On behalf of the REEF Staff and Trustees, I want to thank all the donors from our Winter Fundraising campaign who helped us reach our target goal. With your help, we can continue REEF's core conservation programs, such as fighting the Lionfish invasion in the Caribbean, protecting Grouper spawning aggregations, collecting data through our Volunteer Fish Survey Project, and providing free online "Fishinars" to the general public and fish experts worldwide.
A few weeks ago, in honor of Earth Day, REEF asked for your help in supporting our educational programs. Through classroom and field activities, these programs have inspired thousands of school children, young adults, divers, and researchers. If you haven't already made a donation, please consider making a difference in the life of a future ocean conservationist!
Contribute securely online today at www.REEF.org/contribute
Your donation will ensure that we can provide:
Every month, scientists, government agencies, and other groups request raw data from REEF’s Fish Survey Project database. Here is a sampling of who has asked for REEF data recently and what they are using it for:
- A scientist from Bermuda Institute of Ocean Sciences (BIOS) requested REEF data to evaluate fish assemblages in Bermuda with regard to no-take reserves, comparing shallow vs. deep water habitats, and to evaluate the impact of invasive lionfish.
We kicked off our 2016 REEF Trip schedule this month with two great trips - a Lionfish Research Expedition in Dominica and a Field Survey Trip to Barbados. And those are just the beginning. We have a great lineup of destinations for 2016 and we recently announced several exciting destinations for 2017, including the Galapagos and the Solomon Islands. The complete 2017 schedule will be released next month. For complete details and schedule of REEF Trips, visit www.REEF.org/trips.
This month, REEF members worldwide are invited to participate in our first underwater photography contest! Members may submit one photo in each of six different categories including fish portrait, macro, invertebrates, REEF surveyor, lionfish/invasive species, and reefscape/habitat/environment. Submissions will be judged by three separate panels including professional photographers, REEF staff and board, and popular vote. Each judging panel will select a winning photo from each of the six categories, for a total of 18 winning photographs.
West Coast Dive Shows - Visit REEF next month at SCUBA 2010 show in Long Beach (CA) on May 15-16 and the Dive & Travel Expo in Tacoma (WA) on May 22-23. REEF staff and volunteers will be there to tell you about our latest activities, have REEF gear and supplies for sale, and sign up new members.
Thanks to everyone who donated during our Summer Campaign, you helped us reach our goal. REEF members contributed over $34,770, with a generous match of $30,000 from the Curtis and Edith Munson Foundation, for a grand total of $64,770. REEF will use these donations to maintain our current programs and expand our special projects, the Grouper Moon Project and the Lionfish Research Program. Donations from our members make it possible for REEF to carry out our mission of conserving marine ecosystems. Thank you!
REEF is proud to announce the next generation of our website - www.REEF.org. The redesigned page was launched earlier this month. The website still features the wealth of information, tools, and resources you expect from REEF.org, but now they are highlighted with a new design and user friendly navigation. Aside from the new look, you may notice that the site is much faster due to an upgrade in our server equipment.