This winter, you can share holiday cheer and hope for the oceans by supporting marine conservation! When you donate to REEF, you give a gift that impacts our future and our planet. With the support and dedication of people like you, REEF is using science, education, and research to protect the oceans, and inspiring countless individuals to take action for ocean conservation. We're so thankful to all who have given generously this season. If you have not yet made a gift, please consider donating to REEF today. Your year-end contribution will help us start the new year on a strong note.

Education and engagement are essential for marine conservation success, and REEF Ocean Explorers Education Programs bring oceans to life through online and in-person learning. Our programs include hands-on lessons and activities to teach participants of all ages and backgrounds about citizen science, ocean life, marine ecology and habitats, and most importantly, how each of us can make a difference! We're proud to share some stats from the Ocean Explorers Education Program in 2022.

Want to make a difference on your next dive trip? Join a REEF Field Survey Trip to participate in meaningful conservation work, learn about marine life, and have fun with friends. We have a year-round schedule of trips to fantastic dive locations all over the world. Several 2023 trips are already sold out, but we still have limited space remaining on a few REEF Field Survey Trips next year. Below are some upcoming trips with availability.

Our online programs are free and open to all! Check out what's coming up, and view the entire 2023 schedule of Fishinars and other online programs here.

If you have any REEF surveys that you haven't yet entered, now is the perfect time to submit them. The marine life information collected by REEF volunteers is an extremely useful tool used by scientists and researchers protect our oceans. Each survey can help make a difference in the health of the ocean - but these data must be submitted to the REEF database to make an impact! You can start 2023 with a clean slate (pun intended) by entering all your surveys before the year ends.

Deck the halls for our December Fish of the Month, the Treefish, Sebastes serriceps!

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.

This month we highlight Annette Felix. She has been a REEF member since 2006, and is an avid surveyor. She has conducted 465 total surveys in the Tropical Eastern Pacific and Hawaii regions. As a member of the Guardian Club, Annette supports REEF as a monthly donor. Here's what she had to say about her involvement with REEF:

The holidays are nearly here, and we're excited to kick off this season of gratitude with Giving Tuesday on November 29. Giving Tuesday is an annual movement to recognize the power of generosity and make a difference in your community. Will you save the date and plan to celebrate Giving Tuesday with REEF on November 29?

With its technicolor array of hard and soft corals, schooling pelagic fish, plentiful marine life, and clear water, the Red Sea is a spot on almost every diver's "must see" list. If you've dreamed of diving the Red Sea, now is your chance! There are just a few spaces left on our Red Sea Field Survey Trip happening on July 6-16, 2023. This ten-day liveaboard trip offers the chance to explore the shipwrecks, reefs, and pinnacles of the Egyptian Red Sea, part of REEF's newest survey region.

The holidays are here, and REEF has plenty of great gifts for the ocean lover in your life! Check out our new Ocean Icon Rash Guards, featuring charismatic megafauna like the whale shark, manta ray, and sunfish. These rash guards are breathable and comfortable to wear while relaxing at home or during a day on the water. You can pair it with a visor, beanie, or a colorful REEF trucker hat for extra sun or wind protection.

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