named programs · 2 · from sources
What they call their work
Offshore Wind and Whale Protection Initiative
Focuses on assessing and mitigating the impacts of offshore wind development on whale populations, including advocacy for responsible project siting and operations
Unusual Mortality Event (UME) Response
Engages in monitoring and response efforts related to unexpected marine mammal die-offs, particularly involving whales in Atlantic waters
activities · 6 groups
What they do
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Wildlife Monitoring and Field Research 2 activities
- Marine animal necropsies and mortality investigationsConducts necropsies on deceased marine mammals and sea turtles—including large whales, seals, dolphins, and sea turtles—to determine causes of death, collect biological samples, and support regional mortality investigations. The organization serves as a necropsy team lead for large whale mortality events and has performed necropsies on stranded humpback and minke whales.
- Marine mammal and sea turtle research and monitoringConducts aerial, vessel, and land-based surveys, satellite tagging of over 250 marine animals, and health assessments to monitor populations and study the effects of climate change, marine traffic, and other environmental threats. Research includes drone-based studies of humpback whales and mid-Atlantic population monitoring.
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Wildlife Rehabilitation and Release 2 activities
- Marine mammal and sea turtle stranding responseProvides year-round emergency response to stranded marine mammals and sea turtles in New York State, including live rescues, disentanglements, transport, and post-rescue care. The organization has responded to over 6,000 strandings and 85 large whale strandings since 2017, operating as part of the Greater Atlantic Region Stranding Network.
- Rehabilitation of injured and cold-stunned marine animalsOperates a Critical Care Triage Facility for endangered sea turtles and provides treatment for cold-stunned, injured, or distressed marine animals including sea turtles, seals, dolphins, and porpoises. Since inception, 93 of 125 Kemp’s ridley sea turtles have been successfully released, and multiple dolphins and porpoises have been rehabilitated and released.
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Beach and Waterway Cleanup Initiatives 1 activity
- Beach cleanups and coastal monitoringEngages the public in marine conservation through organized beach cleanups, beach patrols to identify sick or cold-stunned sea turtles, and collection of marine debris data along Long Island’s coastline for research use.
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Marine and Coastal Education Programs 1 activity
- Marine conservation education and outreachDelivers over 250 educational programs annually to schools, libraries, and community centers, and offers year-round public and private programs in virtual and in-person formats to raise awareness about marine ecosystems and human impacts.
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Annual Impact and Evaluation Reporting 1 activity
- Publication of organizational and scientific reportsPublishes annual and biannual newsletters, year-in-review summaries, and detailed reports documenting stranding responses, large whale mortality events, and organizational activities from 2020 through 2025.
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Uncategorized 1 activity
- Disaster and emergency response for marine lifeResponds to man-made disasters including oil spills and entanglements, and participates in regional disaster response efforts such as the Deepwater Horizon oil spill cleanup. The Specially Trained Animal Response Team (START) leads responses to unusual mortality events and entanglements in New York waters.
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financials · form 990 · fy2025
revenue
Total revenue$1.06M
Contributions & grants$169K16%
Program service revenue$887K84%
Investment income$00%
Other revenue$0
expenses
Total expenses$1.02M
Program expenses88%
Admin / overhead6%
Fundraising6%
Salaries & benefits$613K
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$508K
Cash$275K
Investments$0
Liabilities$34K
Net assets$474K
Liquid reserves3.2 mo
5 years on record · 2020–2025 · YoY revenue +20.2%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2025
Who runs it
paid leadership · 1
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| ROBERT A DIGIOVANNI JR | EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR/CHIEF SCIENTIST | 40 | $126K |
board members · 18
- ALANNA RUSSO — MEMBER
- ALFRED AMATO — MEMBER
- ANTHONY BASILE — MEMBER
- BARBARA BECKER — SECRETARY
- BRITTANY — ADIKES
- GARY ROZMUS — MEMBER
- JENNIFER DUPONT — MEMBER
- JOHN CUSH — MEMBER
- JOHN FRANCESCHINA — MEMBER
- JORDAN ZIEGLER — MEMBER
- KENNETH HENDERSON — MEMBER
- MATT ABOFF — MEMBER
- PAUL J TONNA — PRESIDENT
- SAMMY CHU — MEMBER
- THOMAS BARRACCA — MEMBER
- THOMAS TELESCA — VP/TREASURER
- TOM LOCASCIO — MEMBER
- WILLIAM HAUGLAND JR — MEMBER
relationships · 18
Who they work with
- Area Planning Committees Partner — Intends to work closely with Area Planning Committees to incorporate marine mammal and sea turtle response into their programs.
- Bureau of Ocean Energy Management Government — Conducts joint assessments on offshore wind survey impacts on marine mammals
- CBS New York Partner — Featured in CBS New York coverage on marine life deaths on Long Island.
- Fox 5 Partner — Featured in Fox 5 coverage on dying whales.
- Gotham Whale Partner — Collaborates on whale data collection in the New York Bight since 2011
- NOAA Government — Collaborates with NOAA on marine mammal and sea turtle response, including forensic investigations and oil spill preparedness in accordance with NOAA guidelines.
- NOAA Fisheries Government — Collaborates on marine mammal protection and references NOAA Fisheries' findings on offshore wind and whale mortality
- NOAA Fisheries Government — Collaborates with NOAA Fisheries on stranding investigations, following their protocols and contributing data for final necropsy reports.
- NOAA Fisheries Government — Partnered with AMSEAS to activate its Critical Care Triage Facility for endangered sea turtle rehabilitation.
- NYSDEC Government — Works with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) oil spill response program to facilitate rapid response when marine animals are encountered.
- National Geographic Partner — Featured in National Geographic reporting on whale deaths along the East Coast.
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Government — Funded the development of the Specially Trained Animal Response Team (START) and appointed staff as team leads for large whale necropsies.
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Government — Works under authorization from NOAA Fisheries for marine mammal and sea turtle stranding response activities.
- News 12 Long Island Partner — Featured in News 12 Long Island's Go Green segment.
- Regional Response Team Partner — Intends to work with the Regional Response Team to integrate marine mammal and sea turtle response into regional disaster planning.
- Robert A. DiGiovanni Jr. Government — Chief Scientist and nationally recognized marine biologist leading the organization's scientific work
- Stony Brook State University of New York Partner — Kimberly Durham serves as an adjunct instructor, teaching courses on sea turtle biology and marine mammal pathobiology.
- volunteers@amseas.org Partner — Primary contact point for volunteer coordination and program inquiries.
strategies · 4
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.
- Community-Engaged Stewardshipmethodology: community-engaged conservationBy involving local communities in beach cleanups, data collection, and education, the organization fosters long-term stewardship because participatory action builds personal investment in marine conservation.
- Conservation Through Actionmethodology: conservation-through-actionBy combining scientific research, field response, and community engagement, the organization drives tangible conservation outcomes because integrated action produces more effective and sustained environmental change than research or advocacy alone.
- Data-Driven Conservationmethodology: data-driven conservationBy collecting and analyzing field data from strandings, aerial surveys, and animal health assessments, the organization informs environmental management decisions because empirical evidence enables targeted, responsive, and scientifically valid conservation strategies.
- Incident Command Coordinationmethodology: incident_command_systemBy using the Incident Command System (ICS) and specialized response teams (START), the organization coordinates efficient, multi-organizational responses to stranding events because structured command frameworks improve operational effectiveness during crises.