The Faces of REEF: Member Spotlight, Patricia Richardson
By Sasha Medlen, REEF Membership Coordinator
REEF members are at the heart of our grassroots marine conservation programs. Over 43,000 divers, snorkelers, students, and armchair naturalists stand behind our mission.
This month we feature Patricia Richardson (REEF member since 2000). Pat lives on the Big Island in Hawaii, and is a member of REEF's Hawaii Advanced Assessment Tea. Pat has conducted 778 surveys, and most of these have been done at one site. She has really enjoyed getting to know every critter that lives in her neighborhood spot. Here's what Pat had to say about REEF:
When and how did you first volunteer with REEF or become a REEF member?
Richardson Ocean Park in Hilo, Hawaii, is near my home – and by chance shares my name. In 2000, I decided I wanted to learn as much as I could about the fish life in this popular beach area with the purpose of keeping a record of species diversity and general ocean health. Not long after I began my project, Liz Foote and Donna Brown came to Hilo to conduct a REEF training session. The REEF survey methods were a perfect match with my personal project! Before I left the training session, I was signed up, tested for Level 2, and hooked! I submitted my first survey dated January, 2001.
If you have been on a REEF Field Survey, where and what was your trip highlight?
Since then I have become SCUBA certified and have participated in four REEF survey trips in Hawaii led by Christy and Brice Semmens. My favorite was the trip to Kauai in August of 2006. I saw my first pair of Tinker’s Butterflyfish, also a Hawaiian Morwong and a Whiskered Boarfish. The last two fish are more common in the remote Northwestern Hawaiian Islands than in our main islands. We were also thrilled to see Hawaiian monk seals on several dives. Another REEF adventure was a trip to American Samoa in 2010 to help REEF extend survey methods into the South Pacific. This was my first chance to do surveys out of my home waters. It was very exciting to see many new species along with familiar “faces” from Hawaii.
What inspires you to complete REEF surveys?
Keeping a close watch on the fish life at Richardson Ocean Park is still my favorite activity. I use mask, snorkel, and fins because the average depth of the area I survey is 4 to 6 feet, with occasional drops to 20 feet if the surf is down. A single survey usually takes about 2.5 hours. After ten years and about 700 surveys in this one small area, I am still amazed each time I enter the water with the constant change and constant beauty I find there. From time to time, something new pops up to keep me alert. Recently it was a Yellowhead (Banded) Moray. And a couple times it was a Hawaiian Monk Seal! Unfortunately, there’s no place on the data sheet for that! I also drive to Kona on the west side of Hawaii Island to dive and snorkel, always with my underwater survey slate in hand.
What is your favorite part about being a REEF member?
My connection with REEF gives me the satisfaction of being a “citizen scientist” and a good excuse to spend several hours each week following beautiful fish around and watching their fascinating behavior. After a decade as a REEF fish counter, I am looking forward to the next decade. It’s the greatest retirement project I can imagine!
Want to learn a few of the Hawaiian fishes that Pat loves so well? Join the upcoming Fishinar, March 21st:
Fish that Say Aloha! Hawaii's Top 15
Hawaiian REEF Fish ID: Learn tips from REEF Experts and fish geeks, Donna Brown and Liz Foote.
Essential for dive travelers heading to the Hawaiian Islands, and kama'aina alike.
Wednesday, March 21st at 4pm HST / 7pm PDT / 10pm EDT - Register
Top of the Charts: Survey Stats, July 2012
By Christy Pattengill-Semmens, Ph.D., REEF Director of Science
A big fish thanks to our recent active surveyors. Since the beginning of the year, 458 volunteers have conducted REEF surveys. A total of 4,353 surveys were conducted and submitted during this time (January - July 2012)!
To date, 162,059 surveys have been conducted by REEF volunteers.
REEF members who have conducted the most surveys in the last seven months (with survey number shown):
Tropical Western Atlantic (TWA) - Dee Scarr (140), Franklin Neal (126), Michael Phelan (118), Dave Grenda (115), Isobel Flake (76), Douglas Harder (66)
Pacific Coast US & Canada (PAC) - Randall Tyle (109), Phil Green (59), Keith Rootsaert (54), Georgia Arrow (41), M. Kathleen Fenner (40), Doug Miller (37)
Hawaiian Islands (HAW) - Judith Tarpley (118), Don Judy (87), Patricia Richardson (65), MJ Farr (63), Rick Long (39), Kathleen Malasky (32)
Tropical Eastern Pacific (TEP) - Jonathan Lavan (21), Pam Wade (20), Dave Grenda (15), Mary Korte (4), Daphne Guerrero (2), Kim Amiot (1)
South Pacific (SOP) - Carole Wiedmeyer (4), MJ Farr (4), Alex Garland (2), Kreg Martin (34), Lillian Kenney (27), Barbara Anderson (25)**the last 3 surveyors in the SOP list are stats from 2011
Visit www.REEF.org/db/stats to see the Top 25 surveyors with the most surveys conducted to date, the most species-rich locations, and most frequently sighted fish species.
REEF Fest - Save the Date - August 7-11, 2013
By REEF Staff
In the summer of 1993, the first REEF fish surveys were conducted by a group of pioneering volunteers. Twenty years later, REEF's Volunteer Survey Project and other REEF initiatives are leading the way as innovative and effective marine conservation programs. To celebrate, we will be hosting 4 days of diving, learning, and parties this August in Key Largo, Florida, and we hope you will join us! REEF Fest - Celebrating 20 Years of Marine Conservation Success will take place August 7-11, 2013. The weekend will include diving oportunities each day, as well as seminar offerings such as Intro and Advanced Fish ID, Lionfish Collection, Artificial Reefs in the Keys, Grouper Moon, and special talks given by REEF Co-Founders, Paul Humann and Ned DeLoach. We'll also have an open house at REEF HQ and a celebration banquet on Saturday night. More details will be coming soon, including the complete schedule, seminar registration, hotel room blocks with special rates, diving charters, and social gatherings. But in the mean time, please save the date and get ready to celebrate!
Unusual Fish Sightings from our Members
By Todd Fulks, REEF Member.
Chile Roberts with batfish. Photo courtesy of Todd Fulks. 
Batfish sighting in Bonaire. Photo courtesy of Todd Fulks. 
Pipefish sighting in Bonaire. Photo courtesy of Todd Fulks.
Counting Smallmouth Grunts in REEF's Backyard
By Joe Cavanaugh
Okay, well not exactly. But now that I have your attention. We ARE counting something in REEF HQ's backyard, not fish, but birds! I have signed myself /REEF up for Cornell University's Lab of Ornithology Project FeederWatch, an annual survey of birds that visit bakcyard feeders in winter. I have known about this other great citizen science program for a couple of years and like many of you, my love for birds, equals my affinity for fishes. Last week, 4 painted buntings visited REEF's feeder for a little over a week! You can see my fuzzy picture of a couple of them at the feeder from afar in one of the attached photos. This prompted me to go online and investigate Cornell University's FeederWatch Program further. From their homepage you will read, "FeederWatchers periodically count the highest numbers of each species they see at their feeders from November through early April. FeederWatch helps scientists track broadscale movements of winter bird populations and long-term trends in bird distribution and abundance." Sounds a bit familiar doesn't it?
Spend a little time on their website and you will see that FeederWatch parallels REEF programmatically in a few significant ways: 1. Anyone can participate in North America, all different levels from beginners to experts; 2. We both begin participation by purchasing a starter kit, FeederWatch calls theirs a Participant Kit and it costs $15; 3. Both organizations have online Dataentry and tracking of individual participant data; 4. Similar absence/presence data, abundances, and distribution for both groups in addition to viewing individuals' data http://watch.birds.cornell.edu/PFW/ExploreData; 5. Both of our organizations utilize citizen science data to inform and assist scientists in assessing population abundance indices of important avian and fish species, leading to peer-reviewed publications and ultimately influencing species and habitat management decistions; 6. You can check on their database to see what birds are rare in your area and if there are any other FeederWatch stations near you, just as REEF members can check for fish sighting frequencies and dive sites that have been surveyed in our areas of interest.
I'm sure there are many more parallels I could draw for you, but you get the point. One important note and the reason I am submitting this article right now is that FeederWatch season runs from the the second Saturday in November through April and is a winter activity. For all of our temperate REEF members who are looking for something to count when you're not underwater, this is it! To learn more, check out their website at http://www.birds.cornell.edu/pfw/Overview/over_index.html.
Introduction
By Leda A. CunninghamGreetings from REEF HQ! Conservation science is in sharp focus here at REEF, from an expanded Grouper Moon Project to new uses of REEF data in the Channel Islands. REEF is making giant strides in the Florida Keys community with a successful For the Love of the Sea benefit event, upcoming citizen science panel discussions and the recognition of two invaluable volunteers by a prominent community foundation. If you're looking for travel opportunities, consider jumping on one of the 4 spots just released on the Turks and Caicos Field Survey, April 19-26, or joining the Sea of Cortez Field Survey October 5-12. Educators can apply to join these or other REEF Field Survey teams through a special scholarship. Please read on . . .
Best "fishes",
Please Help REEF Meet Our Summer Fundraising Goal!
By REEF Staff and Board of Trustees
With just a few days left in the REEF Summer Drive, we are almost there. Help REEF meet our goal of raising $25,000 by the Forth of July holiday. Please do your part to make sure that REEF's important marine conservation programs continue to make a difference. In appreciation, donations of $50 or more will get you a copy of the exclusive 2008 Album of the Sea Screensaver with amazing underwater photographs by Ned and Anna DeLoach. Please donate online through our secure website or call the REEF office today (305-852-0030).
Fishwatching - The Thrill of the Hunt For New Species
By Christy Pattengill-Semmens, REEF Director of Science
It's one of the great things about fishwatching and doing REEF surveys - no matter how many surveys you have conducted, there is always an opportunity to find something new. These "mystery fish" are what keep folks who have done even 1,000+ surveys coming back for more. Finding a "lifer", a species new to your species life list, is always rewarding. A great part of submitting REEF surveys is that REEF keeps track of your lifelist for you.
One of the many data summary reports that are available through the REEF Website is your personal Life List Report, which includes all of the species that you have reported during REEF surveys. REEF Surveyors also have access to "My Survey Log", which lists information about each survey dive, including date, time, location and the number of species seen. In order to access these reports, you need to be logged into REEF.org. If you haven't already done so, create a Website login account today.
Active surveyors, Todd and Lynn Fulks, found one such "lifer" recently during a survey dive in San Blas, Panama -- a hogchoker (Trinectes maculatus). This little flatfish was happy to pose on Todd's slate underwater while they snapped a photo. Great find! Do you have your own great lifelist story? Please post it to the REEF Forum Discussion Board. And if you are looking for a great read this Fall, check out The Big Year: A Tale of Man, Nature, and Fowl Obsession by Mark Obmascik. It chronicles obsessed bird watchers participating in a contest known as the North American Big Year, hoping to be the one to spot the most bird species during the course of the year. If you are a fish fanatic, you will definitely see some similarities!
REEF News Tidbits
By REEF Staff
REEF's Grouper Moon Project Featured as "Success Story in Marine Conservation" REEF's research program focused on studying one of the last remaining large spawning aggregations of Nassau grouper in the Cayman Islands, the Grouper Moon Project, was included as one of 26 stories of good news in the typically grim news of marine conservation efforts. Dr. Brice Semmens, Grouper Moon Project lead scientist, presented results from the collaborative research efforts during the Beyond the Obituaries: Success Stories in Ocean Conservation symposium organized by Drs. Jeremy Jackson and Nancy Knowlton at the National Museum of Natural History last month. To watch Brice's talk archived online, click on this link and then navigate to about 52:45 on the time bar. The presentation is 10 minutes.
REEF Featured on NPR's Morning Edition REEF surveyor, Pacific NW diver, and NPR reporter Ann Dornfeld wrote and narrated a story that aired on National Public Radio on May 20th. The story covers a typical REEF survey, as well as discussing how the data is being used in Washington State to help understand the status of rockfish species. The story features interviews with REEF surveyors Janna Nichols and David Jennings, REEF's Director of Science - Christy Semmens, and WDFW's Greg Bargmann. Click here to listen to the story or visit KUOW webpage to read the transcript.
New Hawaii Field Guides Added to the REEF Online Store We have just added three new field guide books for critters and fish found on Hawaii's reefs. The new selection includes an updated and expanded fish guide by John Hoover, which is a must for any diver or snorkeler planning to do surveys in Hawaii. We also added Hoover's Hawaii's Sea Creatures, a guide to over 500 invertebrate species, and a waterproof booklet of 100 of the most common Hawaii fishes. Visit the REEF Store today for all of your field guide needs, as well as your place for REEF survey materials and REEF gear!
REEF To Collaborate On Assessment of Coral Reefs REEF will be providing fish population data to Reefs at Risk Revisited, a global analysis of threats to coral reefs using high-resolution data and biological modeling. The Reefs at Risk project is led by the World Resources Institute (WRI) and the International Coral Reef Action Network (ICRAN), and will serve as a landmark evaluation of coral reefs worldwide. Stay tuned for future issues of REEF-in-Brief for updates.
Great Annual Fish Count 2009 An exciting lineup of free identification seminars and survey dives are being organized around the country by REEF partners. Check out the GAFC Website for more details and to find out how to organize your own GAFC event. And be sure to watch the GAFC calendar of events to see what's being planned in your area.
Please Remember to Donate During REEF's Summer Fundraising Campaign Your support is needed to ensure the long-term success of REEF and our important marine conservation programs. Donate online today through this link. On behalf of the Board of Trustees and Staff -- Thank You!
Active REEF Surveyor in San Diego Honored by SD Oceans Foundation
By Christy Pattengill-Semmens, REEF Director of Science, reproduced with permission from SDOF
The San Diego Oceans Foundation (SDOF) is one of REEF's valued partner organizations. SDOF has been supporting its volunteers to participate in REEF surveying for the last several years and has sponsored dozens of survey training workshops. SDOF recently honored REEF member, Bob Hillis, who is a long-time SDOF Reef Monitoring Volunteer, as their 2009 top volunteer for his invaluable support of the oceans. Having completed 202 REEF Surveys, Bob has continued to strengthen his connection to the sea while providing indispensable information about the status of marine populations off the coast of California. Bob joined REEF in 2006 and is a member of the REEF Pacific Advanced Assessment Team (AAT). In addition to being an active surveyor, he and his wife helped spread the REEF word last year at our SCUBA Show 2009 booth.
Bob says - “I started doing surveys when I saw a notice for an SDOF Fish ID class on the Divebums website. I had started fish watching a few years before when I reached the "been there, done that" point of diving in San Diego. I started diving here in the early '70's and did all the abalone, lobster, blue water spearfishing, divemaster, instructor, dive medtech and public safety diver things. I live in the mountains (about 60 miles from the coast), but the ocean is my favorite playground! I am also an avid surfer, body surfer and ocean swimmer. Doing REEF surveys with SDOF gives me an opportunity to enjoy my passions and give a little back to the ocean as well. These surveys actually force me to focus on and identify all of the species that I used to see (but not REALLY see). Always hoping to locate a new or rare species has added a new and exciting dimension to diving.”
Thanks for your efforts, Bob, and congratulations! And thanks to SDOF for their continued support of the REEF program.