The Conservation Challenge is a fun way to get involved in marine conservation and citizen science. You can earn collectible stickers by participating in various REEF programs and events! There are some great opportunities coming up this fall to earn different Conservation Challenge stickers, including:
Mark your calendars! The 16th Annual Florida Keys Lionfish Derby & Arts Festival is coming up this month, on April 24-27, 2025. This event blends ocean conservation, art, science, and community fun, and it's free and open to the public! Join us for a weekend of lionfish hunting, eco-art, ocean education, and family-friendly festivities. The Lionfish Derby engages divers in a thrilling competition to remove as many invasive lionfish as possible, helping protect native marine ecosystems.
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.
We are excited to welcome our Summer 2023 Marine Conservation Interns to REEF! They will assist with education, outreach, events, and daily operations around the REEF Campus in Key Largo, Florida. Pictured from left to right are Carolyn Corley, Shalini Thinakaran, and Brian Chansky. Here's a bit more about them:
We recently said a fond farewell to Madalyn “Moose” Mussey, who served as REEF Education Manager for the Ocean Explorers Program for the past five years. Moose started at REEF as a Marine Conservation Intern during the Spring 2019 semester. Following this, she served as Lead Intern for the Invasive Species Program, and joined the staff in November 2019.
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:
REEF is proud to highlight Scuba Center, a Conservation Partner in Minnesota. REEF Conservation Partners are organizations and dive shops committed to protecting marine environments worldwide. As valued REEF ambassadors, they serve as centers for marine conservation actions, outreach, and education. You can view the full listing of Conservation Partners or register your organization as a REEF Conservation Partner here.
From March to June of this year, the REEF Conservation Science team completed a rigorous set of field testing for two types of deep water traps to capture invasive lionfish: the Gittings Noncontainment Trap, and a modified lobster trap, both designed for capturing lionfish from mesophotic reefs in the Florida Keys. With the help of Forever Young Charter Company and local volunteers, our team deployed these traps in a paired design at 43 different natural and artificial reefs across the Upper Florida Keys.
Spring is almost here, and this season brings a flurry of education activity! We are excited to welcome new and returning groups to the REEF Campus in Key Largo for our Ocean Explorers Education Programs! Want to learn more? Check out this quick overview of our education program offerings:
The 15th annual REEF Florida Keys Lionfish Derby & Festival is quickly approaching! The event features two full days of lionfish hunting, plus a fun lionfish awareness night and an awards ceremony at the REEF Campus. You can check out all the details at www.REEF.org/derby. The weekend kicks off with a Captain's Meeting to discuss safe collecting and handling procedures and derby rules on Thursday, August 15. If you haven't yet signed up and want to participate in the derby, you can register a team of 2-4 people until 6:30pm on August 15.