It's Derby month! Join us as we gear up for an exciting week of conservation, invasive species removal, and artistic fun! The Florida Keys Lionfish Derby & Arts Festival combines local art, conservation science, and education all into one, can't-miss event! Here's an idea of what to expect:
Students from Ransom Everglades School recently teamed up with the REEF Ocean Explorers program for an unforgettable hands-on marine science experience. The day began with an interactive classroom session at the Ocean Exploration Center where students learned the fundamentals of Caribbean tropical fish identification, including how to recognize key features, understand reef habitats, and use REEF survey materials to document marine life.
2027–2029 REEF Field Survey Trips
We have just released the 2027 REEF Field Survey Trips schedule, along with a few trips in 2028 and 2029. We have plenty of exciting destinations planned. REEF Trips are led by marine life experts, and include diving, fish ID classes, and fun with friends. Divers, snorkelers, and families are welcome on REEF Trips. To find out more or book your space, email trips@REEF.org. We'll send you an invoice to submit a deposit to secure your space.
Get ready to race, because registration is now open for the 7th annual REEF Fish Out of Water Virtual 5K! This event brings ocean enthusiasts all over the world together in the spirit of health, community, and conservation. From June 7–13, you can join in by getting active in celebration of World Ocean Day! You can choose your favorite activity: run, walk, hike, bike, swim, or even paddle! You can complete your 5K at your own pace and participate from anywhere in the world. For all the details and registration, visit www.REEF.org/5K.
Welcome to the Citizen Science Corner, our quarterly feature to celebrate those who recently reached a milestone in our Volunteer Fish Survey Project. Here are achievements from January, February and March 2026.
Ultra Golden Hamlet Award
The Ultra Golden Hamlet Award is for individuals who have conducted at least 2000 surveys. Congratulations to our newest achiever! Click here to see other Ultra Golden Hamlet Award achievers.
REEF is proud to share that a generous grant from United Way of Collier and the Keys made it possible for free bus transportation for 300 students from Key Largo School to visit the REEF Ocean Exploration Center for hands-on educational field trips as part of REEF's Ocean For All program. Check out this highlight film!
Welcome to our quarterly REEF Campus update from Key Largo. This winter marked an exciting milestone for us: it was our first “snowbird season” with the new Ocean Exploration Center fully open, and the energy on campus has reflected it.
A paper recently published in the journal Fish and Fisheries explores 70 years of visual fish census techniques, including the REEF Volunteer Fish Survey Project. The paper, titled "Global Analysis of Shallow Underwater Fish Observation Research: 70 Years of Progress, Persistent Geographic Biases and a Path Forward," was one output of a multi-year Working Group called CoNCENSUS.
Winter months always bring news of one of REEF's key conservation science efforts - the Grouper Moon Project, a multi-decade conservation success story protecting one of the Caribbean’s most extraordinary natural events: the largest known spawning aggregation of the endangered Nassau Grouper. We are excited to share a new short video that tells this story. Check it out on REEF's YouTube channel "We Speak Fish".