It's never too soon to start making your dive travel plans, and we have plenty of excellent REEF Trip destinations on our 2023 schedule. Trips in the winter and spring have been highly requested, and we're excited to have several great Caribbean options. Visit the links below to learn more about each trip, and when you're ready to book, email trips@REEF.org. Spaces are filling up fast, don’t miss your chance to Take a Dive Vacation That Counts in 2023.
Summer is the perfect season for our July Fish of the Month, the Lemon Goby, Vomerogobius flavus!
Survey Regions: The Lemon Goby is found in The Bahamas and northwestern Caribbean, part of the Tropical Western Atlantic (TWA) survey region. Click here to view the REEF database report for this species.
REEF's online programs are free and open to everyone! Here's what is coming up in the next several weeks:
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.
Monitoring fish species to track population growth and general health is vital, and our Conservation Science team has commenced field testing for a new pilot study called SMILE (Size Matters: Innovative Length Estimates). The SMILE Project incorporates the collection of fish length data with the REEF Volunteer Fish Survey Project, using a special FishSense camera.
Welcome to Citizen Science Corner, our quarterly feature to celebrate those who recently reached a milestone in our Volunteer Fish Survey Project. Here are achievements from April, May, or June 2022:
Juvenile Hamlet Award
The Juvenile Hamlet Award is for individuals who have conducted 500+ REEF surveys. We are recognizing two REEF members who have recently joining the Juvenile Hamlet Club:
Calling all lionfish hunters - you're invited to participate in the Florida Keys Lionfish Derby & Festival on Sept. 8-11, 2022. The event includes two days to collect as many invasive lionfish as possible, followed by a family-friendly festival hosted at Postcard Inn Beach Resort & Marina in Islamorada. The festival is open to the public and features lionfish tastings, drink specials, educational demonstrations, games, interactive booths from environmental vendors, live music, and more.
Are you participating in the Conservation Challenge? It's a fun way to get involved in marine conservation and earn collectible stickers for completing different challenges. Get ready to jump in the water (or take a look through your camera's memory card) to complete this month's featured Conservation Challenge: the Discover the Sea Underwater Photography Contest. All you need to do to complete this Conservation Challenge (and earn the corresponding sticker) is enter one or more of your photos into the contest, or simply cast a vote for your favorite photo.
REEF's online programs are free and open to everyone! Here's what is coming up in the next several weeks:
We are now accepting reservations for the REEF Field Survey Trip to St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands! Trip dates are February 18-25, 2023. Join us and enjoy the Caribbean’s natural beauty right outside your doorstep with swaying coconut trees, a vibrant shoreline, and a beautiful sandy beach. This trip includes six days of diving with local operator Dive Aqua Marine, allowing plentiful opportunities to explore a variety of sites including wrecks, reefs, and walls. After diving, relax in Bolongo Bay Beach Resort's tropically adorned oceanview rooms, each with a private balcony.