REEF Fish & Friends is a monthly meeting and seminar series held at REEF in Key Largo that gathers snorkelers, divers, and armchair naturalists to learn about fish, the Florida Keys ecosystem, and other topics of interest. We welcome both Keys residents and visitors to join in an evening of fun. The first REEF Fish & Friends was held March 10, 2009, in the James E. Lockwood REEF Headquarters building. Paul Humann, REEF's co-founder, was the opening night speaker and he shared REEF's history and highlighted milestones over the organization's first 15 years. In 2017, the event switch to the Interpretive Center located on the REEF Campus (MM98.8 in Key Largo).
For the first ten years, Fish & Friends was typicallly held the second Tuesday of each month from 6:00 PM to 7:30 PM. After taking a hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the date now is variable according to speaker availability. For details on upcoming Fish & Friends, visit the Interpretive Center Events Calendar.
Beginning in 2022, Fish & Friends are broadcast live on REEF's Facebook page and YouTube channel, broading access to this great lineup of speakers. The talk is also archived on the YouTube channel, We Speak Fish.
Here is a full listing of past Fish & Friends Seminar speakers and topics:
March 2024 - "Off the Wall and Outside of the Box: Restoring Coral Reef Ecosystems with Caribbean King Crab" - Dr. Jason Spadaro, Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium
February 2024 - "Currents & Crossroads: Vision for Florida’s Ocean & Coasts" - JP Brooker, Ocean Conservancy
January 2024 - "Human Connection to the Water of the Florida Keys" - Lindsey Crews, NOAA
August 2023 - "Introduction to Fish Portraits" - Stacey Henderson, Program Services Coordinator, REEF
June 2023 - "The Caribbean Spiny Lobster Super Bug" - Tom Matthews, Lobster Research Scientist, FWC
June 2023 - "Coral Reef Sponge Research and Restoration" - Bobbie Renfro, Florida State Univerisity
May 2023 - "Taking Action Against Plastic Pollution" - Catherine Uden, Oceana
April 2023 - "Studying Reef Fish Ecology in the Florida Keys to Better Plan for the Future" - Drew Butkowski, Florida International University
March 2023 - "Mission Iconic Reefs: Coral Restoration Monitoring" - Andrew Ibarra, NOAA
February 2023 - "Dolphin Cognition in the Florida Keys" - Abigail Haddock, Dolphin Research Center
January 2023 - "The Effects of Marine Reserves on Florida Keys Fishes" - Dr. Jim Bohnsack, NOAA (retired)
August 2022 - "Shaping the Future of the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary" - Sarah Fangman, Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary
July 2022 - "I.CARE: A Community-Wide Approach to Coral Restoration" - Dr. Kylie Smith, I.CARE
June 2022 - "Blue Heron Bridge and the Great Annual Fish Count" - Stacey Henderson, REEF
May 2022 - "Community in Conservation" - Drs. Emily Schmitt and Loretta Lawrence, Nova Southeastern University
April 2022 - "Sponge Hunters" - Lynea Wilson, History of Diving Museum
March 2022 - "FWC Reef Fish Research in the Florida Keys" - Jess Keller, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
March 2020 - "Global Warming - Changing Oceans" by Robert Stephen Mahoney, Sierra Club Miami Group
February 2020 - "The Mysterious Manta Rays of Florida" by Jessica Pate, Florida Manta Project, Marine Megafauna Foundation
January 2020 - "Restoring Seven Iconic Reefs: A Mission to Recover the Coral Reefs of the Florida Keys" by Lisa Symons, Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary
September 2019 - "Demistifying Recompression: What Happens When You Get Bent" by Scott Fowler, Mariners Hospital
August 2019- "Florida's Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease Outbreak" How to Get Involved" by Ana Zangroniz, Florida Sea Grant
July 2019 - "The Fishes of Polynesia" by Jack Grove, Ph.D., Marine Biologist
June 2019- "Understanding Fish Community Dynamics on Restored Coral Reefs"- by Aneri Garg and Noelle Helder
May 2019 - "Sea Level Rise, Climate Change, Coastal Hazards and Natural Solutions for the Florida Keys" by Chris Berg, The Nature Conservancy
April 2019 - "Diving Haiti's Northern Coast: Surprises Come in Small Sizes" by Ken Marks, Longtime REEF Surveyor
March 2019 - "Always Another Adventure" by Ned and Anna DeLoach, Marine Life Authors and REEF Board of Trustees
February 2019 - "Roseate Spoonbills in Florida Bay: Pink Canaries in a Coal Mine" by Dr. Jerry Lorenz, Audubon of Florida
January 2019 - "Fish Behavior: Weird, Wonderful, and Useful" by Dr. Caroly Shumway
November 2018 - "Endangered Sawfish of the Florida Keys" by Tonya Wiley, Havenworth Coastal Conservation
October 2018 - "The Impact of Fisheries on Global Marine Mammal Populations" by Jeremy Kiszka, Florida International University
September 2018 - "Studying Shipwrecks through Citizen Science" by Sara Ayers-Rigsby, Florida Public Archaelology Network
August 2018 - "Spiegel Grove 15th Anniversary" by Carlos and Allison Estape, REEF Volunteers
July 2018 - "Protecting Biodiversity through Citizen Science for 25 Years" by Paul Humann, REEF Co-Founder, and Lad Akins, REEF Director of Special Projects
June 2018 - "Goal: Clean Seas Florida Keys - A Community Movement" by Marlies Tumolo, Program Coordinator, Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary
May 2018 - "Turtles of the Keys" by Teresa Ryan, Education Manager, The Turtle Hospital
April 2018 - "In the Wake of an Environmental Disaster - Is There a Silver Lining?" by Dr. Martin Grosell, Professor, University of Miami RSMAS/MBE
March 2018 - "Sharks: Beyond the Myths" by Dr. Samuel Gruber, Bimini Sharklab
February 2018 - "Love on the Reef - Amazing and Elaborate Marine Life Courting and Mating" by Lad Akins, REEF Director of Special Projects
January 2018 - "Caribbean Coral Restoration: How Much Can It Help?" by Dr. Margaret Miller, Research Director for SECORE International
November 2017 - "Search for the Salmon Shark – An Alaskan Adventure" by Andy Dehart, Patricia and Phillip Frost Museum of Science
October 2017 - "Marine Zoning Works for Me" by Caroline McLaughlin, Biscayne Program Manager at the National Parks Conservation Association
August 2017 - "Microplastics: What Are They? Where Are They? Why Do We Care?" by Brittany Parker, Outreach Coordinator at the Marine Resources Development Foundation
July 2017 - "Fish and Facts of Little Cayman" by Paul & Marta Bonatz
June 2017 - "Using toadfish to learn about mammalian health and disease" by Dr. Danielle McDonald, Assistant Professor, Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science
May 2017 - "Sciences and Oceanography" by Dr. Matthew Johnston, Research Scientists, Nova Southeastern University's Halmos College of Natural Sciences and Oceanography
April 2017 - " Marine Reserves: Preserving the Coastal Environment" by Marty Arostegui, IGFA Trustee, Gill Muratori, South Florida Representative for IGFA, Randolph "Bouncer" Smith, Full time Fishing Guide for 50 years
March 2017 - "Florida Bay: Seagrass and Senators" by Captain Elizabeth Jolin, co-founder of the nonprofit Florida Bay Forever
February 2017 - "30 Years of Getting the Shot" by Mark Rackley, Underwater Cameraman
January 2017 - "The Balance of the Environment and Mosquito Control" by Beth Ranson, Public Education & Information Officer, FKMCD
October 2016 - Captain Spencer Slate, International Scuba Diving Hall of Fame and Owner/ Operator of Captain Slate's Dive Center
September 2016 - Cory S. Walter, Senior Biologist at Mote Marine Laboratory
August 2016 - "The Remarkable Impact of Disease on Florida's Spiny Lobsters" by Dr. Donald C. Behringer, Associate Professor and Fulbright Scholar at University of Florida's Fisheries & Aquatic Sciences Program and Emerging Pathogens Institute
July 2016 - Lureen Ferretti, REEF Advanced Assessment Team Member Underwater Photographer, Fish ID Person Extraordinaire
June 2016 - "The Natural History & Marine Habitats of Cuba" by Dr. Jack Grover, Marine Biologist
May 2016 - "Speaking from Experience - Lessons to be Learned" by Captain Gary Mace
April 2016 - "Men of Honor, Past and into the Future" by Les W. Burke, Retired Officer and Navy Diver, Founder: Jr. Scientists in the Sea
March 2016 - "Diving the Galapagos" by Paul Humann, REEF Co-Founder and Board of Trustees member
February 2016 - "Endocrine Disruptors - Stealth Pollution" by Martin Moe, Retired Fishery Biologist and Marine Aquaculturist
November 2015 - "Why Sharks Matter: the ecological and economic importance of sharks, the threats they face, and how you can help." by David Shiffman, University of Miami Shark Researcher, Florida 2013 Marine Science Educator of the Year
October 2015 - "Math, Art and the Coral Reef" by Laurie Brooks
September 2015 - "A Lobster's Life in the Florida Keys" by Gabby Renchen, Fisheries & Wildlife Biologist Scientists II
August 2015 - "Are Florida Keys Coral Reef and Coastal Fisheries Sustainable?" by Dr. Jerald S. Ault, Professor of Marine Biology & Fisheries, University of Miami, Florida
July 2015 - "Model or Myth?" by Dr. Michael S. Allen, Professor and Associate Director of the Fisheries and Aquatic Science Program - University of Florida
June 2015 - ""Wet" Divers with "Wet" Cameras" by Jim Spencer
May 2015 - "Science and Discovery Abroad a NOAA Research Ship in the Florida Keys" by Scott Donahue, Science Coordinator, NOAA/ Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary
April 2015 - "Fish Telemetry in the Florida Keys" by Danielle Morley, Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission, Fish & Wildlife Research Institute
March 2015 - "Sea Turtles and Man" by Sandy Williams, Vice-President, Save-A-Turtle, and Allison Estape, Florida Sea Turtle Nesting Beach Monitoring Program
February 2015 - "Secrets of the Sargasso Sea" by Dr. Brian Lapointe, Research Professor, Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institution, Florida Atlantic University
January 2015 - "The Social Side of Diving" by Pete "NetDoc" Murray and Elena Rodriquez
November 2014 - "Weird and Wonderful Creatures" by Jonathan Lavan, Underwater Photographer & Environmentalist
October 2014 - Chris Olsted, Director of Underwater Habitats, Marine Resources Development Foundation
September 2014 - "Lionfish Science: How we do it, and what we are finding", by Lad Adkins, REEf Director of Special Projects, and Elizabeth Underwood, REEF Lionfish Program Coordinator
August 2014 - "Life Aquarius" by Aileen Soto, Education and Outreach Coordinator, Aquarius Reef Base, Florida International Unversity
July 2014 - "The World of Fish is Changing" by Ned and Anna Deloach
June 2014 - "Chew on This: Oral Anatomy & Physiology of the Fish World" by Keri Kenning, Biologist, REEF Volunteer & Level 5 Expert Fish Surveyor, Future Dentist
May 2014 - "Biodiversity of Alligator Reef & the 100 Species Challenge Century Dive" by Carlos and Allison Estape, Noted Underwater Photographers, REEF 2013 Volunteers of the Year
April 2014 - "The Movement Patterns and Habitat Use of Smalltooth Sawfish in South Florida and the Bahamas and Research to Support the Recovery of a Critically Endangered Species" by Dr. R. Dean Grubbs, Associate Scholar Scientist, Florida State University Coastal and Marine Laboratory
March 2014 - "Using Bycatch Science to Make Our Fisheries Cleaner" by Dr. David W. Kerstetter, Assistant Professor, Nova Southern University Oceanographic Center
February 2014 - "The Evolution and Development of an Oceanic Ethic" by Dr. James A. Bohnsack, Research Fishery Biologist, NOAA National Fisheries Service
January 2014 - "Anchors and Atolls: The discovery of a ship wreck in the Pitcairn Island Group" by Jack Grove
November 2013 - "I.D.ing Cousins" by Jonathan Lavan, 2012 REEF Volunteer of the Year, Nature Photographer, Owner/ Operator of Underpressure Diving
October 2013 - "The Corals of Key Largo" by Jerry Greenberg
September 2013 - "New insights into the impacts and management of invasive lionfish on Caribbean coral reefs" by Dr. Stephanie Green
August 2013 - "Much Diving Around the World" by Paul Humann
July 2013 - "Diving Islamorada" by Carlos & Allison Estape
June 2013 - "Spotted Eagle Ray research in the Gulf of Mexico, Atlantic and Caribbean Sea: How YOU can help!" by Kim Bassos-Hull
May 2013 - "SEX ON THE REEF" by Lad Akins, Director of Special Projects, REEF
April 2013 - "Cooperation and Conflict in Nurse Sharks" by West Pratt
March 2013 - "Pursuing a Passion" by Time Gollimund
February 2013 - "Strategies for Restoring Florida's Conch Population" by Robert Glazer, Associate Research Scientist, Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission
January 2013- "Backcountry Adventures" by Bill Keogh
November 2012 - "Blue Heron Blvd Bridge: World Class Much in Our Own Backyard" by Ken Marks
October 2012 - "Fisheries-Independent REEF Fish Sampling in the Florida Keys" by Dr. Alejandro Acosta, Associate Research Scientist, Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission
September 2012 - "The Latest Lionfish Research and Findings" by Lad Akins, Director of Special Projects, REEF Environmental Education Foundation
August 2012 - "Aquarius Reef Base: A 20-year retrospective, and an eye on the future fo this historic NOAA program." by Thomas Potts, Director of NOAA's Aquarius Reef Base
July 2012 - "Hot Topics" by Ken Nedimyer, Chairperson of the Sanctuary Advisory Council for the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary
June 2012 - "A Journey to Underwater Photography" by Lureen Ferretti, REEF Fish I.D. Surveyor and Underwater Photographer
April 2012 - "Protecting Florida Bay" by Rob Clift, Senior Marine Outreach Coordinator, National Parks Conservation Association
March 2012 - "Pursuing a Passion aka Learning As I Go" by Tim Grollimund
February 2012 - "SHARKWATER" a film by Rob Stewart
January 2012 - "Diadema, Caretaker of the Reefs" by Martin Moe
November 2011 - "Global Warming - The Changing Oceans" by Captain Dan Kipnis
October 2011 - "The Fishes of the Galapagos" by Jack Grove, Discussing his book, Co-authored with Dr. Robert Lavenberg
September 2011 - "The Fabulous Fish of Fiji, REEF's First Fish I.D. Surveys in the South Pacific" by Paul Humann
August 2011 - "The Tale of The Spiny Lobster" by Martine Moe
July 2011 - "July is the month for fish counting" by Alecia Adamson
June 2011 - "Night Moves in the Florida Keys" by Donna Blaszcak
May 2011 - "Sex, Drugs, and Sea Slime, The Oceans' Oddest Creatures and Why They Matter" by Ellen Prager
April 2011 - "Save-A-Turtle of the Florida Keys" by Rick & Lori Sall
March 2011 - "The Remarkable Spawning Behavior of Reef Fishes" by Ned DeLoach
February 2011 - "Marine Mammals of the Florida Keys" by Courtney Coburn, From the Dolphin Research Center
January 2011 - "How to Catch, Clean and Cook Lionfish" by Lad Akins
November 2010 - "1996 - 2002: The Spiegel Grove from start to finish and the benefits of an artificial reef for our community and economy" by Captain Spencer Slate
October 2010 - "Reflections From the Road" by Stephen Frank
September 2010 - "Developer of the FKNMS mooring systems" by Captain John C. Halas
August 2010 - "SPAWN-TANEOUS Corals Catch the Corals in The Acts!" by Lauri MacLaughlin
July 2010 - "July is Great Annual Fish Count Month!" by Lad Akins
June 2010 - Alecia Adamson, REEF's new Field Operations Coordinator
May 2010 - Ken Nedimyer, Founder of Coral Reef Restoration Foundation
April 2010 - "Five Fathoms of Fun, My First Sixty-two Years in Key Largo: 1948-2010" by Jerry Greenberg
March 2010 - Captain Rob Blesser, Captain of the Key Largo Fire Department Water Emergency Team
February 2010 - Ken Marks, REEF member who designed our first survey scan forms, shares fish stores from the early days and talks about the upcoming Bioblitz
January 2010 - "Rare Fish of the Western Atlantic" by Paul Humann
November 2009 - "Spawn-taneous Coral - Reef Rescue and Recovery" by Lauri MacLaughlin
October 2009 - "Grunts and Snappers - How to Tell them Apart" by Paul Humann
September 2009 - Lad Akins, updates of the current status of the invasive lionfish in the Florida Keys
August 2009 - Anna DeLoach, being in the right place at the right time to discover amazing creatures and some of her favorite videos and photos
July 2009 - Lisa Mitchell, History of Diving Museum
June 2009 - "How to do a REEF Survey" by Lisa Mitchell, History of Diving Museum
May 2009 - "The Amazing Lives and Identification of Parrotfish & Wrasse" by Lad Akins
April 2009 - "Born in the Wrong Sea: The Lionfish Invasion!" by Lad Akins
March 2009 - "Come hear about the History of REEF" by Paul Humann, renowned author and underwater photographer