Grouper Moon season is here! REEF scientists, partners from Scripps Institution of Oceanography and Oregon State University, and volunteers are gearing up for the annual field effort of the Grouper Moon Project, a collaborative research effort with the Cayman Islands Department of the Environment (CIDOE). 2022 will be the 20th year of this important project, which studies one of the largest and last known spawning aggregations of Nassau Grouper in the Caribbean. During winter full moons, thousands of grouper gather in one location for 7-10 days to spawn.
We are excited to welcome Alexa "Lex" Bryant to the REEF Team as Conservation Science Associate. Lex joined the staff at the beginning of 2022 and is based at the REEF Campus in Key Largo. She grew up outside of Boston, where she started her marine science journey. She was certified to dive when she was 14, exploring the New England waters. Around the same time, she started working aboard the F/V Erica Lee II out of Newburyport, MA, and spent her summers teaching marine science. Lex eventually worked her way up to First Mate and started her commercial fishing career.
Discover marine conservation with a REEF Ocean Explorers Education Program – where learning is an adventure! Our programs inspire and engage participants in immersive, hands-on learning and exploration. Programs feature marine conservation, biology, ecology, citizen science, invasive species, and service learning. We offer programs for schools, scouts, families, teachers, travel groups, and colleges. REEF Ocean Explorers Education Programs include:
Meet our first Fish of the Month for 2022, the Black Brotula (Stygnobrotula latebricola)!
We are excited to welcome our Spring 2022 Marine Conservation Interns to REEF! As a part of our team, they will assist with Oceans Explorers Education Programs, outreach events like lionfish derbies, and daily operations around the REEF Campus. They are:
Welcome to the Citizen Science Corner, our quarterly feature to acknowledge those who recently reached a milestone in our Volunteer Fish Survey Project. We are celebrating those who moved up an Experience Level in October, November, or December 2021.
Experience Level Advancements
Together, we're building a brighter future for the oceans. Your support of REEF funds programs that use citizen science to protect marine life, conduct groundbreaking conservation science research, and engage and educate ocean stewards and communities. By working together, we can achieve meaningful solutions for conservation success. Our winter fundraising campaign is underway, and your year-end gift will help ensure that we can start off 2022 on a high note, ready to take action to advance ocean conservation worldwide.
Mark your calendars, fish enthusiasts! We're headed to the eastern Caribbean island of St. Vincent for a REEF Field Survey Trip on Feb. 5-12, 2022. There are just three spaces remaining on the trip, and those who love adding to their fish survey life list will not want to miss this one. Known as the muck diving capital of the Caribbean, St. Vincent is renowned in the dive community as a hotspot for rare, unique, and cryptic species.
As you make resolutions and plans for the year ahead, why not consider a goal that benefits not only you, but our planet as well? In early 2022, we're launching the Conservation Challenge, a new initiative to encourage REEF members to dive deeper into citizen science. The goals are to learn about marine life, gather scientific data, and connect with a community of ocean lovers as you complete various challenges that support REEF's marine conservation mission. Most of the challenges can be completed during any time of year, and we’ll choose one (or more!) challenges to highlight each month.
Looking for guidance on how to get started with the REEF Volunteer Fish Survey Project (VFSP)? Check out the new REEF Surveyor Toolbox for tips, tricks, resources and materials. The page includes an overview of the VFSP and how to become a citizen scientist, the gear you need to get started surveying, and educational resources for each REEF survey region. Next time you're planning a dive trip to a new location, visit this page to see a list of field guides, survey papers, species reference lists, and more. Happy surveying!