Seafood Industry Research Fund

What Seafood Industry Research Fund does

The Seafood Industry Research Fund (SIRF) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1964 (originally as the Lewis Goldstein Memorial Fund, later renamed Fisheries Scholarship Fund, and rebranded to SIRF in 2017) that finances scientific research to advance the U.S. seafood industry. Headquartered in Reston, Virginia, with 1-10 employees, SIRF issues research grants to colleges, universities, and other institutions conducting work on seafood safety, nutrition, sustainability, and industry innovation, and maintains a searchable archive of more than 400 sponsored projects spanning its 60-year history.

SIRF operates a donation-based revenue model with no commercial products, technology offerings, or subscription pricing. Funding flows from individuals, corporations, and a portfolio of Perpetual Funds established as Memorials or Living Tributes honoring seafood industry figures (e.g., John P. Connelly, Wallace R. 'Wally' Stevens, Mike Gorton Sr.). Annual fundraising is anchored by the Benefit Soirée series — the 10th Annual raised $86,000 in January 2024, the 11th Annual $35,150 in January 2025, and the 12th Annual $29,800 in January 2026 — supplemented by the NFI Future Leader Alumni network (over $141,000 cumulative) and direct online donations via PayPal, credit card, and bank transfer.

The organization is institutionally affiliated with the National Fisheries Institute (NFI), the U.S. seafood industry's principal trade body, with NFI staff supporting operational functions and Board representation drawn from leading seafood companies including Sea Port Products, Harbor Seafood, Mazzetta, Lineage, CenSea, and Northwest Seafoods. SIRF's board directs research grant-making across a network of partner universities (Oregon State, Michigan State, North Carolina State, Northeastern, UCLA, University of Connecticut, University of Florida, Scripps, Virginia Tech, Hampton, Brandeis, University of North Dakota, and NOVA Southeastern), spanning topics from selenium-mercury dynamics and seafood fraud detection to bioplastics from byproducts and Omega-3 health interventions.

Name

Seafood Industry Research Fund

Legal name

Seafood Industry Research Fund

Website

https://sirfonline.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1964

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Seafood Industry Research Fund (SIRF) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1964 that funds scientific research grants at U.S. universities to advance seafood safety, nutrition, sustainability, and industry innovation, operating on donations via annual benefit events and perpetual memorial funds in affiliation with the National Fisheries Institute.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Nonprofit Research Funding

NAICS

Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Grantmaking and Giving Services (8132), Other Grantmaking and Giving Services (813219)

akta.pro primary industry

Research & Science Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Private Foundations (BPAGAKAA), Corporate Foundations & CSR Grantmaking (BPAGAKAC)

Keywords

• Seafood research funding
• Nonprofit research grants
• Scientific research grants
• Seafood industry nonprofit
• Marine science funding

Headquarters

HQ city

Mclean

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Contributions: SIRF's research and operating funds come entirely from generous donations made by individuals and corporations who support the mission of sponsoring scientific research of immediate and practical use by the seafood industry. The majority of funding is derived from several Perpetual Funds established as Memorials or Living tributes.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

SIRF is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that funds and facilitates scientific research grants for the seafood industry, supporting studies on seafood safety, nutrition, sustainability, and industry innovation. The organization raises funds through donations from individuals and corporations, maintains Perpetual Memorial and Living Tribute funds, and operates a searchable archive of more than 400 sponsored research projects. It also hosts annual Benefit Soirées to fund grants disbursed to colleges, universities, and other research institutions.

Product overview

The Seafood Industry Research Fund (SIRF) is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization that does not offer traditional technology products or services. Instead, SIRF's core offering is the funding and facilitation of scientific research grants for the seafood industry, supporting studies on seafood safety, nutrition, sustainability, and industry innovation. SIRF organizes annual benefit soirées to raise funds, manages various memorial and living tribute funds honoring industry leaders, and provides educational content about seafood research findings.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Seafood Research Grants Funding awards provided by SIRF to colleges, universities, and research institutions for scientific studies on seafood safety, nutrition, sustainability, and industry innovation. Recipients have included University of North Dakota, Oregon State University, Michigan State University, Northeastern University, NOVA Southeastern University, North Carolina State University, University of Florida, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, Virginia Tech, Hampton University, Brandeis University, UCLA, and University of Connecticut.
• Searchable Research Project Database Online searchable database providing public access to full-text findings from over 400 SIRF-sponsored research projects, available to researchers, industry members, and the general public.
• Perpetual Memorial and Living Tribute Funds Named endowment-style funds that honor industry leaders (such as the John P. Connelly Memorial Fund and the Wallace R. 'Wally' Stevens Living Tribute Fund) and provide perpetual named research funding streams. Donations may be made in recognition or honor of others.
• Annual SIRF Benefit Soirée Annual fundraising event hosted by the SIRF Board of Directors to raise donations for seafood industry research grants. Recent soirées have raised $86,000 (10th Annual, 2024), $35,150 (11th Annual, 2025), and $29,800 (12th Annual, 2026).

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 400 archived research projects in searchable database

Named customers3 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

18 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• National Fisheries Institute Future Leaders AlumnicoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 26 March 2026The NFI Future Leader Alumni network raised $14,000 at SENA to support SIRF and the Wallace R. 'Wally' Stevens Living Tribute Fund. Since inception, the alumni network has raised over $141,000 for seafood research.
• National Fisheries Institute (NFI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSIRF is affiliated with NFI. NFI's Future Leaders Program alumni support SIRF fundraising. SIRF Chairman Sean O'Scannlain and Secretary & Treasurer Lisa Wallenda Picard are associated with NFI. SIRF is led by NFI staff including Geraldine Espejo handling sponsorships.
• Pacific Fisheries Technologists (PFT)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerSIRF provides monetary prizes for student competitions at the annual PFT conference, supporting science communication skills and new generations of scientists in the seafood industry.
• Atlantic and Gulf Seafood Technology Conference (AGSTC)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerSIRF sponsors student paper awards at the annual AGSTC conference held at University of Miami Rosenstiel School of Marine Atmospheric and Earth Science.
• University of North Dakota (Dr. Nick Ralston)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSIRF funds Dr. Nick Ralston's research on selenium-mercury relationships in seafood, which has been pivotal in understanding the safety of seafood consumption and informing public health guidance.
• Michigan State University (Dr. Norbert Kaminski)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDr. Norbert Kaminski presented research on consumption of plastic particles through seafood at the 12th Annual SIRF Benefit Soirée.
• Oregon State UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSIRF funds research at OSU on chalky halibut detection using bioimpedance technology (Dr. Christina Dewitt and Dr. Angee Hunt) and seafood byproduct utilization (Dr. Jung Y Kwon).
• Northeastern University (Dr. Dan Distel)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSIRF funds research on fish species identification using FASTFISH-ID technology and building a reference collection of validated tissue and DNA samples for seafood authentication.
• NOVA Southeastern University (Dr. Robert Smith)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSIRF funds research on irradiation of finfish to help FDA approval for this food safety method.
• North Carolina State UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSIRF funds research exploring the ability to extract plasmalogens from marine organisms (sea squirts, bay scallops, ribbed mussels) for potential cognitive health benefits.
• University of Florida (Dr. Kevin E. Mis Solval)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSIRF funds research on bioplastic production from seafood byproducts including shrimp, catfish, and jellyfish.
• University of Florida (Dr. Paul Sarnoski)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSIRF funds research on rapid testing spoilage indicators for mahi-mahi and tuna using dye-based indicator strip testing methods.
• Scripps Institution of Oceanography (Jordan DiNardo)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSIRF funds PhD research on the efficacy of seafood ecolabels and rating programs as fisheries management tools.
• Virginia TechcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSIRF funds research on maintaining farmed fish health without antibiotics using antibody treatments.
• Hampton UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSIRF funds research on probiotic viability and microbial composition in aquaculture.
• Brandeis University (Dr. J. Aquiles Sanchez)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSIRF funds research on fast, cost-effective DNA barcoding for fish species identification to prevent seafood fraud.
• UCLA (Dr. William Aronson)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSIRF supports research on how Omega-3 fatty acids from fish can slow prostate cancer progression and benefit breast cancer survivors.
• University of ConnecticutcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSIRF supports research on Omega-3 dietary interventions for breast cancer survivors and pain reduction.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• National Fisheries Institute: Industry trade association for the U.S. seafood industry and SIRF's primary affiliate. Shares leadership overlap (SIRF chairman and secretary/treasurer are NFI-affiliated) and jointly drives seafood industry research, advocacy, and fundraising initiatives.
• International Seafood Sustainability Foundation (ISSF): Nonprofit that funds and conducts scientific research supporting sustainable tuna fisheries. Directly comparable to SIRF as an industry-funded research grantmaking body in the seafood sector with a similar grant-to-academia model.
• Seafood Nutrition Partnership: Nonprofit that funds and disseminates nutrition science communications on seafood consumption. Overlaps with SIRF's nutrition research focus (e.g., Omega-3 research at UCLA and UConn) and operates on an industry-sponsored nonprofit model.
• North Pacific Research Board: Research grantmaking organization that funds scientific research on the North Pacific Ocean, including fisheries. Comparable to SIRF as a dedicated seafood/ocean research grantmaker funding academic institutions, with a similar model of issuing research grants to universities.

Broad incumbents

• Monterey Bay Aquarium (Seafood Watch): Major nonprofit that funds and publishes seafood sustainability science, including the widely cited Seafood Watch program. Comparable as a high-profile, science-driven seafood research funder, but with a much larger operational footprint and donor base.
• Marine Stewardship Council: Global nonprofit that funds fisheries science and certification programs. Comparable to SIRF in funding seafood sustainability research and engaging academic partners, but operates internationally and at significantly larger scale.
• NOAA Sea Grant College Program: Federal-state partnership that funds marine and coastal research, including fisheries and seafood science. Comparable to SIRF in funding academic seafood research, but at much larger scale and with government rather than industry funding.
• Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute: Industry-funded nonprofit that promotes Alaska seafood through marketing and research. Overlaps with SIRF in industry-funded seafood research, though primarily market-facing rather than basic/applied science.

Emerging players

• Future of Fish: Nonprofit focused on fisheries sustainability and seafood supply chain innovation. Comparable as a smaller, mission-driven funder within the seafood research ecosystem, though more narrowly focused on supply chain innovation.
• Pollock Conservation Cooperative Research Center: Industry-funded cooperative research center focused on pollock fisheries science in the North Pacific. Comparable to SIRF as a seafood-industry-funded research organization with academic grantmaking, but narrower in species scope.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/sirfonline
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/seafood-industry-research-fund-sirf-

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Seafood Industry Research Fund