American Cetacean Society

What American Cetacean Society does

The American Cetacean Society (ACS) is a California-based, federally tax-exempt 501(c)(3) Public Benefit Corporation founded in 1967 by Elizabeth 'Bemi' DeBus and Dr. Clark Cameron, recognized as the world's first whale, dolphin, and porpoise conservation organization. The group is entirely volunteer-run with no paid staff, operating from a San Pedro, California headquarters and a Pacific Grove mailing address, and has been instrumental in the global moratorium on commercial whaling (passed by the IWC in 1982, in force since 1986). Its primary functional assets are a portfolio of educational and scientific programs rather than commercial products: the Whalewatcher annual journal, the Spyhopper quarterly newsletter, the Cetacean Curriculum (a 46-page teaching guide used by over two million teachers, students, and parents), 28 species fact sheets, the Gray Whale Census and Behavior Project (the longest-running citizen science program of its kind, operating at Point Vicente since 1979), biennial international conferences, Small Grants-in-Aid of Research (typically $500-$1,500), and a network of 8 regional chapters plus a National Student Coalition.

ACS distributes these programs through a chapter-driven, community-led go-to-market model spanning Los Angeles, Orange County, Monterey Bay, San Diego, San Francisco, Puget Sound, Oregon, and the Student Coalition, with monthly public speaker meetings and volunteer naturalist training aboard whale watching cruises. Revenue is generated from membership dues across tiered levels (Student through Lifetime), one-time and recurring donations, biennial conference registration, and branded merchandise sold via a Bonfire storefront; pricing for memberships is not publicly disclosed, and the vendor booth fee at the 2018 conference was $150. The customer base is a long-tail of individual cetacean enthusiasts, university students, marine mammal researchers, and partner conservation organizations, with named programmatic collaborators including the National Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA Hawaiian Island Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary, and Cabrillo Marine Aquarium.

Name

American Cetacean Society

Legal name

American Cetacean Society

Website

https://acsonline.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1967

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

American Cetacean Society is a volunteer-run, California-based 501(c)(3) founded in 1967 and recognized as the world's first cetacean conservation nonprofit, delivering citizen science, education, publications, research grants, and policy advocacy through 8 chapters and a Student Coalition serving individual members, students, and marine scientists.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Marine Conservation Nonprofit / Environmental Education

NAICS

Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Marine & Freshwater Conservation (BPAGAGAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Marine Conservation & Citizen-Science Experiences (reef monitoring, turtle walks) (THAAAIAH), Marine Wildlife & Birding Cruises (dolphins, seals, seabirds) (THAAAIAD), Wildlife & Animal Care Volunteering (EDAIAGAE)

Keywords

• Marine conservation nonprofit
• Cetacean education programs
• Citizen science research
• Wildlife conservation advocacy
• Membership conservation society

Headquarters

HQ city

Pacific Grove

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual membership contributions at various levels (Student, Teacher, Active, Senior, Family, International, Supporting, Contributing, Patron, Lifetime). Members receive the quarterly Spyhopper newsletter and Whalewatcher journal.
2. Donations and Planned Giving: One-time and recurring donations, monthly giving plans, charitable bequests, endowments, and gifts of stocks and securities. The organization accepts donations by mail, phone, and online.
3. Conference Registration: Biennial international conferences featuring speakers, poster sessions, whale watching trips, silent auctions, and vendor exhibits. Tickets include meals and refreshments.
4. Merchandise Sales: ACS branded merchandise sold through Bonfire storefront including conference merchandise and special edition items.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The American Cetacean Society delivers educational publications (Whalewatcher annual journal, Spyhopper quarterly newsletter), a citizen science shore-based whale monitoring program (Gray Whale Census and Behavior Project), teacher and student classroom materials (Cetacean Curriculum, 28 species Fact Sheets), biennial international conferences, small research grants for young scientists, volunteer naturalist training for whale watching cruises, and targeted conservation advocacy campaigns (e.g., ¡Viva Vaquita!, International Whaling Commission policy work). The organization sells annual memberships and accepts donations to fund these programs.

Product overview

The American Cetacean Society operates as a conservation nonprofit offering a portfolio of educational products and programs centered on whale, dolphin, and porpoise protection. The core offerings include two publications (Whalewatcher annual journal and Spyhopper quarterly newsletter), citizen science programs (Gray Whale Census and Behavior Project), educational materials (Cetacean Curriculum and 28 Fact Sheets), naturalist training programs, international conferences, a student coalition network, small research grants, and conservation campaigns like ¡Viva Vaquita!. Membership provides access to publications while chapters host local activities. The organization has no software-as-a-service product.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Whalewatcher Annual Journal Premium annual journal featuring internationally-renowned guest editors and authors addressing contemporary cetacean-related themes; published once a year as an exclusive membership benefit and nominated for the 2012 Western Publishing Association Maggie Award.
• Spyhopper Quarterly Newsletter Quarterly newsletter featuring cetacean-related news, events, articles by guest authors, chapter updates, program reports, book reviews, and artwork; included as a benefit of ACS membership.
• Gray Whale Census and Behavior Project Longest-running citizen science program of its kind, started in 1979, conducting shore-based study of marine mammals off the Palos Verdes Peninsula from Point Vicente Interpretive Center; data is integrated with National Marine Fisheries Service and Journey North for migration and population monitoring.
• Cetacean Curriculum 46-page teaching guide for educators introducing students to whales, dolphins, and porpoises using a multi-disciplinary approach; available at no cost and used by over two million teachers, students, and parents worldwide.
• Cetacean Fact Sheets Educational fact sheets covering 28 cetacean species, including physical description, geographical distribution, ecology and behavior, life history, diet, and conservation status; developed by scientists and reviewed by the ACS Scientific Advisory Council.
• ACS International Conferences Biennial international conferences bringing together scientists, policy makers, conservation practitioners, and artists to share research, policy developments, and artwork concerning whales, dolphins, and porpoises.
• Membership Program Annual membership with multiple tiers (Student, Teacher, Active, Senior, Family, International, Supporting, Contributing, Patron, Lifetime) providing access to Whalewatcher journal, Spyhopper newsletter, chapter meetings, and volunteer opportunities.
• ACS Local Chapters and Student Coalition Network Eight US regional chapters (Los Angeles, Monterey Bay, Orange County, San Diego, San Francisco, Puget Sound, Oregon) and a National Student Coalition with university chapters offering monthly meetings, speaker series, naturalist programs, and local conservation activities.
• Whale Watch Naturalist Training Programs Training programs across the Los Angeles, Orange County, and Oregon chapters preparing volunteers to serve as naturalists aboard whale watching cruises and educate the public about marine wildlife.
• Small Grants-in-Aid of Research Grant program supporting young scientists and conservation practitioners worldwide, with typical awards of $500 to $1,500 for cetacean-related research projects.
• ¡Viva Vaquita! Conservation Campaign Coalition campaign launched in late 2009 to save the critically endangered vaquita porpoise through promoting alternative fishing gear and compensating fishermen for leaving gill net fishing in vaquita range.

Quantifiable outcome

• Founded 1967; instrumental in achieving 1986 global moratorium on commercial whaling
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Journey North Education ProjectcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerACS Gray Whale Census and Behavior Project data is integrated into Journey North, an online educational resource for global wildlife migration and seasonal change study.
• National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerACS data is shared with NMFS, the federal agency responsible for official gray whale census. Trends in ACS data mirror NMFS data, and the agency uses ACS observations to determine census timing and migration distribution information.
• Cabrillo Marine AquariumcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-sponsor of the Cabrillo Whalewatch program with ACS/Los Angeles Chapter. The aquarium provides facilities for naturalist training classes and hosts ACS chapter meetings.
• ¡Viva Vaquita! CoalitioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIn late 2009, a coalition of three nonprofits including the ACS Monterey Bay Chapter formed ¡Viva Vaquita! to save the critically endangered vaquita porpoise in the northern Gulf of California.
• NOAA Hawaiian Island Humpback Whale National Marine SanctuarycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerACS university chapters (UH Manoa and UH Hilo) participate in the annual Ocean Count held through the NOAA sanctuary, contributing to shore-based monitoring census.
• Whales Need Us CoalitioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerACS is a member of this NGO coalition unified in supporting the 1986 moratorium on commercial whaling, strengthening IWC policies, and advocating for US government leadership in ending commercial whaling.
• Cheesemans' Ecology SafarisminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner for Antarctic 2019 Expedition combining whale watching with scientific focus on marine mammals in partnership with ACS.
• Texas Marine Mammal Stranding NetworkminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCollaboration with UHCL student group for volunteer opportunities and marine conservation work.
• One Ocean DivingminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner with ACS-UH Manoa to educate community and members about shark conservation through joint events.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW): IFAW is a global animal welfare and conservation nonprofit running marine mammal protection campaigns, including cetacean advocacy at IWC. Comparable to ACS on international policy engagement and cetacean-focused program portfolio.
• Ocean Conservancy: Ocean Conservancy is a US-based marine conservation nonprofit conducting policy advocacy, citizen science (e.g., International Coastal Cleanup), and public education. Directly comparable to ACS on marine advocacy, member/donor base, and educational program model.
• Center for Coastal Studies: Center for Coastal Studies is a Cape Cod-based marine research and education nonprofit focused on whale (especially right whale) conservation through science, stranding response, and policy. Comparable to ACS on cetacean science-education-advocacy triad.
• Ocean Alliance: Ocean Alliance is a US-based marine conservation nonprofit conducting cetacean research, education programs (e.g., Whale Watch), and policy advocacy. Highly comparable to ACS on the science-plus-advocacy model and cetacean species focus.
• Whale and Dolphin Conservation: WDC is a global cetacean-focused nonprofit running conservation campaigns, citizen science, and advocacy at the IWC. Highly comparable to ACS in mission (whale/dolphin protection), structure (membership nonprofit), and activities (policy advocacy, education, research funding).
• Sea Shepherd Conservation Society: Sea Shepherd is a marine conservation nonprofit focused on protecting whales, dolphins, and marine ecosystems through direct-action campaigns and advocacy. Comparable to ACS on cetacean protection mission and grassroots donor base.

Broad incumbents

• WWF (World Wildlife Fund): WWF is a global conservation giant with marine programs including cetacean advocacy. Comparable to ACS on policy work at IWC and citizen science, but far larger and broader in scope; operates as an incumbent in marine conservation space.
• Greenpeace: Greenpeace is a global environmental nonprofit with a long history of anti-whaling campaigns and IWC advocacy. Overlaps with ACS on whaling policy work and grassroots fundraising, but operates far more broadly across environmental issues.

Regional players

• Pacific Marine Mammal Center: Pacific Marine Mammal Center is a California-based marine mammal rescue, rehabilitation, and education nonprofit. Regional peer to ACS on cetacean education and US West Coast operations, with a more rescue-focused service model.

Others

• U.S. Marine Mammal Commission: The Marine Mammal Commission is a US federal oversight agency providing independent science-based oversight of marine mammal policy. An ecosystem partner for ACS on cetacean policy and research, but government-funded and broader in mandate.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/CetaceanSociety
• Facebookfacebook.com/AmericanCetaceanSociety
• Instagraminstagram.com/americancetaceansociety

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 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 American Cetacean Society