We hope you can join us this Fall for REEF Fest 2016 in Key Largo, Florida. The four-day celebration of marine conservation is planned for September 29 through October 2, 2016. Events include diving, eco-ventures, ocean-themed seminars, and evening socials. Make sure to visit www.REEF.org/REEFFest to register for seminars, find participating dive and eco-venture operators, and for more information on REEF Fest parties and social events.
If you haven't yet had a chance to check out REEF's 2015 Field Survey Trip Schedule, we encourage you to take a look. Visit www.REEF.org/trips to see the complete schedule, package details, trip leader bios, trip policies, and more. We hope you will join us!. Spaces are starting to fill up, and we want to make sure you don't miss this chance to take a "Dive Vacation that Counts".
Have you booked your 2014 REEF Trip yet? If not, confirm your space now before it's too late! Many trips are sold out, or close to it.
Have you booked your 2014 REEF Trip yet? If not, confirm your space now before it's too late! Many trips are sold out, or close to it. Prices and complete details can be found online at www.REEF.org/trips.
If you haven’t yet booked a REEF trip, or if you are considering another, please take a look below. There are still a few spaces left, especially in the first half of the year when colder temperatures at home may make a tropical dive vacation look especially inviting. In particular, be sure to check out our trips to Fiji aboard the luxurious NAI'A liveaboard. We have 3 spaces available (1 double cabin and one share female space), May 2-12, and 1 male share space left on our second trip, May 12-19. We have also just added a trip to St. Lucia in December.
REEF recently completed our Turks and Caicos Field Survey aboard the Aggressor II on Saturday, April 26. We had a tremendous effort by a stellar group of 20 REEF surveyors. Although we have not yet processed the data, I can give a few hints at what we saw during the week-long trip.
We are excited to announce our 2013 Field Survey Schedule. Spaces are already starting to fill up so reserve yours today. 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 fishwatchers. Each trip features daily classroom seminars and a full diving schedule. Complete package details and prices can be found online at www.REEF.org/trips.
Thought to be released by aquarium owners, the Yellow Tang (Zebrasoma flavescens), native to the Indo-Pacific, has been sighted in several locations throughout south Florida since 2001. Last month, a Yellow Tang was spotted at North Dry Rocks, offshore of Key Largo in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. Thanks to the sharp eyes of a citizen scientist, this fish was identified, reported and removed from the Sanctuary within just a few days. Scientists from United States Geological Survey (USGS) helped divers from REEF coordinate the fish's live capture and removal.
We are excited to welcome Alexa "Lex" Bryant to the REEF Team as Conservation Science Associate. Lex joined the staff at the beginning of 2022 and is based at the REEF Campus in Key Largo. She grew up outside of Boston, where she started her marine science journey. She was certified to dive when she was 14, exploring the New England waters. Around the same time, she started working aboard the F/V Erica Lee II out of Newburyport, MA, and spent her summers teaching marine science. Lex eventually worked her way up to First Mate and started her commercial fishing career.