Meet our June Fish of the Month, the Spotted Ratfish (Hydrolagus colliei)!
Our next Fishinar will be a special one! On Tuesday, June 16, at 8pm EDT, Alli Candelmo, Ph.D., REEF Conservation Science Manager, will be giving an update on current research findings for the invasive lionfish problem in the Tropical Western Atlantic waters. Click here to register for this Fishinar - you can tune in using a laptop, tablet, or even a smartphone.
REEF Experience Levels are a way for divers and snorkelers to measure their fish ID knowledge along with their surveying experience. With 5 levels in each of REEF's survey regions, divers are able to look forward to the next step and continually improve their skills. From brand new beginners up to the top Level 5 experience level, you'll find plenty of resources and friends to help you along the way.
Let's hear it for these REEF members who have improved and moved up a level this month!
South Pacific Region (SOP)
Since 1993, more than 150 young adults have interned with REEF and transitioned into careers all over the world, in the marine conservation field and beyond. We have created a webpage to help former interns stay connected, both with REEF and the broad network of REEF Intern Alumni. You can check out the REEF Intern Alumni Network page here.
We’re excited to introduce our Summer 2020 Marine Conservation Interns. These individuals will support the REEF team by assisting with our marine conservation programs and operations at REEF Headquarters. This semester’s interns bring a unique set of skills and interests to REEF. They include:
Thank you to all who participated in #GivingTuesdayNow this past Tuesday, May 5. It was a wonderful day of unity and giving, and we are so grateful to have been a part of it. We also want to express our sincere gratitude to Janet and Doug Camp for providing a generous matching gift. For all those who donated to REEF on May 5, you helped us surpass our fundraising target and we met our matching goal. It was our largest one-day fundraising event ever! Donations from members like you are critical to ensuring we can continue REEF’s citizen science and education programs.
For nearly three decades, REEF has welcomed more than 150 young adults to the REEF Campus to spend a semester immersed in marine conservation projects. This month, we highlight former Marine Conservation Intern Julia Walker. Read on to hear about Julia's time at REEF, and how her REEF internship helped to shape her career.
When were you a REEF intern?
I was a REEF intern in the fall of 2017, from September to December.
Here to brighten up your week, May's Fish of the Month is the Sunshinefish (Chromis insolata)!
This month, REEF is proud to highlight one of our outstanding Conservation Partners: Ancora Scuba, located in the Gainesville, Florida, area. 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.
As we shared last month, surveyor Mike Snow recently submitted the 250,000th survey to our Volunteer Fish Survey Project database. When we asked him to give us some thoughts on what he likes best about REEF, he shared a story about a time when he was buddied with fellow REEF member Greg Jensen, a marine biologist at the University of Washington and author of several reference books, including one on sculpins. Mike and Greg were part of a REEF Advanced Assessment Team project at Saltwater State Park in Washington.