We recently added a few new products to our online store, including t-shirts and neck gaiters featuring colorful and unique designs that showcase each of of our core programs - the Grouper Moon Project, Invasive Species Program, and Volunteer Fish Survey Project. The new designs are printed on Comfort Colors brand t-shirts, which are soft, cozy, and pre-shrunk.
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.
With a new year about to begin, we've put together a full schedule of online programs for you to look forward to. We'll continue to offer our Fishinars, which are free marine life ID webinars. We have also added a variety of other online programs including Fishy Hour Game Nights, Fish Face-to-Face socials, quarterly Into the Blue Book Club meetings, an annual holiday craft, and more. Sessions are hosted on either GoToWebinar or Zoom, and all details are avilable on each online program registration page.
Upcoming Online Programs:
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 did it! During the week of September 28-October 4, 497 participants from 37 states and 8 countries took part in the first-ever REEF Fish Out of Water Virtual 5K. Thank you to everyone who ran, walked, biked, hiked, or swam to support marine conservation. Together, we completed more than 2,485 meters or 1,540 miles.
We are extremely proud and honored to announce that one of REEF’s Executive Directors, Dr. Christy Pattengill-Semmens, was recently named to the Women Divers Hall of Fame. Christy is a marine biologist whose work at REEF intersects ocean citizen science, education, and conservation. She first worked with REEF as an intern in 1993 and then joined the REEF staff in 1998. Christy oversees all aspects of REEF’s Volunteer Fish Survey Project, one of the longest-running and largest marine life sightings programs, engaging volunteer divers and snorkelers all over the world.
A new research paper containing exciting findings from the Grouper Moon Project was recently published in the journal Marine Ecology Progress Series. Much of the science done by the project's collaborative team is focused on better understanding Nassau Grouper populations in the Cayman Islands through studying their spawning aggregations. However, long-term acoustic tags (tracking pingers) also allow us to gather information on how these fish behave at their home reefs outside of the spawning season.
REEF is proud to highlight Blue Endeavors, one of our outstanding Conservation Partners. 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.
Meet our November Fish of the Month, the Sarcastic Fringehead (Neoclinus blanchardi!)
Survey Regions: Sarcastic Fringeheads are found in the north Pacific Ocean, throughout the coast of California as well as Baja California in Mexico. Check out the sightings report for this species for REEF's Pacific Coast (PAC) survey region.