Join us in Key Largo for REEF Fest 2019!

REEF Fest is an annual, four-day celebration to acknowledge the success of marine conservation and education initiatives in the Florida Keys. Events include educational seminars, social gatherings, diving and eco-adventures alongside some of the most prestigious names in diving and marine conservation. All REEF Fest events are open to the public. Click here for full REEF Fest details.

KEY LARGO, FLA. – REEF was recently awarded a $3,900 grant from Ocean Reef Community Foundation (ORCF) to fund Nature Days, an educational program for abused, abandoned, and neglected children. Organized in partnership with the Florida Keys Children’s Shelter (FKCS) and Miami Bridge Youth and Family Services, Nature Days will give children ages 11-17 from Key Largo, Homestead, and Florida City the opportunity to engage in outdoor activities like kayaking and snorkeling, while learning about nature and ocean life.

KEY LARGO, FLA. – REEF is proud to introduce Citizen Science Saturday, a new monthly program created to engage Florida Keys residents and visitors in diverse hands-on citizen science projects while providing a way for the public to connect with nature. Each Citizen Science Saturday event will begin with a presentation from a guest speaker at REEF’s Interpretive Center. Following the presentation, participants can join a hands-on field experience to collect data as citizen scientists.

KEY LARGO, FLA. – Dr. Christy Pattengill-Semmens, REEF’s Director of Science, and Dr. Brice Semmens, Director of California Cooperative Oceanic Fisheries Investigations and associate professor at Scripps Institution of Oceanography, UC San Diego, have been selected as Scuba Diving magazine’s April 2019 Sea Heroes. Sponsored by the watch brand Seiko, this award honors the extraordinary work done by scuba divers making a difference for our world’s oceans, reefs, and marine life.

Join us September 13-15th, 2019 for REEF's 10th Annual Upper Keys Lionfish Derby & Festival
hosted by Postcard Inn, Islamorada

Announcement -  Derby Cancelled due to Weather
Lionfish Public Culinary Tasting at Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium still on as scheduled

 

 

Join us July 12-14th, 2019 for REEF's 6th Annual Sarasota Lionfish Derby
hosted by MOTE Marine Laboratory & Aquarium

Join us June 28-30

REEF's 8th Annual Fort Lauderdale Lionfish Derby

hosted by 15th Street Fisheries

REEF Board of Trustees members Ned and Anna DeLoach teach fish identification and citizen science programs each summer at Buddy Dive Resort in Bonaire. Last summer, Scuba Diving magazine editor-in-chief Mary-Frances Emmons joined Ned and Anna to conduct some fish surveys as part of REEF's Volunteer Fish Survey Project.

Written by REEF Board of Trustees members Ned and Anna DeLoach, this article is about the Grouper Moon Project - a successful, 16-year collaboration between REEF, the Cayman Islands Department of Environment and several academic institutions to save the critically endangered Nassau Grouper.

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