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 fishers, 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 fishers, boaters and the public. Cooperative alliances with institutions such as Dowling College and 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. CRESLI is now also a member of the Citizen's Advisory Committee (CAC) of the South Shore Estuary Reserve