Coastal Research & Education Society of Long Island

To promote and foster understanding and stewardship of coastal ecosystems through research and education.

The Coastal Research and Education Society of Long Island, was founded in the summer of 1996 by a group of experts in marine mammal science, environmental sciences, education and conservation. CRESLI was formed for the purposes of conducting research, providing educational experiences and promoting conservation of coastal ecosystems. Research and education are inextricably linked in all CRESLI activities. As such, CRESLI actively seeks cooperative alliances with

researchers, educational institutions, and the participation of the public. Our pinniped and cetacean research projects, for example, utilize public whale watch cruises and seal

walks as platforms for collecting data and educating the public at the same time.

Commercial fishermen, pleasure boaters, and the public at large have also been enlisted to provide

sighting information used in population and distribution

studies. This public participation has not only led to the finding that Long Island's coastlines provide a essential

habitat for pinnipeds, cetaceans and sea turtles, but has also fostered greater awareness and appreciation of these animals and their habitats among fishermen, boaters and the

public.

Cooperative alliances with institutions such as Dowling College, CERCOM at Molloy College, and others are entirely consistent with CRESLI's mission and purpose. The sharing of resources, and coordination of activities, significantly enhances the opportunities for research and public education.

In 2009, CRESLI was elected an affiliate member of the New York Marine Sciences Consortium

The NY Marine Sciences Consortium is "the voice of New York State’s marine science academic com-munity and strives to influence public policy,

communicate science, and increase funding for the marine sciences within New York.

CRESLI is now also a member of the

Citizen's Advisory Committee (CAC) of the South Shore Estuary

Reserve (SSER).

The CAC’s purpose "is to integrate the stakeholder concerns in the planning and decision-making process and to encourage pub-lic education

and stewardship."