Warm greetings! I’d like to introduce myself; I am REEF’s new Executive Director, starting in this role Aug. 20th. Since then, I have been getting to know REEF’s wonderful staff, members, Board, and programs, and I am so excited to be part of the REEF community! Here’s a bit about me: I’m a third-generation oceanographer (from Scripps Institution of Oceanography) and fish geek, with 27 years of experience in marine and freshwater conservation, research, policy, and education.
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.
It was a busy summer for REEF’s Explorers Education Program, between the Ocean Explorers Summer Camp and the “Nature Days” program with the Florida Keys Children’s Shelter. Throughout the summer, 80 children joined REEF to learn about marine conservation and environmental science in a fun, outdoor setting. Thank you to John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park, Coral Reef Park Company, Florida Keys Wild Bird Rehabilitation Center, Island Dolphin Care, and the Everglades Outpost who made these programs possible.
We’re excited to introduce REEF’s new Marine Conservation Interns for the Fall 2018 semester. These four individuals will support the REEF team in mission-oriented tasks and daily office operations, as well as assist in the Upper Keys Lionfish Derby and REEF’s biggest event of the year, REEF Fest. They will also have opportunities to scuba dive, conduct fish surveys, and volunteer with environmental organizations in South Florida and the Florida Keys. This semester’s interns bring diverse skills and interests to REEF. They include:
We are all connected to REEF for one reason or another, either we care for marine conservation or are avid divers who want to see our beloved coral reefs and fish species. However, it is difficult to imagine how life-changing diving and conservation work can be until you have heard it from the prospective of a special operations combat veteran. Last month, REEF was privileged to work closely with Force Blue Team 2 during their recent deployment in the Florida Keys.
REEF's inaugural Field Survey Trip to Thailand was held in April 2018, and the survey results of the trip were recently processed into REEF's marine life database. We are excited to share that during this trip, REEF citizen scientists conducted 305 surveys at 24 sites throughout the Andaman Sea, and reported a total of 649 species! These surveys represent the first REEF data from Thailand, which is a valuable addition to REEF's database, currently containing more than 225,000 surveys.
This summer, we celebrated the 25th anniversary of REEF's cornerstone citizen science program, the Volunteer Fish Survey Project. Our annual summer fundraising campaign kicked off on World Oceans Day on June 8, and since then, thanks to the support of members like you, we were able to reach our goal of raising $60,000 to support our conservation programs!
REEF members are at the heart of our grassroots marine conservation programs. More than 70,000 divers, snorkelers, students, and armchair naturalists stand behind our mission.
This month we highlight REEF member Alev Ozten. Alev joined REEF in 2016, and became an expert level surveyor in the Tropical Western Atlantic (TWA) region the following year, in 2017. To date, she has conducted more than 180 REEF surveys. She lives in Bonaire, where she frequently enjoys diving and surveying!
REEF’s Grouper Moon Project, ongoing since 2001, was recently featured in Scientific American as a model for natural resource science. The project is a powerful collaboration between scientists at REEF, Cayman Islands Department of Environment, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, and Oregon State University, with input from Caymanian fishermen and support by local businesses. The work has connected cutting-edge science with the real-world need for understanding and protecting Nassau Grouper and their spawning aggregations.
REEF members are at the heart of our grassroots marine conservation programs. More than 70,000 divers, snorkelers, students, and armchair naturalists stand behind our mission.
This month we highlight Hideko Kawabata, REEF member since 2007. Hideko has conducted 159 REEF surveys, and has been on many REEF Trips to the Caribbean, Hawaii, and Indo-Pacific. She is a Level 3 TWA surveyor. Here's what she had to say about REEF:
How did you first learn about REEF?