[4] SFEI has managed the Regional Monitoring Program for Water Quality in San Francisco Bay (RMP) since its beginning in 1993.

[5] Scientists monitor pollutants in water, sediment, and in Bay wildlife, including bivalves, fish, bird eggs, and harbor seals.

[9] SFEI staff have collaborated with NASA scientists to develop an early-warning system for harmful algal blooms, based on satellite remote sensing data and artificial intelligence.

The CCMP led to the establishment of the San Francisco Estuary Institute (SFEI) and the Regional Monitoring Program (RMP).

[13] In 1993, the Aquatic Habitat Institute was reorganized as SFEI and the RMP officially began, using previous pilot studies to guide its monitoring efforts.

Early work by the RMP focused on sampling water in the Bay to determine its status, and whether pollutant concentrations met or exceeded standards.

[16] Members participate in the RMP in exchange for some regulatory relief, or exemption from conducting some monitoring that would normally be required under the Clean Water Act and the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System.

Participants elect representatives to serve on various committees, through which they oversee the program's finances, guide its management, and provide input and peer review of the science.