SAN FRANCISCO – The Aquarium of the Bay is losing its accreditation amid reports of unrest within the organization and the recent resignation of the aquarium’s CEO.
In a statement Friday, the Association of Zoos and Aquariums announced that its accreditation committee had voted unanimously to revoke the accreditation of the facility at Pier 39 in San Francisco.
The commission said the aquarium failed to meet standards in “a number of key areas,” including financial stability and workforce capabilities, along with employee morale and turnover.
“Despite multiple opportunities to comply with the Commission’s requests to provide sufficient evidence of progress made in addressing the LFA, as required by the terms of their 2023 accreditation, the Aquarium of the Bay has not succeeded,” said Dan Ashe, the association’s president and CEO, in a statement.
Friday’s announcement comes amid the resignation of aquarium CEO George Jacob on Wednesday.
According to the San Francisco Chronicle, the aquarium’s board took action after employees complained about receiving calls from debt collectors and the aquarium’s deteriorating equipment.
Aides also shared details with the newspaper purporting to show that Jacob spent lavishly on travel last year, including $286,000 on flights and hotels, along with $461,000 to organize a climate change concert in Dubai with The Police drummer Stewart Copeland. The aquarium also reportedly fell behind on rent last year.
The Association of Zoos and Aquariums said Aquarium of the Bay has until June 13 to appeal.
“We hope that the Aquarium of the Bay can resolve these issues quickly, and if so, we look forward to welcoming them back to our membership community,” Ashe said.
CBS News Bay Area has contacted the aquarium for comment.
