Now that our summer fundraising campaign has come to a close, we want to say a sincere thank you to all who made a gift to REEF. Because of your support, we were able to meet our goal and take advantage of our full donation match this summer. We are so thankful to The Curtis and Edith Munson Foundation, The Henry Foundation, and The Meyer Foundation for their generosity in matching donations.
Join us for a fun afternoon and evening of drinks, food, friends, and lionfish during Sharkey's annual Rockin' the Dock celebration! Visit our REEF booth to learn all about lionfish and play fun games, and stick around as we announce the winners of our Florida Keys Lionfish Sweeps. We'll be giving away prizes to the contestants who removed the most invasive lionfish from Florida Keys waters between April 1-June 30.
Looking for a fun and educational way to dive into ocean learning this summer? REEF Ocean Explorers Education Programs are now being hosted in our brand-new Ocean Exploration Center in Key Largo, and we’re excited to welcome learners of all ages!
The Ocean Exploration Center features immersive exhibits, learning stations, and a state-of-the-art classroom, all designed to spark curiosity about marine life and ocean conservation. It’s the perfect place for school groups, scout troops, families, and travelers to explore the wonders of the sea.
REEF’s 2018 Lionfish Derby Series presented by Whole Foods Market® is in full swing, and we are excited to share that so far, derby participants have already removed more than 1,770 lionfish from Florida's coastal waters this year! Thank you to everyone who has participated in this effort to combat invasive species. With the Palm Beach Derby happening this weekend at Loggerhead Marinelife Center, we will add even more lionfish to the current total.
This summer, we celebrated the 25th anniversary of REEF's cornerstone citizen science program, the Volunteer Fish Survey Project. Our annual summer fundraising campaign kicked off on World Oceans Day on June 8, and since then, thanks to the support of members like you, we were able to reach our goal of raising $60,000 to support our conservation programs!
For the past 11 years, REEF has organized lionfish derbies throughout Florida, and we recently kicked off another exciting derby season! During the weekend of June 29-30, thirty divers removed 417 invasive lionfish during REEF’s 8th Annual Fort Lauderdale Lionfish Derby, held at 15th Street Fisheries. Derby competitors dodged periodic thunderstorms while searching the reefs to bring in the smallest lionfish, largest lionfish, and most number of individual lionfish. Team Painkiller won first place in the most lionfish category, bringing in 180 fish.
Four-day Florida Keys event includes diving, snorkeling, kayak tours, ocean seminars, and socials
This holiday season, we are reflecting on the beginnings of REEF. Our mission to conserve marine environments began 25 years ago in the Florida Keys, when a small group of pioneering divers and conservationists took a slate on a dive and started REEF’s Volunteer Fish Survey Project, a program that would eventually become the largest marine life sightings database in the world. Since then, our work has grown to include endangered and invasive species work, as well as education and outreach. None of this would be possible without you, our members.
This month, REEF members worldwide are invited to participate in our first underwater photography contest! Members may submit one photo in each of six different categories including fish portrait, macro, invertebrates, REEF surveyor, lionfish/invasive species, and reefscape/habitat/environment. Submissions will be judged by three separate panels including professional photographers, REEF staff and board, and popular vote. Each judging panel will select a winning photo from each of the six categories, for a total of 18 winning photographs.
We are thrilled to share that we have reached our 2019 summer matching goal - to raise $70,000 to support REEF's citizen science, education, and research programs! So many REEF members stepped up to show their support for marine conservation, and we are so appreciative of your outstanding efforts. From all of us at REEF, thank you to everyone who contributed to our summer fundraising campaign, and a special thank you to the Curtis and Edith Munson Foundation, The Henry Foundation, and The Meyer Foundation who generously matched these gifts.