REEF members are the heart of our grassroots marine conservation programs. A diverse community of divers, snorkelers, and ocean enthusiasts support our mission to conserve marine environments worldwide.

This month we highlight Kevin Abbott, a REEF member who lives in Pennsylvania. He joined REEF in 2019 and has conducted more than 125 REEF surveys! He has surveyed in several regions, including the Tropical Western Atlantic (TWA), where he is an Expert surveyor, as well as the Indian Ocean-Red Sea (IORS) and Eastern Atlantic & Mediterranean (EAM) regions. Thank you for all you do as a REEF member, Kevin!

When and how did you first volunteer with REEF or become a REEF member? How did you first hear about REEF?
Joy Winet at the Barrier Island Center in Melbourne Beach introduced me to REEF about 8 years ago. I was meeting with the gift shop coordinator there and describing the fish models I was working on designing when the manager said I should meet Joy, who was a REEF member. Joy said I could tag along on some of her surveys and introduced me to diving at the Blue Heron Bridge.

What is the most interesting thing you’ve learned doing a REEF fish survey?
I spent a chunk of my childhood exploring and snorkeling around Biscayne Bay and Elliot Key and learned to identify many of the fish with my Peterson Field Guide. I remember looking at the page with all the hamlet species and wondering when I'd see them, as well as many of the other fascinating fish on those pages. My parents were into diving and fish, but being in the Air Force we moved away. Many years later, I found my way back to that early interest and I have learned how to find most all the hamlet species. Now, having done a little over one hundred surveys, I find it interesting how much patience it takes to develop an eye or search image for the various species. I wonder how many things I never noticed during my early years and even now to this day!

In your opinion, what is the most important aspect of REEF’s projects and programs?
The relevance of what REEF is doing meshes with all the other wonderful citizen science and stewardship programs that people can be involved in regardless of profession. I think it is great that there are programs that involve interested citizens in environmental and land stewardship. An important part of this is learning how to identify plants and animals that give character to locations and noticing changes over time.

What is your favorite fish or marine invertebrate? Why is it your favorite?
Across the board the parrotfish seem to be most interesting to me. They are fun to watch as they interact with each other and other species. What and where they feed and their biological role are interesting too. I love the diversity of the family with their variety of bright colors.