COMMON MAPS
Map version new-york activity top-down
Main site Contact
Menu
↑ parent activity group ·
research dossier

RIVERHEAD FDTN FOR MARINE RESEARCH & PRESERVATION

RIVERHEAD, NY · EIN 113343543 · Form 990 · FY2024 · NTEE D340 · Animal-Related · Small ($100K-$1M) · nymarinerescue.org
revenue
$860K
expenses
$761K
net assets
$834K
employees
3
volunteers
360
program ratio
86%
mission · from form 990

MARINE MAMMAL STRANDING & EDUCATION

profile · synthesized from sources

The Riverhead Foundation for Marine Research & Preservation operates the New York State Marine Mammal and Sea Turtle Stranding Program, responding to an average of 200 stranded marine animals annually, primarily seals. The organization provides rehabilitation for stranded pinnipeds—especially pups and yearlings—suffering from dehydration, injury, disease, or entanglement. Based in Riverhead, NY, it focuses on marine mammal rescue, rehabilitation, and public education about local marine species.

named programs · 1 · from sources

What they call their work

New York State Marine Mammal and Sea Turtle Stranding Program
Responds to an average of 200 stranded marine animals per year, primarily seals, providing rescue, rehabilitation, and release services across New York waters
activities · 6 groups

What they do

  • Wildlife Rehabilitation and Release 2 activities
    • 24-hour stranding reporting hotlines
      Operates a 24-hour hotline for reporting sea turtle sightings and a separate stranding hotline for reporting marine mammal strandings in New York State, enabling rapid response to incidents.
    • Marine mammal and sea turtle stranding response and rehabilitation
      Operates as the primary responder for sick or injured seals, sea turtles, dolphins, porpoises, and small toothed whales in New York State, providing rescue, medical care, and rehabilitation. The organization runs the only facility in New York State permitted to rehabilitate marine mammals and sea turtles, responding to an average of 200 stranded animals per year, primarily seals, and has rescued over 3,900 marine animals since 1996.
  • Marine and Coastal Education Programs 2 activities
    • Internship and field training program for aspiring marine rescuers
      Offers an internship program that provides hands-on and field training in marine mammal and sea turtle rescue and rehabilitation for undergraduate students and recent graduates, building workforce capacity in marine conservation.
    • Public and community education on marine conservation
      Offers educational programs for students and the public, including facility tours, classroom presentations, marine pollution labs, mock strandings, lectures on cold-stunned sea turtles, and beach cleanups. Also hosts a three-day Junior Marine Rescuer workshop for students entering grades 6–8, featuring hands-on projects, labs, and simulations, with sessions scheduled in July and August 2026.
  • Wildlife Monitoring and Field Research 2 activities
    • Scientific research on marine animal strandings and health
      Conducts research using stranding data to identify trends, detect viruses affecting endangered and threatened species, and assess the impact of marine debris on marine mammals and sea turtles in New York waters. The organization also tracks rehabilitated animals post-release using satellite, radio, and flipper tags to collect species data.
    • Seasonal cold-stun monitoring and response
      Conducts annual cold-stun patrolling across Long Island from September to January to monitor and respond to sea turtles and other marine animals affected by cold-stunning events.
  • Charity Event Organization 1 activity
    • Fundraising events for marine conservation and research
      Hosts annual fundraising events including a 5K run, a bar crawl (Turtle Crawl), and a charity running team participating in the New York City Marathon to support sea turtle conservation, marine research, and preservation efforts.
  • Beach and Waterway Cleanup Initiatives 1 activity
    • Marine debris reduction initiatives
      Organizes beach cleanups in local communities to remove marine debris and prevent harm to marine animals. Integrates stranding data into marine debris lectures and cleanup efforts to reduce pollution in New York waters.
  • Diagnostic Testing and Imaging Services 1 activity
    • On-site medical diagnostics for marine animals
      Conducts diagnostic testing including blood work, radiographs, and physical exams in an on-site laboratory to support the medical care and rehabilitation of stranded marine mammals and sea turtles.
financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$860K
Contributions & grants$808K94%
Program service revenue$51K6%
Investment income$7440%
Other revenue$0
expenses
Total expenses$761K
Program expenses86%
Admin / overhead9%
Fundraising4%
Salaries & benefits$441K
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$997K
Cash$836K
Investments$36K
Liabilities$162K
Net assets$834K
Liquid reserves13.8 mo
4 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue -12.5%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024

Who runs it

board members · 7
  • ALEX LAUREN — SECRETARY
  • BRIAN HALLINAN — DIRECTOR
  • BRIAN TYMANN — TREASURER
  • CHARLES BOWMAN — PRESIDENT
  • JOSEPH PETROCELLI — DIRECTOR
  • KAREN SOBEL LOJESKI — DIRECTOR
  • MAXINE MONTELLO — EXECUTIVE DIRECTO
relationships · 13

Who they work with

  • 631-369-9829 Government — 24-hour hotline for reporting sea turtle sightings
  • Moonfish Brewery Partner — Final stop on the Turtle Crawl, hosting raffle and evening festivities.
  • NOAA Fisheries Partner — Collaborates on marine mammal stranding response and enforcement of the Marine Mammal Protection Act.
  • NYMRC Partner — Corporate partner supporting marine conservation through sponsorship of rehabilitation, research, and education programs.
  • National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Government — Primary organization in New York State authorized to work with marine mammals and sea turtles by NOAA.
  • National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Fisheries Government — Approves release of rehabilitated animals back into the wild.
  • New York City Marathon Partner — Official charity partner, enabling Team NYMRC runners to fundraise through marathon participation.
  • New York Marine Rescue Center Partner — Collaborates with community partners to conduct marine debris lectures and beach cleanups.
  • New York State Marine Mammal and Sea Turtle Stranding Program Government — Operates the state's official stranding response program under authorization.
  • North Fork Brewing Company Partner — Third stop on the Turtle Crawl, offering craft brews and event participation.
  • Riverhead, NY Government — Hosts NYMRC events including the 5K Run for the Ridley and Turtle Crawl in Riverhead locations.
  • Twin Fork Beer Co Partner — Event check-in location and participant in the Turtle Crawl.
  • übergeek Brewing Co Partner — Second stop on the Turtle Crawl with event-specific programming.
strategies · 3

How they approach the work

Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.

  • Data-Driven Community Engagement for Behavioral Change
    methodology: data-driven_community_engagement
    By combining scientific data with public education and hands-on cleanups, the organization drives behavioral change in communities because experiential learning grounded in local data makes environmental issues tangible and motivates sustained action to reduce marine debris.
  • Integrated Conservation Approach
    methodology: integrated_conservation_approach
    By combining rescue, rehabilitation, research, and education, the organization advances marine conservation because each component reinforces the others—rescue and rehabilitation provide real-world data for research, which in turn informs public education and policy, creating a feedback loop that strengthens overall impact.
  • Research-Informed Conservation and Education
    methodology: research_informed_conservation
    By integrating rehabilitation with scientific research on stranding trends and human impacts, the organization informs targeted conservation strategies and public education, because data derived from real cases increases the credibility and effectiveness of outreach and policy advocacy.