Discovered in 1503, Brazil's Fernando de Noronha archipelago is known as a great destination for ecotourism and diving. The islands are located about 200 miles from the mainland and the entire area makes up a protected marine park. Ocean currents from East Africa flow past the islands, creating excellent dive conditions year round, making this a perfect destination for REEF surveyors who enjoy warm, clear water. Unique underwater structures including rock formations and reefs attract many diverse species of fish and other marine life.
Celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Volunteer Fish Survey Project by becoming a citizen scientist with REEF! In 1993, REEF began collecting data on the abundance of marine fish populations. Since then, this project has grown to make up the world's largest marine life sightings database and includes more than 200,000 surveys conducted by volunteer divers and snorkelers. Key Largo, where REEF Headquarters is based, is nicknamed the "dive capital of the world" and was also home to the very first REEF Field Survey Trip.
A new paper out earlier this month in the scientific journal, Ecology and Evolution includes REEF Volunteer Fish Survey Project data as part of a sophisticated analysis of rockfish populations in the Puget Sound, Washington. The paper was published by Dr. Nick Tolimieri, and his colleagues at National Marine Fisheries Service and Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. Estimating a population’s growth rate and year-to-year variance is a key component of population viability analysis (PVA).
We are very excited to welcome two new staff to the REEF Team - Bonnie Barnes and Ellie Place. Both joined our staff based at REEF Headquarters in Key Largo, Florida, in April 2017. Bonnie will serve as REEF's Development Manager, bringing a wealth of experience and passion to our fundraising program. Ellie came to REEF originally as a Marine Conservation Intern in 2016, and we are so happy she has decided to stay. She will be REEF's Conservation Coordinator of the Volunteer Fish Survey Program.
We have been working hard the last few months on our 2018 REEF Field Survey Trips schedule, and it's almost ready! We have a great line-up of destinations in the Caribbean, Hawaii, Eastern Pacific, Tropical Western Pacific, and even the Indian Ocean. In addition to our usual fish ID trips and lionfish research trips, we are adding a new eco-adventure trip next year perfect for the entire family. Keep an eye on your inbox for our special announcement next week. If you haven't yet been on a REEF Trip, these are a great way to "Take a Dive Vacation That Counts".
We have some fantastic Fishinars coming up in the next few months, and we’d like for you to join us. Fishinars, REEF's brand of online webinars, are live, fun, interactive, and educational. Never boring! They last one hour, and you can log on from your home computer or mobile device.
REEF is proud to announce Janet Eyre as our 2016 Volunteer for the Year. Janet has been a REEF member since 2002, and she is one of REEF’s most active surveyors. She is a Golden Hamlet member and to date has conducted 1,612 surveys (and counting!).
Estimating a population’s growth rate and year-to-year variance is a key component of population viability analysis (PVA). However, standard PVA methods require time series of counts obtained using consistent survey methods over many years. The authors of this study used REEF data along with two other fisheries datasets to evaluate the long-term trends of rockfish in Puget Sound, Washington State. The time-series analysis was performed with a multivariate autoregressive state-space (MARSS) model.
Explore the islands the Northeastern Caribbean aboard the Caribbean Explorer II, one of the only liveboard dive boats that visits this area year-round. Participants will begin the trip in St. Kitts and end the week in St. Maarten, allowing us to visit a variety of sites throughout the week. This special REEF itinerary will feature diving around Montserrat, which is known for being home to an active volcano. Less than 50 REEF surveys have conducted in the area surrounding Montserrat, and participants will have an opportunity to contribute much-needed data to REEF's online database.