MARINE LIFE STUDIES

What MARINE LIFE STUDIES does

Marine Life Studies is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2006 and headquartered in Moss Landing, California, that conducts marine mammal research, whale disentanglement response, ocean education, and conservation outreach in the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. Its core offerings include the Whale Entanglement Team (WET)®, a 24/7 federally authorized rapid-response unit that operates the only whale disentanglement ambulance on the U.S. West Coast using the R/V Current'Sea 40-foot research vessel and a 4.2 WING inflatable rescue boat equipped with GPS/Argos telemetry buoys and specialized cutting tools; the Research Scientist Program, which provides hands-on marine science training; the Ocean Literacy Educational Programs delivered to schools and Boys & Girls Clubs; and the Lost & Abandoned Fishing Gear Removal Project, which uses EdgeTech 4125 sonar to scan the seafloor and retrieve derelict gear that threatens marine wildlife. The organization maintains an extensive cetacean photo-identification database shared with NOAA's Southwest Fisheries Science Center, and holds three Level 3 Large Whale Entanglement Responder authorizations under NOAA's Marine Mammal Health and Stranding Response Program.

Marine Life Studies employs 1-10 staff and operates with a community-led, event-driven go-to-market model. The organization is funded primarily through individual donations (representing 95% of donations), supplemented by corporate sponsorships, grants, planned giving, internship sponsorships, conference center rentals, and a benefit gift shop. Pricing for non-donation offerings is granular: conference rooms rent for $125-$375 minimum fees, and internship sponsorships range from $1,475 for an 8-week summer placement to $14,745 for a full-year pair sponsorship. Customer segments are predominantly long-tail individual donors, with secondary corporate sponsor relationships (PropSpeed, Furuno, Fluke Foundation, Miller Marine Electric, Peninsula Diesel, Princess Whale Watching) and strategic partnerships with NOAA, Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, and Boys & Girls Clubs of Monterey County.

Name

MARINE LIFE STUDIES

Legal name

Marine Life Studies

Website

https://marinelifestudies.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2006

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Marine Life Studies is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit in Moss Landing, California, operating the Whale Entanglement Team (WET)® and providing whale disentanglement response, marine mammal research, ocean education, and derelict fishing gear removal in the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Moss Landing

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: 95% of donations come from individual donors supporting marine conservation, whale rescue, and educational programs. Donors can give one-time, monthly recurring, or tribute donations.
2. Corporate Sponsorships: Business sponsors featured on the organization website in exchange for financial support. Includes sponsors like PropSpeed, Furuno Electric, Fluke Foundation, Miller Marine Electric, Peninsula Diesel, and Princess Whale Watching.
3. Benefit Gift Shop: Retail gift shop selling jewelry, crochet keychains, greeting cards, hoodies, repurposed metal marine sculptures, and posters. Located at 8142 Moss Landing Road, open Friday-Sunday 10am-6pm.
4. Conference Center Rentals: Two conference rooms available for rental: small room (202 sqft) and large room (1032 sqft) with AV equipment and high-speed internet. Serves as both community resource and revenue generator.
5. Planned Giving and Legacy Gifts: Accepts IRA contributions, stocks, annuities, trusts, bequests, and other planned giving instruments as part of legacy giving programs.
6. Internship Sponsorships: Organizations and individuals can sponsor interns for the Research Scientist Program at varying price points ranging from $1,475 for 8-week summer semester to $14,745 for full-year (40 weeks) sponsorship of two interns.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Marine Life Studies operates the Whale Entanglement Team (WET)®, providing 24/7 rapid-response rescue of whales entangled in fishing gear along the U.S. West Coast using specialized vessels and tools. The organization also runs the Research Scientist Program, Ocean Literacy Educational Programs for K-12 youth, and a Lost & Abandoned Fishing Gear Removal Project, supported by donations, sponsorships, grants, gift shop sales, and conference center rentals.

Product overview

Marine Life Studies is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2006, dedicated to protecting marine life in Monterey Bay through a combination of research, education, and direct conservation action. The organization operates several interconnected programs: the Whale Entanglement Team (WET)® provides rapid-response whale disentanglement services using the R/V Current'Sea research vessel and 4.2 WING rescue boat; the Research Scientist Program offers hands-on marine science training for students; the Ocean Literacy Educational Programs provide environmental education to children; and the Lost & Abandoned Fishing Gear Removal Project conducts prevention work to reduce future entanglements. Additional offerings include conference center rentals and a benefit gift shop.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Whale Entanglement Team (WET)® Whale Disentanglement Service 24/7 rapid-response rescue of whales entangled in fishing gear and marine debris along the U.S. West Coast. Delivered free of charge by federally authorized Level 3 responders using the R/V Current'Sea, 4.2 WING rescue boat, GPS/Argos telemetry buoys, and specialized cutting tools.
• Research Scientist Program Paid hands-on marine science education program where students learn photo identification, data collection, and GPS positioning during boat surveys on the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. Internship sponsorships range from $1,475 (8-week summer) to $14,745 (full-year, two interns).
• Ocean Literacy Educational Programs Trademarked environmental education programs for children covering marine wildlife facts, pollution hazards, marine debris, whale and dolphin identification, and stewardship. Delivered at schools, Boys & Girls Clubs of Monterey County, and community events free of charge.
• Lost & Abandoned Fishing Gear Removal Project Prevention program that scans the seafloor using EdgeTech 4125 sonar to detect and retrieve derelict fishing gear, reducing potential entanglements of whales, dolphins, sea turtles, sharks, and other marine wildlife in Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary.
• Conference Center Rental Facility rental offering a small conference room (202 sqft, up to 11 people) and a large conference room (1032 sqft, up to 80–90 chairs) with AV equipment and high-speed internet at 8142 Moss Landing Road, CA. Pricing ranges from $125 (2-hr minimum) to $375+ (3-hr minimum, large room), plus half-day and full-day rates.
• Benefit Gift Shop Benefit retail store at 8142 Moss Landing Road selling jewelry, crochet keychains, greeting cards, hoodies, repurposed metal marine sculptures, and posters. Open Friday–Sunday, 10am–6pm.
• Ocean Literacy Online Education Series Free online video series covering marine biodiversity topics including Cetacean Basics, Otter as a Keystone Species, Monterey Bay Wildlife, origami tutorials, and plastic pollution awareness activities for children, distributed via YouTube.

Quantifiable outcome

• Successful disentanglement of multiple whales per year, including documented rescues spanning 2014-2020
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Boys & Girls Clubs of Monterey CountycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2010Since 2010, Marine Life Studies has been a Community Partner providing free Ocean Literacy Educational Programs to children in Monterey, Seaside, Salinas, and Marina. Programs include Whale & Marine Wildlife Adventure (including whale watching), Pollution Solutions, and Take it to the Streets Community Cleanup.
• Monterey Bay National Marine SanctuarycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerActive partner in whale rescue operations and derelict fishing gear removal. WET operates under NOAA's Marine Mammal Health and Stranding Response Program within the sanctuary. Data shared with NMS for fishery management decisions.
• Fluke FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMary Whitney of Fluke Foundation co-founded the Whale Entanglement Team (WET)® with Peggy Stap. Ongoing collaboration on whale rescue operations and public awareness campaigns including IFAW PSA and BLUE Ocean Film Festival events.
• NOAA Fisheries (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWET operates under NOAA's Marine Mammal Health and Stranding Response Program permits. Data collected during rescue operations is shared with NOAA's Southwest Fisheries Science Center and contributes to national entanglement tracking databases.
• Dr. Julia O'Hern (Senior Cetacean Scientist)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDr. O'Hern joined as Senior Cetacean Scientist in 2021, leading the Cetacean Ecology Lab and advancing Marine Life Studies' conservation measures. She is a federally authorized Level 3 Large Whale Entanglement Responder.
• Southwest Fisheries Science Center (NOAA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-authored the NOAA Technical Memorandum 'Transient killer whales of central and northern California and Oregon: A catalog of photo-identified individuals' published in 2021.
• Cascadia Research CollectivecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on multiple whale disentanglements including October 2018 rescue. Shared database of whale photo-identification data and migration tracking.
• The Marine Mammal CenterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative partner in whale rescue operations as part of the California Whale Rescue network and West Coast Large Whale Entanglement Response Network.
• SR3 Sealife Response, Rehab and ResearchminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in whale disentanglement operations including December 2019 rescue in Monterey Bay.
• Monterey Peninsula Regional Park DistrictminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCooperated to develop Marine Life Studies Whale and Marine Wildlife Adventure and Junior Research Scientist Program.
• PropSpeedminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate sponsor featured on Marine Life Studies website sponsors page.
• Furuno Electric Co LtdminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate sponsor featured on Marine Life Studies website sponsors page.
• Miller Marine ElectricminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate sponsor and challenge gift donor for MC Gives! 2020 whale rescue campaign.
• Peninsula DieselminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate sponsor and challenge gift donor for MC Gives! 2020 whale rescue campaign.
• Princess Whale WatchingminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate sponsor featured on Marine Life Studies website sponsors page.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• NOAA Fisheries (National Marine Fisheries Service): Broad incumbent that issues the Marine Mammal Health and Stranding Response Program permits under which MLS operates, receives MLS's rescue data, and co-authors scientific outputs with the organization. NOAA is both regulator and research partner.
• Whale and Dolphin Conservation: Broader international NGO dedicated to whale and dolphin protection, with overlapping mission on entanglement response and policy advocacy. WDC operates globally and engages in West Coast entanglement issues that affect MLS's operating environment.
• Ocean Conservancy: Broader ocean conservation nonprofit operating at national scale, including marine debris and fisheries work that overlaps with MLS's derelict fishing gear removal program. Operates the International Coastal Cleanup, conceptually adjacent to MLS's Take it to the Streets™ program.
• International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW): Broad incumbent that provided the 2011 grant that equipped WET® and has historically funded entanglement response work. IFAW is a global animal welfare NGO with overlapping marine conservation programming and a co-marketing relationship via public service announcements.

Direct peers

• Pacific Marine Mammal Center: Direct peer operating a marine mammal rescue and rehabilitation center in Laguna Beach, CA. Both organizations are 501(c)(3) marine mammal response nonprofits on the West Coast, sharing donor ecosystems and overlapping in cetacean response scope.
• SR3 Sealife Response, Rehab and Research: Direct peer and partner on whale disentanglements including the December 2019 Monterey Bay rescue. SR3 provides marine wildlife response and rehabilitation across the Pacific Northwest, overlapping operationally with MLS in California and Oregon.
• Cascadia Research Collective: Direct peer and listed partner on multiple whale disentanglements. Cascadia conducts marine mammal research in the Pacific Northwest, shares photo-identification databases, and collaborates with MLS on West Coast whale rescue operations.
• The Marine Mammal Center: Direct peer and listed collaborative partner of Marine Life Studies. Operates the primary West Coast marine mammal hospital in Sausalito, CA, and is part of the California Whale Rescue network. Both organizations respond to entangled and stranded marine mammals along the California coast under NOAA permits.

Regional players

• Center for Coastal Studies: Regional peer operating the only other large whale disentanglement response program in the continental U.S., based in Provincetown, MA. Operates the Marine Animal Entanglement Response team for the East Coast, mirroring MLS's WET® on the West Coast.
• Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary: Regional peer where founder Peggy Stap previously conducted humpback research as part of the SPLASH project. Operates cetacean monitoring, response, and education programs analogous to MLS in a different Pacific geography.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/marine-life-studies

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 MARINE LIFE STUDIES