REEF staff and partners just returned from the annual Gulf and Caribbean Fisheries Institute (GCFI) conference, held this year in the Dominican Republic. REEF’s programs and data were represented to the GCFI community by REEF Director of Science, Christy Pattengill-Semmens, and REEF Invasive Species Program Manager, Alli Candelmo, as well as our partners from Scripps Institute of Oceanography (Brice Semmens), Oregon State University (Scott and Selina Heppell), and Cayman Island Department of Environment (Bradley Johnson).
Did you know that REEF hosts twelve Marine Conservation Interns each year? This important program is vital to REEF's success and serves as a formative experience for these young adults. As a new feature in our newsletter, we will periodically check in with intern alumni to see where they are now and how their time at REEF impacted their journey. This month we visited with Laura Palomino.
When were you a REEF intern?
Expand your knowledge of fish id at this lovely seaside resort in the heart of beautiful St. Lucia. The entire region is a protected marine area and excellent, easily accessible beach diving is available directly in front of the resort. When not diving or snorkeling, guests can enjoy many other activities including sea kayaking, jungle biking, yoga and sailing. Anse Chastanet is an environmentally-conscious, luxury resort with plenty of amenities and delicious food, making it a great destination for REEF surveyors of all levels.
Want to get the latest news and updates from REEF? Then be sure to check out the REEF Facebook Page. You don't have to have a Facebook account to view the page, anyone can look at the content. If you do have a Facebook profile, be sure to "like" us so that all of the latest information about REEF's programs and events, our marine conservation work, and exclusive content and stories will go straight to your feed. It's also a great place for our members to post pictures, fish stories, and whatever is on their mind.
REEF Conservation Creatures are iconic marine species found throughout REEF’s nine Volunteer Fish Survey Project regions. From the Tropical Western Atlantic (TWA) to the Central Indo-Pacific (CIP), these marine creatures highlight the diversity of ocean ecosystems and encourage understanding and respect for marine life. Each plush comes with a collectable, laminated Conservation Card that provides information about the animal’s habitat, characteristics, potential threats, and global distribution in REEF's Survey Project regions.
If you have been thinking about joining us on a REEF Trip in 2017, now is the time to book your space. We are looking for passionate ocean enthusiasts to join us! There are still some spaces left on the following trips. Trips sell out quickly, so book your space as soon as possible!
February 18 - 25, 2017 -- Dominica -- Dive Dominica & Castle Comfort Lodge, Led by Lad Akins, find out more
As the holidays wind down, now is the perfect time to plan a dive vacation that counts. We still have openings on several REEF Field Survey Trips in 2017, to both tropical and temperate dive destinations all over the world. Join us for an itinerary of diving, educational classroom seminars, and fun with friends!
Spaces are available on the following REEF Trips in 2017:
February 18 - 25 -- Dominica -- Dive Dominica & Castle Comfort Lodge, Led by Lad Akins, find out more
Rosette Davila cares deeply about the health of the oceans. As a supporter of REEF programs both in the water and on land, Rosette wants to make a difference. That's why she recently became part of REEF's Legacy Society through a life estate gift. When asked why she chose REEF, Rosette described a long history of diving (since 1993), where she has become increasingly alarmed with the deterioration of our oceans. In 2015 Rosette joined REEF's Lad Akins and Peter Hughes on a REEF Invasive Lionfish Research Trip to The Bahamas.
We are proud to release REEF's 2014 Annual Report, reviewing accomplishments from our ocean conservation and education programs. Click here to view the Annual Report. In the report, we highlight many achievements and successes in 2014, such as:
Happy New Year! We hope that all of our members had a joyous holiday season. In this first edition of REEF-in-Brief 2009 we bring you news that everyone knew was just a matter of time -- the invasive Indo-Pacific Lionfish has been confirmed in the Florida Keys. Thanks to her experience as a REEF fishwatcher and the numerous outreach stories that REEF has issued to our members, REEF surveyor Becky Fowler knew just what she was looking at last week while diving during her vacation off Key Largo, Florida.