Congratulations to REEF surveyor Steve Vinitsky, who recently joined the Golden Hamlet Club! This distinguished group is made up of highly dedicated volunteers who have conducted 1,000 or more REEF surveys in contribution to the Volunteer Fish Survey Project.
Looking back, Steve completed his very first REEF survey on June 25th, 2000 at Coral Gardens on Dominica, during a Field Survey Trip led by REEF Co-founders, Paul Humann and Ned DeLoach. Since then, Steve has been an avid citizen scientist, conducting marine life surveys in regions all over the world including the Tropical Western Atlantic (TWA) , Hawaii, South Pacific, South Atlantic States, Central Indo-Pacific, and the Indian Ocean and Red Sea.
For his milestone 1,000th survey, Steve was diving in the beautiful and biodiverse waters of the Philippines. Most of his surveys have been conducted in the TWA, where he is an Expert Level surveyor. Within the TWA, Steve's favorite place to dive is Cozumel! In the Pacific, his favorite spots (so far) have been Tubbataha and Raja Ampat. Looking ahead, Steve hopes to travel and survey in the Red Sea and the Mediterranean Sea.
Congratulations, Steve! Your dedication to marine conservation and the Volunteer Fish Survey Project makes a lasting impact. Read more about the Golden Hamlet Club here.