Congratulations Dennis Bensen, REEF's Newest Golden Hamlet Club Member

REEF's Volunteer Fish Survey Project database totals more than 258,000 surveys. A small group of highly dedicated surveyors known as the Golden Hamlet Club have contributed significantly to this total by each conducting 1,000+ REEF surveys. Congratulations to Dennis Bensen, our newest member of the Golden Hamlet Club!

Dennis has been a REEF member since 2001 and is an expert level surveyor in both the Tropical Western Atlantic and Hawaii regions. He's conducted surveys in 7 of REEF's 11 survey regions, and over half of his 1,000 surveys done in the Hawaii region.

2022 REEF Field Survey Trips Schedule Available

The 2022 REEF Field Survey Trips schedule is available! 2022 REEF Trip destinations include Roatan, Bonaire, St. Lucia, and more. Other highlights are a liveaboard trip to Kona, Hawaii, our annual trip to Cozumel, and a trip to the muck diving capital of the Caribbean, St. Vincent. For those who like to plan ahead, there is also a sneak peek at what's in store for 2023. Looking to travel later this year? We have a few trips on the schedule with space in 2021, including Gardens of the Queen in Cuba, St. Croix, The Bahamas, and Cayman Brac. Start dusting off your scuba and snorkel gear!

Fish of the Month: March 2021

Introducing our March 2021 Fish of the Month, the comical and adorably plump Spiny Lumpsucker! 

Stay Engaged While Staying at Home: March 2021

Be sure to check out REEF’s online programs to help keep you engaged in marine conservation from home. Here's what is coming up:

Fishinar: Common Fishes of the Western Indian Ocean
Thursday, March 25 at 8PM EDT
Christy Semmens will be teaching about common fish species seen in the Western Indian Ocean and how to identify them.
Register here.

Save the Date: 2021 REEF Events

Mark your calendar and plan to join us later this year for our annual in-person events, including:

Socially Distant Earth Day Lionfish Derby Set for April 23-25

Calling all lionfish hunters! The 2021 REEF Lionfish Derby Series will kick off with the 8th Annual "Locals" Lionfish Derby on April 23-25 in Key Largo. This Earth Day Lionfish Derby will allow participants to practice social distancing while encouraging the removal of invasive lionfish from Florida Keys waters.

Ready, Set, Go! Fish Out of Water Virtual 5K Registration Now Open

Registration is open for the second annual Fish Out of Water Virtual 5K! From June 7-13, 2021, we're encouraging ocean enthusiasts everywhere to get moving in the name of conservation. You can choose to run, walk, hike, bike, or even swim, completing the 5K (3.1 miles) in one day or throughout the week. No matter how you participate, it’s great way to get active in your community while making your miles count. Last year, nearly 500 people joined in our inaugural 5K, and we're hoping to increase that number this year.

Conservation Partner Preview: Scuba St. Lucia

REEF is proud to highlight one of our outstanding Conservation Partners: Scuba St. Lucia at Anse Chastanet Resort. REEF Conservation Partners are active organizations and dive shops committed to protecting marine environments worldwide. As valued REEF ambassadors, they serve as centers for marine conservation actions, outreach, and education. You can view the full listing of Conservation Partners or register your organization as a REEF Conservation Partner here.

New Grouper Moon Publication on Tracking Sizes of Spawning Fish Over 17 Years

New findings from the Grouper Moon Project reveal how technology can advance our understanding of changes in fish spawning aggregations due to conservation actions. The paper, published this year in ICES Journal of Marine Science, presents size data collected over a 17-year period at the Nassau Grouper spawning aggregation on Little Cayman. Fish usually need to be caught to be measured, but scientists from the Grouper Moon Project have used video camera systems to collect an impressive dataset on Nassau Grouper lengths.

Rhoda Green - 2020 Volunteer of the Year

We are pleased to announce Rhoda Green as our 2020 REEF Volunteer of the Year. Rhoda lives in the Seattle area, and has been a REEF member since 2000. She is one of REEF's most active surveyors, having completed 1,210 surveys for the Volunteer Fish Survey Project.

Of those surveys, the majority have been done in the Pacific Northwest, mainly in Washington State. She has also done some surveys in Hawaii. Rhoda was also the first to conduct REEF surveys in the Seychelles, part of our Indian Ocean/Red Sea (IORS) region.

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