Riverkeeper is a non-profit environmental organization dedicated to the protection of the Hudson River and its tributaries, as well as the watersheds that provide New York City with its drinking water. It started out as the Hudson River Fisherman's Association (HRFA) in 1966, a citizen-led environmental enforcement organization founded by a group of recreational and commercial fisherman. In 1983, HRFA hired John Cronin, the first full-time Hudson Riverkeeper, to patrol the river, protect it from polluters, and enforce environmental laws. In 1986, the group officially changed its name to Riverkeeper, making it the first "keeper" group to be founded. Their movement motivated the formation of "keeper" groups across the world, protecting rivers, bays, lakes, and coastal waterways. In 1999, the Waterkeeper Alliance, was created as an umbrella organization to unite and support "keeper" organizations. Two decades later, in December 2019, the network had grown to 350 members in 46 countries, with half the membership outside the U.S.; the alliance had added 200 groups in the last five years.