The Faces of REEF: David Thompson and Luanne Betz

REEF members are at the heart of our grassroots marine conservation programs. Over 50,000 divers, snorkelers, students, and armchair naturalists stand behind our mission.

This month we highlight one of our many REEF couples - David Thompson and Luanne Betz, members since 2011. David and Luanne have collectively conducted 250 surveys and are active surveyors in several REEF regions. Both have achieved Level 5 Expert status in the TWA and Level 3 status in the CIP. Here's what they had to say about REEF:

REEF Volunteer Fish Survey Project Achieves Milestone - 150,000 Surveys in the Tropical Western Atlantic

Last week, Reef Environmental Education Foundation (REEF) celebrated the 150,000th fish survey processed in the Tropical Western Atlantic (TWA) survey region as part of the REEF Volunteer Fish Survey Project. Volunteer divers and snorkelers made this significant milestone possible. Over 11,000 REEF volunteers have submitted surveys at over 8,000 sites throughout Florida, the Caribbean, and Bahamas since the program’s beginnings in 1993. You can get involved with the Volunteer Fish Survey Project by attending a Great Annual Fish Count Event, taking place throughout the entire month of July!

Making It Count - June 2017

Great Annual Fish Count 2017 -25 Years of Fun!

Celebrating it's 25th year - the Great Annual Fish Count (GAFC) kicked off this weekend! During the entire month of July we encourage you to try your hand at conducting your first survey if you're new to our Volunteer Fish Survey Project, or to do a few more if it's been a while.

The GAFC began in 1992 when a small group of recreational divers and marine biologists conducted a visual fish count in California's Channel Islands National Park. The effort was modeled after the Audubon’s Christmas Bird Count and has now grown into an international event coordinated by REEF.

150,000 REEF Surveys Have Been Submitted in the Tropical Western Atlantic

We are proud to announce that on July 1st 2017, the number of REEF Volunteer Fish Survey Project surveys conducted by volunteers in the Tropical Western Atlantic (TWA) region topped 150,000! The 150k surveys have been conducted by 11,123 volunteers at 8,837 sites in the TWA region (which includes the Caribbean, Bahamas, and Gulf of Mexico). The first surveys in the TWA were conducted 24 years ago in Key Largo.

Putting it to Work: Who's Using REEF Data, June 2017

Every month, scientists, government agencies, and other groups request raw data from REEF’s Fish Survey Project database. Recent examples of data requests and uses include:

- A researcher from the Ecology and Evolution Program at Rutgers University is using REEF data to understand bio-cultural homogenization on reefs.

- REEF data on California Sea Cucumber were provided to a researcher from Pacific Shellfish Institute to evaluate the status of the species in the REEF Pacific region (California through Alaska).

The Faces of REEF: Dottie Benjamin

REEF members are at the heart of our grassroots marine conservation programs. Over 50,000 divers, snorkelers, students, and armchair naturalists stand behind our mission.

Calling All Citizen Scientists: Join REEF on a Dive Trip in 2017!

It’s not too late to join REEF on one of our fantastic Field Survey Trips this year! We have a couple openings left on some upcoming trips this fall and winter. Join us and become part of one of the world’s largest ocean citizen science efforts, featuring an itinerary of diving, seminars and fun.

Donate Today to Support Ocean Conservation!

On World Oceans Day, REEF kicked off our annual summer fundraising campaign. Thanks to our largest matching opportunity ever, every donation made this summer will be matched dollar for dollar up to $150,000! We are almost halfway to our goal, but we need your help so that we may continue to grow and build REEF’s ocean conservation legacy. Every donation makes a difference – donate today at www.REEF.org/contribute.

Speaker Line-up For REEF Fest 2017

What will you be doing September 28-October 1 this year? Hopefully joining REEF board, staff, and members in Key Largo, Florida, for the annual REEF Fest event! This year, REEF Fest will kick off on Thursday, September 28, with a sunset picnic, including complimentary dinner and refreshments before our opening seminar. REEF Fest hosts an impressive line-up of scientists and conservation leaders during this year’s seminar series, including:

Pages