In December 2003, legislation was passed to protect grouper spawning aggregations throughout the Cayman Islands over the next eight years. The new legislation succeeds a less stringent policy issued in December 2002 of alternate fishing years and a per boat limit on the number of fish that could be taken from the sites. This decision comes in part because of the Reef Environmental Education Foundation's (REEF) ongoing effort to assess the status of grouper spawning aggregations in the Cayman Islands.
As part of a joint project to train marine park staff, enforcement, dive professionals and volunteers, the Reef Environmental Education Foundation (REEF) recently completed a four-day education and data gathering program with the Parque Marino Nacional Sistema Arrecifal Veracruzano, also known as the Veracruz Marine Park, in Mexico. The park, established as Mexico's first national marine park in 1992, encompasses over 52,000 hectares of underwater habitat, including many nearshore coral reef systems.
Key Largo, FL. The Reef Environmental Education Foundation (REEF) recently received prestigious recognition form a group of conservation peers. At the annual meeting of the Treasure Coast Chapter of the Florida Association of Environmental Professionals, REEF was presented with the "Program of the Year" award for its efforts in educating the public and gathering data on fish distributions and populations. REEF Director of Development, Andrea Fullman, accepted the award before the more than 100 attendees on behalf of REEF's members, staff, and board for their long term commitment to the e
'What we do to our planet and our oceans is going to have a significant and long-term effect on what happens to us.' Laddie Akins executive director, REEF
The SouthCarolina Aquarium celebrated Earth Day early Tuesday by unveiling a series of programs focusing on a part of the Earth people seldom see - the reefs below the ocean surface.
Reefs will be the subject of Gardens of the Ocean, a series of programs at the aquarium through the end of summer.
Have you ever wondered what mysterious fish and creatures live in and around the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary? What interesting behaviors and habits these fish and invertebrates display? Where to find different species of fish and how to identify them?
Local dive operators and volunteers in partnership with Cozumel Reefs National Park staff are taking a lead role in helping to better understand the status and changes on marine park reefs. Over the last three years, numerous volunteers have undergone REEF training in fish identification and survey methods and are conducting monthly survey dives at key sites within the Marine Park. The project has been largely supported by volunteer and REEF contributions, a PADI Project AWARE grant, and logistical support of Parque Nacional Arrecifes de Cozumel.
Key Largo, FL. On November 4, 2002, the Reef Environmental Education Foundation (REEF) surpassed a long awaited milestone. On that date, the 50,000th volunteer fish survey was entered into the REEF database! REEF's Field Operations Coordinator, Leslie Whaylen reports "When I was hired by REEF in 1999, approximately 20,000 surveys were housed in REEF's database. Each year, the numbers of surveyors and surveys have increased exponentially". Historically, most surveys were conducted during the Great Annual Fish Count and REEF Field Surveys.
