Spring has been a rewarding and productive season for the REEF Campus-based Ocean Explorers Education team! From traveling to the Florida panhandle to lend a hand with measuring fish at the world's largest lionfish derby, to attending a conservation-based music festival on the beach in south Florida, we have been spreading the word about REEF’s programs far and wide. Here are some recent education and outreach highlights.
As part of the NOAA-funded Coastal Partnership Initiative, REEF has joined forces with Florida SeaGrant to organize and conduct a series of lionfish collecting and handling workshops and hands on training dives in Southeast Florida. REEF Staff trained over 75 divers during recent workshops and dives in the Florida Keys, Miami, and Palm Beach. The project also includes organized removals by local volunteer teams throughout the year.
As the year winds down, we still have a few educational REEF Fishinars remaining. Check out the full schedule at www.REEF.org/fishinars. And keep an eye on that space because we will be adding new ones for 2015 soon. Fishinars coming up include:
REEF is proud to partner with over 130 dive shops, dive clubs, individuals, and other organizations as REEF Field Stations.
We're gearing up for another great year of marine conservation, and we hope you can join us to celebrate at a REEF event this year.
REEF by the Sea - March 1-3, in La Jolla, California: REEF Sustainers receive an invitation to this annual event, held each spring in either California or Florida. The weekend includes guest speakers such as scientists and other experts, plus socials and REEF program updates. For more information about donor recognition levels, visit this page.
We're gearing up for another great year of marine conservation, and we hope you can join us to celebrate at a REEF event this year.
REEF by the Sea - March 3-4, in Fort Lauderdale, Florida: REEF Sustainers receive an invitation to this exclusive event, held each spring in either California or Florida. The weekend features guest speakers including noted scientists and photographers, plus socials and REEF updates. For more information about donor recognition levels, visit this page.
This month, REEF is proud to highlight one of our outstanding Conservation Partners: Key Dives in Islamorada, FL. REEF Conservation Partners are active organizations and dive shops dedicated to protecting marine environments. As valued REEF ambassadors, they teach fish ID classes, host survey dives, organize volunteer events and more. Read on to find out how you can get involved with these centers of conservation action!
If you haven't checked out the 2016 REEF Trips schedule yet, now's the time. We have an exciting lineup of destinations planned, and we hope you will join us. These trips offer a great introduction to fish identification for novice fishwatchers, and are a fun way for experienced surveyors to build their life-list while interacting with fellow ocean enthusiasts. We are also offering three of the ever-popular Invasive Lionfish Research Studies trips.
A segment featuring REEF's research on the invasion of the Indo-Pacific Lionfish into the western Atlantic and Caribbean was featured on NBC Nightly News June 30th. Click here to view the segment online. NBC worked closely with REEF, NOAA, USGS, the National Aquarium in Washington DC and our other partners to produce the story.
A new year is here, and plans are in the works for our annual REEF events:
REEF Fest 2022 - October 13-16 in Key Largo, Florida: Don't miss this four-day celebration of marine conservation! Events include diving, snorkeling, ocean-themed seminars, and socials. We are confirming details for this year's event. For now, please save the date and keep an eye on www.REEF.org/REEFfest for more information.