KEY LARGO, FLA. – In a new study published this week in journal Conservation Letters, researchers from Scripps Institution of Oceanography, UC San Diego, and Reef Environmental Education Foundation (REEF) demonstrate that fish taxonomy data collected by volunteer scuba divers (i.e. citizen scientists) provide a powerful and accurate tool to track species trends and biodiversity.
Derby sets record for most lionfish caught during a Florida Keys derby, and most lionfish harvested by a single team
KEY LARGO, FLA. – All are invited to celebrate ocean conservation during REEF Fest on Oct. 19-22, 2023, in Key Largo, Fla. Hosted by Reef Environmental Education Foundation, this annual event features educational ocean seminars, social gatherings, diving, snorkeling, kayaking, and a nature tour. Most events, including the seminars, are free and open to the public, although online pre-registration is requested. Please visit www.REEF.org/REEFfest for complete details.
Size matters – especially when it comes to fisheries management. A new collaborative project SMILE (Size Matters: Innovative Length Estimate) is now underway in the Florida Keys to help collect information about fish lengths. These data are critical for fisheries stock assessments, which are used to manage ecologically and economically important marine species.
KEY LARGO, FLA. – Last week, 18 teams of scuba divers took to the water and collected 919 invasive lionfish during the 2022 Florida Keys Lionfish Derby & Festival, hosted by Reef Environmental Education Foundation (REEF). Teams fished from sunrise to sunset on Friday, Sept. 9 and Saturday, Sept. 10. The event concluded on Sunday, Sept. 11 at Postcard Inn Resort & Marina in Islamorada, with an outdoor festival featuring lionfish tastings, cooking and dissection demos, games, interactive booths, and live music.
Four-day event includes diving, snorkeling, kayak tours, ocean seminars, and socials
Reef Environmental Education Foundation (REEF) invites educators and non-profit workers in the Florida Keys to participate in a free, online Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility (IDEA) training.
KEY LARGO, FLA. – Thanks to the recent efforts of four local divers, there are several hundred less invasive lionfish wreaking havoc on Florida Keys reefs. Team Forever Young, consisting of Tony Young, Jason Vogan, Jeff Tharp, and Luke Rankin, collected 426 invasive lionfish while participating in the 2022 Earth Day “Locals” Lionfish Derby, hosted by Reef Environmental Education Foundation.
12th annual event a stunning success thanks to derby teams, festival attendees, and event volunteers
Four-day Florida Keys event includes diving, snorkeling, kayak tours, ocean seminars, and socials