There are just a few weeks remaining in the year, and if you have any REEF surveys that you haven't yet entered, it's an excellent time to dust them off and submit them into our online database. As a REEF surveyor, each survey you conduct 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! The marine life information collected by REEF volunteers is used by scientists and researchers protect our oceans.
We're excited to introduce our 2023 REEF Educator in the Field Fellowship recipients! This past summer, three educators joined us on REEF Field Survey Trips in Roatan and the Red Sea, where they participated in ocean citizen science and data collection, and explored how to incorporate these programs into their classroom. The 2023 REEF Educators in the Field are:
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 Pieter Booth, a REEF member from Washington. He is an active surveyor in the Pacific Coast of the US and Canada (PAC) region, where he has conducted more than 120 surveys. He enjoys exploring the nearby waters of the Puget Sound. We're thankful that Pieter is a part of REEF, and look forward to seeing more surveys from him in the future!
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.
This month, we say a fond farewell to David Ehlert, who served as REEF Campus Coordinator for the past four years. Originally from Kentucky, he first came to REEF as a Marine Conservation Intern during the summer of 2018. After graduating from the University of Kentucky with a B.S. in Natural Resources and Environmental Science, David returned to REEF for the summer of 2019 as the Education and Outreach Program Lead Intern. We were thrilled to have him officially join the staff in November 2019.
This holiday season, give the gift of healthy oceans by supporting REEF! Thanks to the support and dedication of members like you, REEF is using science, education, and research to protect the oceans, and inspiring people to take action for ocean conservation. We're so grateful to everyone who has made a donation this season. If you have not yet made a gift, please consider donating to REEF today. Your year-end contribution will help us keep our amazing momentum for marine conservation in the new year.
We're unwrapping a special treat for our December Fish of the Month: presenting the Ribbon Eel, Rhinomuraena quaesita!
2023 marks the 30th anniversary of the REEF Volunteer Fish Survey Project. Since its launch in 1993, this citizen science program has generated one of the largest marine life databases in the world through marine life sightings surveys conducted by volunteer divers and snorkelers. A key aspect of the project's success and impact is that REEF data are available to everyone.
From March to June of this year, the REEF Conservation Science team completed a rigorous set of field testing for two types of deep water traps to capture invasive lionfish: the Gittings Noncontainment Trap, and a modified lobster trap, both designed for capturing lionfish from mesophotic reefs in the Florida Keys. With the help of Forever Young Charter Company and local volunteers, our team deployed these traps in a paired design at 43 different natural and artificial reefs across the Upper Florida Keys.
This month, REEF and the Cayman Islands Department of the Environment (DoE) presented professional development workshops for educators on Grand Cayman and Cayman Brac in the Cayman Islands. The workshops, led by Grouper Moon educator Todd Bohannon and Bradley Johnson from DoE, provided teachers with a marine science curriculum based on the Grouper Moon Project for intermediate/elementary and high school students.