As April comes to a close, so does Citizen Science Month. We are proud to recognize and celebrate you and the power of community-driven science. Research findings show that citizen science is an extremely impactful tool when it comes to furthering scientific research. Your contributions to the Volunteer Fish Survey Project are a prime example of this, collecting critical data needed for marine conservation. Every survey you submit helps make a huge difference!
Meet our May Fish of the Month, the Padded Sculpin, Artedius fenestralis — a pint-sized master of disguise from the Pacific coast.
Hands-on marine science in action! Students from Benjamin School recently joined REEF for an Ocean Explorers Expedition packed with curiosity, discovery, and saltwater adventure.
The day began at the REEF Ocean Exploration Center, where students learned the fundamentals of REEF Fish ID surveys and practiced identifying common Caribbean reef species. The Ocean Exploration Center is uniquely suited to host school groups — combining interactive exhibits, classroom-style instruction, and nearby access to the coral reef through one of our partners.
What a year 2025 was for REEF. From the long-anticipated Grand Opening of the Ocean Exploration Center to record-breaking citizen science contributions, REEF members, donors, partners, and volunteers helped us reach more people, remove more invasive species, and advance more marine science than ever before. We're thrilled to share that our 2025 Impact Report is now live at www.reef.org/2025-impact-report — we hope you'll take a few minutes to dive in.
By the Numbers
A few of the year's highlights:
From April 23–26, divers, captains, families, and ocean lovers gathered for REEF's 17th Annual Florida Keys Lionfish Derby & Arts Festival — and by the time the scales were tallied, we had a brand-new Florida Keys record on our hands. Over two days of competition, derby teams pulled 2,480 invasive lionfish off South Florida reefs, smashing the previous Keys record of 1,898 (set in 2023) by a jaw-dropping 31 percent. It's also a new all-time high across REEF's full derby program that over nearly two decades has been hosted across Florida.
SCUBA divers can collect fish and marine mammal DNA just by swimming! A few years ago, we reported on an exciting collaboration with scientists from Scripps Oceanography that uses cutting-edge technology to improve our understanding of ocean ecosystems. Results from this study were recently published in the scientfic journal, Environmental DNA.
Introducing our April Fish of the Month, the Red Lionfish, Pterois volitans! We chose this species because April is Lionfish Derby month — REEF's 17th Annual Florida Keys Lionfish Derby & Arts Festival takes place April 23–26, 2026, right here in Key Largo!
REEF's sixth annual Give BIG for the Oceans is coming on Friday, April 17, 2026 — and we want you to be part of it!
On April 17, every dollar you give will be matched dollar for dollar — up to $30,000 — thanks to a generous anonymous donor. This is a one-day-only event to support REEF's ocean conservation, citizen science, and education programs. Your support ensures that these programs continue to protect marine life and inspire action worldwide.
Our online programs are free and open to all! Check out what's coming up, and view the entire schedule of Fishinars and other online programs here.
REEF Into the Blue Book Club
Thursday, April 9, 8pm EDT
Click here to register