REEF’s annual celebration of marine conservation is just 4 months away! Event registration is now open. Please visit www.REEF.org/REEFfest for event details, to register, and to purchase a ticket to REEF’s annual banquet, For the Love of the Sea. We hope you will join us for a weekend of diving, ocean-themed seminars, social events, and mingling with fellow marine life enthusiasts!
REEF members are at the heart of our grassroots marine conservation programs. More than 65,000 divers, snorkelers, students, and armchair naturalists stand behind our mission.
This month we highlight Don Gordon, REEF member since 2011. Don recently achieved Golden Hamlet status, and has conducted 1007 surveys to date, mostly in the chilly waters of British Columbia, Canada. Don is a member of the PAC Advanced Assessment Team (AAT) and is active in several of REEF’s special monitoring projects. Here's what Don had to say about REEF:
Every month, scientists, government agencies, and other groups request raw data from REEF’s Fish Survey Project database. Recent examples of data requests include:
- Staff from MacArthur State Beach Park in Florida are using REEF data to evaluate fish populations in the park.
- Researchers at SeaDoc Society and Washington Department of Fish and Game are using REEF data to evaluate Northern (Pinto) Abalone in Washington State
If you haven't planned your summer vacation yet, it's not too late to join a REEF Field Survey Trip this August. We have spaces remaining on trips to Brazil and Belize this summer and hope you can join us!
In April 2018, two non-native marine fish species were live-captured from South Florida waters, including an Orangespine Unicornfish (Naso lituratus) in Key Largo and a Lagoon Triggerfish (Rhinecanthus aculeatus) in Fort Lauderdale. Both fishes, native to a wide range in the tropical west Pacific, were collected separately through a collaborative effort between REEF, Phillip and Patricia Frost Museum of Science, and the United States Geological Survey (USGS).
On Thursday, April 26, after considering more than three hours of stakeholder comments, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) ruled to continue the protection of the Goliath Grouper (Epinephelus itajara) in Florida state waters.
Dear Fellow REEF Supporters,
I wanted to share with you a great opportunity to support a worthy cause while potentially saving on your taxes. Below is the story of my recent contribution experience.
On Thursday, April 19, REEF partnered with Whole Foods Market® for 5% Community Giving Day. The event was a great success, resulting in more than $47,000 raised between nine Whole Foods Market locations throughout Broward and Palm Beach counties. These funds will go to benefit REEF’s many marine conservation projects, including the 2018 Lionfish Derby Series. REEF representatives were present at several of the participating store locations to spread awareness about invasive lionfish and other marine conservation efforts.
We have a great lineup of Fishinars coming up, including:
Thursday, May 10: Diving in the Florida Keys, presented by Carlos and Allison Estape
Monday, May 21: Dwarf and Pygmy Gobies of Fiji, presented by Christy Semmens
Thursday, June 7: World Oceans Day, presented by Ellie Place
We are excited to welcome Brittany Parker to the REEF team. Brittany started in April 2018 and will be based at REEF Headquarters as the Education and Office Coordinator. Her primary roles at REEF will involve assisting with our growing Explorers Education Program and overseeing the organization of our store and Headquarters office.