To commemorate 25 years of REEF’s Volunteer Fish Survey Project, a group of volunteer citizen scientist divers joined REEF staff and interns, along with co-founder Paul Humann, for a special 25th anniversary Field Survey Trip in Key Largo, Florida, last month. Key Largo is home to REEF Headquarters and was also the location for the very first REEF Field Survey Trip, held in July 1993. The attendees on the 2018 trip surveyed the same sites visited by participants on the 1993 Field Survey, to observe how fish populations have changed over past 25 years.
REEF's Volunteer Fish Survey Project dataset was one of 73 fish and invertebrate monitoring programs that were systematically cataloged and evaluated as part of a mulit-year study funded by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) RESTORE Act Science Program. The effort was led by Arnaud Gruss from the University of Miami, and involved dozens of collaborators, including REEF's Director of Science, Christy Pattengill-Semmens.
REEF members are at the heart of our grassroots marine conservation programs. More than 70,000 divers, snorkelers, students, and armchair naturalists stand behind our mission.
Last month, REEF kicked off our 2018 Lionfish Derby series at the Phillip and Patricia Frost Museum of Science in Miami. Four teams competed on June 9 and 10 to bring in a total of 309 fish. The largest lionfish caught was 411mm (just over 16 inches) and the smallest was 112mm (about 4.5 inches.) We have two more derbies coming up this month - in Sarasota at Mote Marine Lab and Aquarium on July 6 - 8, and in Ft. Lauderdale at 15th St. Fisheries on July 13 - 14, and a few more later this summer and fall.
Want to 'talk fish' with other REEF fish ID enthusiasts? We've created eight regional groups on Facebook so you can connect with others, share your photos and observations, ask questions, etc. Whether you're brand new to the world of fishwatching, or have been doing it for years, all REEF members are welcome. Join as many as you like.
We are in the midst of our annual summer fundraising campaign, and are excited to share that thanks to the generosity of three longtime supporters, all donations made this summer will be matched dollar for dollar! We are so grateful for everyone who has already contributed to our summer fundraising campaign, enabling us to continue our marine conservation work.
We are excited to welcome a new member of the REEF staff! Alli Candelmo joined the team this week as the Invasive Species Program Coordinator. She comes to REEF with a wealth of experience in field biology, education, and conservation.
Alli attended Rutgers University where she obtained a Ph. D. in Ecology and Evolution.
We are happy to welcome four new Marine Conservation Interns to REEF. These individuals will play a vital role in the organization by assisting with numerous summer projects including Lionfish Derbies and Ocean Explorers Summer Camp, while working to support daily office operations and other mission-oriented tasks. They will also have many opportunities to dive, conduct fish surveys, and volunteer with environmental organizations in South Florida and the Florida Keys. Each group of interns brings a unique perspective and skill set to REEF. Our Summer 2018 interns include:
We are happy to welcome four new Marine Conservation Interns to REEF. These individuals will play a vital role in the organization by assisting with numerous summer projects including Lionfish Derbies and Ocean Explorers Summer Camp, while working to support daily office operations and other mission-oriented tasks. They will also have many opportunities to dive, conduct fish surveys, and volunteer with environmental organizations in South Florida and the Florida Keys. Each group of interns brings a unique perspective and skill set to REEF. Our Summer 2018 interns include: