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Fishery Foundation of California

EIN 94-2987019 · Crockett, CA

Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood75 out of 100GovernanceGood88 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

TO IMPROVE FISHERIES RESOURCES IN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA.

Income
$221,536
Spending
$202,493
Spent on programs
100%
Reserves
4.9 months of spending
Largest source of income
fees for its services, 100%
Employees
6
Highest pay
$62,740, president

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

Good: 75 out of 100. Higher than 52% of charities in its peer group (animals, under $250k).

  • Reserves

    20 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 4.9 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 1% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 9% of income.

  • Income trend

    5 of 15

    Income fell 14% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    100% of spending went to programs.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Good: 88 out of 100. Higher than 88% of charities in its peer group (animals, under $250k).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    6 of 6 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    8 of 8

    Has a written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    7 of 7

    Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.

  • Board minutes

    5 of 5

    Keeps minutes of board meetings.

  • Board sees the tax return

    0 of 10

    Did not give the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • Pay set independently

    5 of 5

    Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.

  • No reported misuse

    10 of 10

    Reports 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 (1)
  1. $202,493 spent. FISH AND HABITAT MONITORING: THE FISHERY FOUNDATION OF CALIFORNIA (FFC) HAS BEEN ACTIVELY INVOLVED IN THE SACRAMENTO/SAN JOAQUIN DELTA FOR 30 PLUS YEARS BOTH AS A STAKEHOLDER AND ACTIVE PARTICIPANT IN ITS ADAPTIVE MANAGEMENT. PAST AND PRESENT ACTIVITIES INCLUDE MONITORING AND EVALUATION OF RESTORED TIDAL AND SEASONAL WETLANDS, TRACKING TEMPORAL AND SPATIAL DISTRIBUTION OF SALMON AND STEEL HEAD, THE SPATIAL DOCUMENTATION OF FISH COMMUNITY ASSEMBLAGES, AND COLLECTION OF YEAR ROUND WATER QUALITY DATA. FFC HAS INCREASED AWARENESS OF DELTA ISSUES AND HAS FURTHERED THE SCIENTIFIC KNOWLEDGE BY PUBLISHING ITS MANY FINDINGS IN THE CALFED AND IEP ON JOURNALS AND ON THE COMPREHENSIVE ASSESSMENT AND MONITORING PROGRAM (CAMP) WEB SITE. FFC STAFF SERVE ON A NUMBER OF SCIENTIFIC ADVISORY COMMITTEES IN THE CENTRAL VALLEY. THE FFC IS CURRENTLY WORKING WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF WATER RESOURCES TO REDUCE THE NUMBER OF PREDATORY FISH IN CLIFTON COURT FOREBAY TO INCREASE SURVIVAL OF STATUS FISH MOVING THROUGHT THE FOREBAY. SALMON ACCLIMATION: FFC HAS BEEN ACCLIMATING STATE AND FEDERAL HATCHERY SALMON SINCE 1994. THE PROJECT HAS BEEN SHOWN TO INCREASE SURVIVAL OF THE SALMON BY 200-300 PERCENT. THE FFC ACCLIMATED 13.2 MILLION HATCHERY SALMON IN 2016-2017. IN TOTAL, THE FFC HAS ACCLIMATED OVER 120 MILLION SALMON SINCE THE START OF THE PROGRAM IN 1994. HABITAT RESTORATION: IN 2014-2018 THE FFC IMPLEMENTED PASSAGE AND HABITAT IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS IN THE COSUMNES RIVER WATERSHED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE US FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE. FFC PARTNERED IN THE FISH PASSAGE ASSESSMENT AT 6 BARRIERS IN STEVENS CREEK DURING THE SAME TIME PERIOD. FFC STAFF SERVE ON THE COSUMNES RIVER TECHNICAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE WHICH RAISES AWARENESS SURROUNDING COSUMNES RIVER FISHERY ISSUES AND GUIDES PRESENT AND FUTURE RESTORATION ACTIVITIES IN THE WATERSHED. CURRENTLY, THE FFC IS MONITORING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF PAST RESTORATION ACTIONS IN THE COSUMNES WATERSHED. STANILAUS HABITAT USE PILOT INVESTIGATION: THE FFC, IN COOPERATION WITH THE US BUREAU OF RECLAMATION IS CONDUCTING A PILOT STUDY TO DOCUMENT THE CHANGE IN HABITAT AND FISH DISTRIBUTIONS RELATIVE TO DISCHARGE. THE FCC, WILDLANDS AND THE INSTITUTE FOR NATURAL SYSTEMS ENGINEERING WILL TEAM TO IMPLEMENT THE STANISLAUS RIVER SALMONID HABITAT USE INVESTIGATION. THE PURPOSE OF THE STUDY BE TO DETERMINE FISH AND FISH HABITAT REPONSE TO DIFFERENT OPERATIONAL FLOWS FROM GOODWIN DAM INTO THE LOWER STANSLIAUS RIVER. FISH AND HABITAT MONITORING: THE FISHERY FOUNDATION OF CALIFORNIA (FFC) HAS BEEN ACTIVELY INVOLVED IN THE SACRAMENTO/SAN JOAQUIN DELTA FOR 30 PLUS YEARS BOTH AS A STAKEHOLDER AND ACTIVE PARTICIPANT IN ITS ADAPTIVE MANAGEMENT. PAST AND PRESENT ACTIVITIES INCLUDE MONITORING AND EVALUATION OF RESTORED TIDAL AND SEASONAL WETLANDS, TRACKING TEMPORAL AND SPATIAL DISTRIBUTION OF SALMON AND STEEL HEAD, THE SPATIAL DOCUMENTATION OF FISH COMMUNITY ASSEMBLAGES, AND COLLECTION OF YEAR ROUND WATER QUALITY DATA. FFC HAS INCREASED AWARENESS OF DELTA ISSUES AND HAS FURTHERED THE SCIENTIFIC KNOWLEDGE BY PUBLISHING ITS MANY FINDINGS IN THE CALFED AND IEP ON JOURNALS AND ON THE COMPREHENSIVE ASSESSMENT AND MONITORING PROGRAM (CAMP) WEB SITE. FFC STAFF SERVE ON A NUMBER OF SCIENTIFIC ADVISORY COMMITTEES IN THE CENTRAL VALLEY. THE FFC IS CURRENTLY WORKING WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF WATER RESOURCES TO REDUCE THE NUMBER OF PREDATORY FISH IN CLIFTON COURT FOREBAY TO INCREASE SURVIVAL OF STATUS FISH MOVING THROUGHT THE FOREBAY. SALMON ACCLIMATION: FFC HAS BEEN ACCLIMATING STATE AND FEDERAL HATCHERY SALMON SINCE 1994. THE PROJECT HAS BEEN SHOWN TO INCREASE SURVIVAL OF THE SALMON BY 200-300 PERCENT. THE FFC ACCLIMATED 13.2 MILLION HATCHERY SALMON IN 2016-2017. IN TOTAL, THE FFC HAS ACCLIMATED OVER 120 MILLION SALMON SINCE THE START OF THE PROGRAM IN 1994. HABITAT RESTORATION: IN 2014-2018 THE FFC IMPLEMENTED PASSAGE AND HABITAT IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS IN THE COSUMNES RIVER WATERSHED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE US FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE. FFC PARTNERED IN THE FISH PASSAGE ASSESSMENT AT 6 BARRIERS IN STEVENS CREEK DURING THE SAME TIME PERIOD. FFC STAFF SERVE ON THE COSUMNES RIVER TECHNICAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE WHICH RAISES AWARENESS SURROUNDING COSUMNES RIVER FISHERY ISSUES AND GUIDES PRESENT AND FUTURE RESTORATION ACTIVITIES IN THE WATERSHED. CURRENTLY, THE FFC IS MONITORING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF PAST RESTORATION ACTIONS IN THE COSUMNES WATERSHED. STANILAUS HABITAT USE PILOT INVESTIGATION: THE FFC, IN COOPERATION WITH THE US BUREAU OF RECLAMATION IS CONDUCTING A PILOT STUDY TO DOCUMENT THE CHANGE IN HABITAT AND FISH DISTRIBUTIONS RELATIVE TO DISCHARGE. THE FCC, WILDLANDS AND THE INSTITUTE FOR NATURAL SYSTEMS ENGINEERING WILL TEAM TO IMPLEMENT THE STANISLAUS RIVER SALMONID HABITAT USE INVESTIGATION. THE PURPOSE OF THE STUDY BE TO DETERMINE FISH AND FISH HABITAT REPONSE TO DIFFERENT OPERATIONAL FLOWS FROM GOODWIN DAM INTO THE LOWER STANSLIAUS RIVER.

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

  1. 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 September 7, 2026.

  2. 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 September 30, 2026.

  3. 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 September 10, 2026.

  4. 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 September 7, 2026.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since March 1986.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.

  6. 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 7, 2026.

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