This October, REEF’s Ocean Exploration Center brought the community together for a day of building tools. On Saturday, October 3, REEF hosted Building with Claude: AI for Ocean Conservation in the Florida Keys, a day that paired six Florida Keys nonprofits with volunteer AI builders who drove down from Miami. Every organization left with practical ideas, and several with working prototypes.
Meet Nicole Duran, REEF’s Campus Operations Assistant, who joined the REEF team in October 2026. Based at REEF’s Key Largo Campus, Nicole supports the day-to-day administrative and operational work that keeps REEF’s ocean conservation programs running smoothly, including shipping and store support, back-office processing, and facilities coordination.
“I’m so excited to work with a purpose, protecting our reefs and using my creativity to support such a great foundation with an amazing team!”
REEF Fest 2026 is a wrap, and what a weekend it was! From October 15–18, divers, snorkelers, scientists, and ocean lovers from near and far gathered in Key Largo for four days of seminars, socials, diving, and celebration. To everyone who joined us, whether in person or online, thank you. You are what makes REEF Fest so special, and together we celebrated not just marine conservation, but the collective impact of the entire REEF community.
Four Days of Free Ocean Seminars, Community Celebrations, and Florida Keys Adventures Bring Together Participants from Across the Country and Strong Support from Local Businesses
Sometimes, making a difference for the ocean starts with getting your hands dirty.
This September, REEF interns, volunteers, and community members came together for International Coastal Cleanup Day at the Ocean Forest Restoration site in Dagny Johnson State Park. The morning was a chance to get into the field and take direct action to care for the coastal environment we all share.
Calling all educators! Applications for the 2027 REEF Educator in the Field Fellowship open October 1, 2026. This is a chance for a formal or informal educator to gain hands-on experience with ocean citizen science, with expenses covered, on a REEF Field Survey Trip.
REEF Fest returns to Key Largo, Florida, October 15–18, 2026, for four days of seminars, diving, socials, and celebration. Registration is open now, and here is what you will not want to miss.
Meet our October Fish of the Month, the Blue Hamlet, Hypoplectrus gemma — a shimmering, all-blue jewel of the reef and one of the Florida Keys’ true local specialties.
Survey Regions: Blue Hamlets belong to the Tropical Western Atlantic (TWA) survey region, with a stronghold in Florida and especially the Florida Keys. REEF surveyors log them most reliably here, which makes every sighting a point of pride for Keys divers.