The 2019 REEF calendar is now available! REEF surveyors and ocean enthusiasts alike will appreciate this collection of stunning full-color marine life photographs, all taken by our members. The calendar is a special tribute our citizen science volunteers. Each month highlights an individual who has made a significant impact on marine conservation through the Volunteer Fish Survey Project. The calendar is also a great way to keep up with REEF events throughout the year, such as Field Survey Trips, Fishinars, and REEF Fest.
Over nearly three decades, REEF has welcomed more than 100 individuals to REEF Headquarters to spend a semester immersed in the marine conservation field. This month, we highlight past intern Jessica Levy. Read on to hear about Jessica's time at REEF, and how her internship helped her get where she is now.
When were you an intern?
Summer 2012 (May to August)
REEF volunteers are the heart of our organization. We are so appreciative of everyone who dedicates time, support, and resources to help us fulfill our marine conservation mission. We are very proud to announce Laurie Brooks as our 2018 Volunteer of the Year!
Join REEF for the first two Fishinars of 2019! Fishinars are REEF's brand of fun, live, interactive webinars and anyone who wants to know more about ocean life is welcome to join in. Tune in this month to learn how to find and identify seahorses and pipefish in the Tropical Western Atlantic with Carlos & Allison Estape, as well as a special session presented by one of our previous Marine Conservation Interns, Ronnie Noonan, about how underwater ecosystems are changing, and what this means for fish populations.
REEF staff, board members, and project collaborators recently joined over 300 scientists, resource managers, and fishers at the Gulf and Caribbean Fisheries Institute (GCFI) meeting in San Andres, Colombia. GCFI aims to apply fisheries and marine science to solve problems by bringing multiple users of ocean resources together to make informed and coordinated decisions for sustainable use of these resources. REEF staff regularly attend GCFI to share findings and perspectives from our various programs. This year, REEF's Director of Science, Dr.
We are now accepting registrations for our Invasive Lionfish Trip aboard the Belize Aggressor III on June 8-15, 2019. This trip will be led by Invasive Species Program Coordinator, Alli Candelmo, Ph.D., and Education Program Manager, Ellie Splain. This Invasive Lionfish Trip is part of REEF’s ongoing effort to monitor the establishment and consequences of invasive lionfish on native fish populations and reef ecosystems.
Although our 2018 Summer Lionfish Derby Series has come to a close, REEF is continuing invasive lionfish education and removal efforts through Collecting and Handling Workshops throughout southern Florida. The goal of the workshops is to educate the public about the invasive lionfish, as well as practice safe removal methods and provide participants with permits issued by the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary for removal of lionfish in the Sanctuary Preservation Areas using hand nets only.
This holiday season, we are reflecting on the beginnings of REEF. Our mission to conserve marine environments began 25 years ago in the Florida Keys, when a small group of pioneering divers and conservationists took a slate on a dive and started REEF’s Volunteer Fish Survey Project, a program that would eventually become the largest marine life sightings database in the world. Since then, our work has grown to include endangered and invasive species work, as well as education and outreach. None of this would be possible without you, our members.
We are excited to announce the 2019 REEF calendar, featuring stunning full-color marine life photographs from our most important asset, our members. The 2019 calendar is a special tribute to the impact our citizen science volunteers have had on marine conservation. Each month highlights an individual who has contributed to the Volunteer Fish Survey Project for 20 or more years! The calendar is also a great way to keep up with REEF events throughout the year, such as Field Survey Trips, Fishinars, and REEF Fest!