As we shared last month, surveyor Mike Snow recently submitted the 250,000th survey to our Volunteer Fish Survey Project database. When we asked him to give us some thoughts on what he likes best about REEF, he shared a story about a time when he was buddied with fellow REEF member Greg Jensen, a marine biologist at the University of Washington and author of several reference books, including one on sculpins. Mike and Greg were part of a REEF Advanced Assessment Team project at Saltwater State Park in Washington.
When a REEF volunteer surveyor has submitted 1,000 surveys, he or she becomes a member of the Golden Hamlet Club, named for the rare, sought-after species found in the Tropical Western Atlantic region. REEF survey regions cover the globe and our volunteers are able to survey in tropical and temperate waters worldwide.
Join us for some online fish-themed fun and learning during the month of May! Fishy Hours are online group games just for fun, while Fishinars are REEF's brand of online fish ID classes and learning sessions. All sessions are free and all are invited to attend.
Did you know you can participate in REEF's Volunteer Fish Survey Project while snorkeling? It's a perfect way to dip your toes into citizen science and contribute valuable information about fish populations seen in our oceans, without all the gear and training involved with scuba diving. Snorkel surveys are perfect for:
Please put your pectoral fins together for the following REEF members who have recently moved up an Experience Level within our Volunteer Fish Survey Project!
Volunteers have the opportunity to advance through five levels (Novice through Expert) within each of our survey project regions. Experience Levels are obtained by a combination of fish/invertebrate ID tests and surveys submitted. As surveyors advance, their surveys are categorized in our online sightings database accordingly.
REEF Citizen Science Program Manager Janna Nichols recently had the honor of having a new species of nudibranch (sea slug) named after her! Cadlina jannanicholsae is part of a difficult-to-distinguish complex of nudibranchs that was previously thought to only include Hudson’s Dorid (Acanthodoris hudsoni) and Yellow Margin Dorid (Cadlina luteomarginata). The complex is monitored by REEF surveyors in the Pacific Northwest.
Are you looking for a way to support REEF during this uncertain and volatile time? Please consider becoming a REEF Guardian by setting up a monthly donation. As a nonprofit organization, consistency is vital to our ability to protect ocean species and places. The support of REEF Guardians ensures that our important marine conservation work is able to continue.
Shelter in place? No problem for April's Fish of the Month, the Gorgeous Shrimpgoby (Amblyeleotris wheeleri)!
April is Earth Month, and as we look forward to Earth Day on April 22, you might be looking for ways to stay connected to the environment in these uncertain times. We are all facing new and unfamiliar challenges as we adjust to this rapidly changing situation and navigate disruptions to our daily life. Here are some fun and easy activities you can do from the comfort and safety of your home:
A bucket list item for many REEF surveyors - discovering a new species. And even better, getting a species named after you. This has happened a handful of times over the last couple of decades, and one of our surveyors now has the honor of it happening twice! One of REEF's most prolific surveyors, Janet Eyre, now has a beautiful shrimpgoby named in her honor after discovering the fish on a recent trip to Indonesia.