REEF's Volunteer Fish Survey Project database totals almost 260,000 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 or more REEF surveys. It's with great excitement that we welcome Cassandra Neal to the Golden Hamlet Club!
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Here to brighten up your week, May's Fish of the Month is the Sunshinefish (Chromis insolata)!
REEF members are the heart of our grassroots marine conservation programs. A diverse community of divers, snorkelers, and ocean enthusiasts support our mission to conserve marine environments worldwide.
Bermuda is at the northern extent of the Tropical Western Atlantic survey region and represents a unique destination for REEF's fish watchers. There are six spaces left on our Field Survey Trip to Bermuda (October 1-8), and this is your opportunity to dive pristine reefs, expand your knowledge of marine life, and search for elusive and beautiful fish such as the redback wrasse. Trip leaders Ned and Anna DeLoach will entertain participants with their fish identification and behavior expertise, providing engaging lectures and photographs in conjunction with educational seminars each evening.
REEF members are the heart of our grassroots marine conservation programs. A diverse community of divers, snorkelers, and ocean enthusiasts support our mission to conserve marine environments worldwide.
We are honored to announce Ed Gullekson as our 2024 REEF Volunteer of the Year! Ed’s dedication to marine conservation, commitment to citizen science, and his willingness to help engage others in REEF’s mission make him a truly outstanding REEF member.
We are thrilled to welcome two exceptional REEF surveyors, Brice Semmens and Laurie Fulton, as the newest members of the Golden Hamlet Club! This prestigious group honors REEF volunteers who have conducted 1,000 or more REEF surveys as part of the REEF Volunteer Fish Survey Project. This remarkable milestone reflects a deep commitment to marine conservation and citizen science.
REEF is proud to highlight one of our outstanding Conservation Partners: Blue Planet Scuba. 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.
A big fish thanks to our recent active surveyors. Since the beginning of the year, 458 volunteers have conducted REEF surveys. A total of 4,353 surveys were conducted and submitted during this time (January - July 2012)!
To date, 162,059 surveys have been conducted by REEF volunteers.
REEF members who have conducted the most surveys in the last seven months (with survey number shown):
Tropical Western Atlantic (TWA) - Dee Scarr (140), Franklin Neal (126), Michael Phelan (118), Dave Grenda (115), Isobel Flake (76), Douglas Harder (66)
Those pesky Caribbean damselfish! They have been confusing even the most experienced REEF surveyors for years! After consulting with the leading damselfish taxonomist experts, Paul Humann and Ned DeLoach revised the descriptions and updated pictures for four species - Cocoa Damselfish (Stegastes variabilis), Beaugregory (Stegastes leucostictus), Longfin Damselfish (Stegastes diencaeus), and Dusky Damselfish (Stegastes adustus).