It’s not too late to become a citizen scientist in 2017! We still have a couple spaces remaining on our British Virgin Islands Field Survey this winter, December 3rd - 9th, and REEF surveyors of all levels are invited to participate. The British Virgin Islands (BVI) offer world-class diving and our REEF trip promises to be great. We have arranged a special itinerary with the Cuan Law liveaboard and the boat will explore some of the lesser-dived areas on the north side of the islands.
We are in the last few weeks of our summer fundraising campaign, and we need your help. Donations from our members are critical to REEF’s marine conservation efforts. In addition to supporting programs for marine biodiversity, fisheries management, and invasive species control, we are asking our members to make an extra donation this summer to help us build an Interpretive Center on the REEF Campus in Key Largo. Please help us continue to build our legacy of ocean conservation by being a part of this special campaign.
REEF members are at the heart of our grassroots marine conservation programs. Over 50,000 divers, snorkelers, students, and armchair naturalists stand behind our mission.
This month we highlight one of our many REEF couples - David Thompson and Luanne Betz, members since 2011. David and Luanne have collectively conducted 250 surveys and are active surveyors in several REEF regions. Both have achieved Level 5 Expert status in the TWA and Level 3 status in the CIP. Here's what they had to say about REEF:
Join Lynnhaven Dive Center for their second annual GAFC survey dive at Chesapeake Light Tower!
Date: August 10th, 2017
Location: Lynnhaven Dive Center, Virginia Beach, VA
Everyone's invited to our annual celebration of marine conservation! Diving, seminars, social events and more.
REEF Great Annual Fish Count dives at Stage Fort Park, Gloucester, MA
Event Time: 11:00am-1:30pm: Picnic, 2:00pm: Photo, followed by the Raffle
Celebration Location: Stage Fort Park, Gloucester, MA
Each year divers help researchers by surveying fish populations. Join the largest survey in North America! Multiple dive locations and fabulous raffle prizes! $7 donation for lunch. Divers turning in surveys will receive 1 raffle ticket. Pick up trash whenever you can both above and below water and at lunch bring a bottle for free drink re-fills!
Great Annual Fish Count- Hosted by Horizon Divers
Date of Event: Monday, July 24th, 2017
Time: 8 a.m. ET
Location: Key Largo, Florida
RSVP: Contact Horizon Divers at 1-800-984-DIVE (3483) or info@horizondivers.com
Last week, Reef Environmental Education Foundation (REEF) celebrated the 150,000th fish survey processed in the Tropical Western Atlantic (TWA) survey region as part of the REEF Volunteer Fish Survey Project. Volunteer divers and snorkelers made this significant milestone possible. Over 11,000 REEF volunteers have submitted surveys at over 8,000 sites throughout Florida, the Caribbean, and Bahamas since the program’s beginnings in 1993. You can get involved with the Volunteer Fish Survey Project by attending a Great Annual Fish Count Event, taking place throughout the entire month of July!
2017 GAFC at Carrying Cove (94010007)
Our Sixth Annual GAFC will be held on Saturday, July 22 at New River Beach. (New Brunswick)
High Tide is at 11:22 with a Tidal Range of 20.7 feet. (ADT, using Dipper Harbour West)
The entry time to do the least amount of walking would be approximately 10:20. For a one hour dive.
Meet and greet at 10:05 to review species recorded at the site and to be in the group picture.
After the dive(s) we will compare sighting while enjoying water and snacks as well as some swag.
2017 GAFC at Deer Island Point
- Short Drift (94010004)
Can Cat Beach (94010001)
Pont Dive (94010003)
Long Drift (94010005)
Our Sixth Annual GAFC will be held on Sunday, July 16th on Deer Island, New Brunswick.
Low Tide is at 11:30 with a Tidal Range of 16.0 feet. (ADT, using Wilson’s Beach Data)
The entry time for the early drift would be approximately 9:30.
Meet and greet at 11:15 to review species recorded at the site and to be in the group picture.