOK PART IN A VARIETY OF ACTIVITIES DURING THE FIVE-DAY PROGRAM. IN 2024, HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS IN OUR SERVICE-LEARNING PROGRAM, TEEN CONSERVATION LEADERS, CHOSE FROM THREE DIFFERENT OPPORTUNITIES TO HONE THEIR SKILLS. IN TOTAL, WE WELCOMED 83 PARTICIPANTS TO THE SIX-WEEK EXPERIENCE. CELEBRATING OUR SHULTZ SCHOLARS: WE AWARDED OUR GEORGE P. SHULTZ FUTURE LEADERS SCHOLARSHIP TO A THIRD RECIPIENT IN 2024. THIS DONOR-ENDOWED PROGRAM SUPPORTS STUDENTS FROM NEARBY COMMUNITIES THAT ARE HISTORICALLY UNDERREPRESENTED IN THE SCIENCE AND CONSERVATION FIELDS. THE SCHOLARSHIP HONORS THE MEMORY OF GEORGE P. SHULTZ, WHO CHAIRED THE AQUARIUM'S LEADERSHIP COUNCIL, SERVED ON OUR BOARD OF TRUSTEES, AND ENJOYED A LONG CAREER IN PUBLIC SERVICE. EACH SHULTZ SCHOLARSHIP PROVIDES FULL TUITION, ROOM AND BOARD, AND ALL OTHER EXPENSES TO ATTEND CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, MONTEREY BAY. IT ALSO INCLUDES FOUR YEARS OF MENTORSHIP FROM AQUARIUM STAFF. OUR MOST RECENT SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENT PLANS TO STUDY MATHEMATICS AND ASPIRES TO BE A MATH PROFESSOR.
- $14.0 million spent. CONSERVATION AND SCIENCE: CONSERVATION AND SCIENCE COSTS OF $14,047,417 REPRESENT EXPENSES FOR MARINE POLICY AND ADVOCACY EFFORTS, THE GLOBAL SEAFOOD WATCH PROGRAM, AND FIELD RESEARCH. IN CALIFORNIA, WE'RE CONTINUING OUR LEADING ROLE IN THE RESEARCH, RESCUE, AND RECOVERY OF SOUTHERN SEA OTTERS. AT THE STATE AND FEDERAL LEVELS, WE'RE ADVANCING POLICIES TO PROTECT VULNERABLE COASTAL HABITATS, REDUCE PLASTIC POLLUTION, AND PROMOTE OCEAN-BASED CLIMATE SOLUTIONS. AROUND THE WORLD, WE'RE TRANSFORMING THE SEAFOOD INDUSTRY BY ENGAGING SEAFOOD PRODUCERS, BUSINESSES, AND GOVERNMENTS, INFORMING SEAFOOD PURCHASING STANDARDS, AND RATING THE SUSTAINABILITY OF FISHING AND AQUACULTURE PRACTICES. SUPPORTING SOUTHERN SEA OTTER RECOVERY: SINCE 1984, WE'VE BEEN WORKING TO ENSURE THE SUCCESSFUL RECOVERY OF THE THREATENED SOUTHERN SEA OTTER THROUGH RESEARCH, CONSERVATION, AND POLICY CHANGE. THIS YEAR, OUR SEA OTTER TEAM AUTHORED THREE SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH PUBLICATIONS IN HIGH-LEVEL JOURNALS ADDRESSING THE HISTORICAL CHANGES IN KELP ABUNDANCE AND SEA OTTERS IN CALIFORNIA, THE BIOLOGICAL BENEFITS OF TOOL USE BY SEA OTTERS, AND THE FORAGING ECOLOGY OF SEA OTTERS AT THE NORTHERN END OF THEIR RANGE. THIS RESEARCH IS CRITICAL TO HELPING SCIENTISTS AND RESOURCE MANAGERS PLAN FOR THE FUTURE OF SOUTHERN SEA OTTER RECOVERY. WE ALSO EXPANDED OUR CAPACITY TO HOUSE OTTERS IN NEED OF CARE BY COMPLETING OUR NEW SEA OTTER CONSERVATION CENTER. THIS FACILITY WILL SUPPORT OUR RESCUE AND REHABILITATION WORK BY PROVIDING ESSENTIAL SPACES WHERE INJURED AND ILL SEA OTTERS CAN HEAL AND STRANDED PUPS CAN LEARN THE SURVIVAL SKILLS THEY NEED TO RETURN TO THE WILD. THE CENTER WILL SUPPORT OUR SEA OTTER SURROGACY PROGRAM, WHERE WE PAIR RESCUED, STRANDED PUPS WITH NON-RELEASABLE FEMALE SEA OTTERS IN OUR CARE. WHEN THEY'RE NOT DELIGHTING OUR GUESTS, OUR EXHIBIT OTTERS HELP RAISE THE PUPS AND TEACH THEM TO GROOM AND FORAGE. NEW RESEARCH TO INFORM KELP FOREST RECOVERY: KELP FORESTS ARE AN ICONIC AND ESSENTIAL CALIFORNIA ECOSYSTEM-SUPPORTING A HOST OF SPECIES. WHEN WE OPENED IN 1984, WE MADE IT A PRIORITY TO SHOWCASE THE TOWERING UNDERWATER WONDERS OF KELP FORESTS, WHICH MOST PEOPLE WOULD NOT OTHERWISE SEE, IN OUR TWO-STORY KELP FOREST EXHIBIT. BUT WILD KELP FORESTS ARE IN TROUBLE. FOR THE PAST 12 YEARS, WEST COAST KELP FORESTS HAVE SUFFERED CATASTROPHIC DECLINES DUE TO WARMING WATERS AND THE LOSS OF SEA STARS AND OTHER SPECIES THAT KEEP THE ECOSYSTEM IN BALANCE. WE MUST LEARN MORE, AND QUICKLY, ABOUT HOW KELP FORESTS FUNCTION AND WHAT MAKES THEM RESILIENT. AQUARIUM SCIENTISTS ARE CONDUCTING ESSENTIAL RESEARCH TO BETTER UNDERSTAND KELP FOREST ECOSYSTEMS AND THE FACTORS THAT CONTRIBUTE TO THEIR RECOVERY AND RESILIENCE. IN 2024 OUR SCIENCE TEAM CONDUCTED UNDERWATER RESEARCH IN MONTEREY BAY, SURVEYING SITES WITH KELP FORESTS IN VARYING CONDITIONS-SOME THAT PERSISTED THROUGH MARINE HEATWAVES, SOME THAT DECLINED BUT HAVE STARTED RECOVERING, AND OTHERS ESSENTIALLY DEVOID OF KELP AND DOMINATED BY URCHINS ON BARE ROCK (CALLED "URCHIN BARRENS"). RESEARCHERS COLLECTED DATA TO ASSESS THE DENSITY OF KELP, AND THE MOVEMENT, HEALTH, AND DENSITY OF INVERTEBRATES AND ALGAE ON REEFS IN EACH OF THESE HABITATS. THEY AIM TO DETERMINE WHAT FACTORS SUPPORT RECOVERING AND THRIVING KELP FORESTS. BLUEFIN TUNA: OLYMPIC ATHLETES OF THE OCEAN: BLUEFIN TUNA ARE AMAZING FISH THAT TRAVEL THOUSANDS OF MILES AT TOP SPEED AND MAINTAIN A BODY TEMPERATURE WARMER THAN THE SURROUNDING OCEAN. THEY ARE ALSO AMONG THE MOST DESIRED (AND ECONOMICALLY VALUABLE) FISH IN THE SEA. WITH TOO FEW RULES IN PLACE TO PREVENT OVERFISHING, ONCE-ABUNDANT PACIFIC BLUEFIN TUNA WERE HUNTED UNTIL JUST 2 PERCENT OF THEIR HISTORICAL POPULATION REMAINED. OVER THE PAST 30 YEARS, THE AQUARIUM HAS PLAYED A CENTRAL ROLE IN BRINGING THEM BACK. THERE'S STILL WORK TO DO, BUT THE PROSPECTS FOR THESE ICONIC FISH ARE MUCH BRIGHTER. THANKS TO INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION INFORMED BY SOLID SCIENCE, THE AQUARIUM'S MULTI-FACETED AND DECADES-LONG APPROACH TO TACKLING THE PROBLEM OF OVERFISHING PLAYED A KEY ROLE IN THEIR COMEBACK. IN OCTOBER 2024, FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER, OUR SEAFOOD WATCH PROGRAM MOVED SOME PACIFIC BLUEFIN TUNA FISHERIES OUT OF THE RED AS A SPECIES TO AVOID, PUTTING THEM BACK ON THE MENU FOR SEAFOOD LOVERS. THERE ARE STILL REASONS TO BE CAUTIOUS, BUT THIS IS REAL PROGRESS. OUR WORK TO RECOVER BLUEFIN TUNA HAS RANGED FROM INSPIRING MILLIONS OF GUESTS WITH EXHIBITS OF BLUEFIN AND YELLOWFIN TUNA, BOLSTERING THE SCIENCE BY TAGGING AND TRACKING TUNAS IN THE ATLANTIC AND PACIFIC, AND HIGHLIGHTING MANAGEMENT PROBLEMS THROUGH SCIENCE-BASED SEAFOOD WATCH RATINGS THAT EVALUATE THE SUSTAINABILITY OF GLOBAL FISHERIES. AQUARIUM POLICY STAFF TOOK ON OFFICIAL ADVISORY ROLES WITH U.S. GOVERNMENT DELEGATIONS TO INTERNATIONAL FISHERIES MANAGEMENT BODIES, COORDINATED WITH OTHER NGOS, AND WORKED DIRECTLY WITH OTHER NATIONAL DELEGATIONS. CELEBRATING 25 YEARS OF OUR SEAFOOD WATCH PROGRAM: IN 1997, WE OPENED A NEW EXHIBIT: FISHING FOR SOLUTIONS: WHAT'S THE CATCH? THE GOAL WAS TO INTRODUCE VISITORS TO THE INS AND OUTS OF COMMERCIAL FISHING AND AQUACULTURE WHILE EXPLORING SOLUTIONS TO PROBLEMS SUCH AS OVERFISHING, BYCATCH, AND COASTAL HABITAT DESTRUCTION. WE ALSO PLACED TENT CARDS ON OUR CAFE TABLES TO HIGHLIGHT THE SUSTAINABLE SEAFOOD THAT WE WERE SERVING. THESE CARDS PROVED IMMENSELY POPULAR-VISITORS TOOK THEM HOME AND WE RECEIVED A STEADY STREAM OF CORRESPONDENCE ASKING WHICH SEAFOOD ITEMS TO BUY OR AVOID. THE PUBLIC DEMAND FOR INFORMATION ABOUT SUSTAINABLE SEAFOOD WAS CLEAR. IN RESPONSE, WE LAUNCHED OUR SEAFOOD WATCH PROGRAM IN OCTOBER 1999, TO HELP CONSUMERS CHOOSE SEAFOOD FROM WELL-MANAGED FISHERIES AND FARMS. THE FISHING FOR SOLUTIONS EXHIBIT WAS TEMPORARY-BUT ITS LEGACY LIVES ON IN WAYS WE COULD NEVER HAVE IMAGINED. TODAY, WE ARE THE MOST RECOGNIZED SUSTAINABLE SEAFOOD RATINGS PROGRAM IN THE U.S. THIS COULD BE ATTRIBUTED TO OUR FIRM FOUNDATION IN SCIENCE AND POLICY. SINCE THE EARLY DAYS OF SEAFOOD WATCH, OUR SCIENTISTS HAV
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, 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 December 2024.
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 August 1978.
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.
Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.