This month, REEF is proud to highlight one of our outstanding Conservation Partners: Pura Vida Divers in West Palm Beach, Florida. REEF Conservation Partners are active organizations and dive shops dedicated to protecting marine environments. As valued REEF ambassadors, they teach fish ID classes, host survey dives, organize volunteer events and more. With partners across the country and beyond, there are plenty of opportunities to engage.
Meet February's Fish of the Month, the Wolf-eel (Anarrhichthys ocellatus)!
They say there are plenty of fish in the sea, and when you adopt one of REEF’s Conservation Creatures, you are helping to protect those species for the future. REEF Conservation Creatures are stuffed animals depicting iconic marine species from REEF’s Volunteer Fish Survey Project regions. These marine creatures highlight the diversity of ocean ecosystems and encourage understanding and respect for marine life.
Since 1993, more than 16,000 volunteers have conducted at least one REEF survey as part of the Volunteer Fish Survey Project. Today, the survey database totals more than 248,000 surveys. A small group of highly dedicated surveyors known as the Golden Hamlet Club have contributed significantly to this total by conducting 1,000+ REEF surveys. Congratulations to Chuck Curry, the newest member of the Golden Hamlet Club! Read on to learn more about Chuck and his involvement with the Volunteer Fish Survey Project.
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.
Nassau Grouper populations increased threefold in response to dynamic fishing management actions in the Cayman Islands
A new study from the Grouper Moon Project has documented a successful recovery effort among Nassau Grouper populations in the Cayman Islands. It also highlights the value of collaborative efforts for conservation success.
This article discusses how the Grouper Moon Project has been successful at studying and protecting critically endangered Nassau Grouper in the Cayman Islands.
Coverage of the Grouper Moon Project featuring interviews with several of the Project's scientists.
Before coming to REEF, I thought I was fairly good at fish id in the Tropical Western Atlantic. I used to work as a dive instructor on the island of Roatan, off the coast of Honduras, and could always find the interesting species that guests enjoyed seeing like Moray Eels, Groupers, and Rays. When I started as a Marine Conservation Intern, I was very excited to see how much I actually knew. I was eager to go diving and check off all of the species on my survey slate.