As the air turns crisp and the leaves start to turn, we are winding down on our 2015 Fishinar program. You won't want to miss the last two sessions -- Fishes of the Channel Islands of California on October 20th and the Top 25 Fish You Should Know in the Caribbean on November 16th. From the comfort of your own home, or on-the-go on your mobile device, you can join in the camaraderie of your fellow fish-fanatics and learn from experts in our short, free, fun and interactive-styled Fishinars (our version of Webinars).
We are excited to announce two new trips that have been added to the REEF Field Survey schedule -- Micronesia by Land and Sea in October 2016 and the Midriff Islands in the Sea of Cortez in August 2017! Details on these trips are below, and the full schedule of REEF Trips can be found at www.REEF.org/trips. REEF Field Survey trips offer a great introduction to fish identification for novice fishwatchers, and are a fun way for experienced surveyors to build their lifelist while interacting with fellow ocean enthusiasts.
Acoustic tagging is one of the most powerful marine conservation technologies currently available. REEF uses this technology in both the Grouper Moon Project and the Invasive Lionfish Program to help determine movement, ranges, behavior, and more. But tags and receivers are expensive! We need your help in furthering REEF's valuable marine conservation initiatives by supporting the purchase and implementation of these valuable tools. You can donate securely online at www.REEF.org/contribute. Read on to learn more about these high-tech tools.
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 Peyton Williams, a REEF member since 2012. An active member based in Hawaii, Peyton teaches SCUBA and passes on the fun of doing REEF surveys to others. Here's what he had to say about REEF:
How did you become involved with REEF?
REEF Fest 2015 drew to a close last Sunday in Key Largo, Florida. Thanks to the over 200 members who came to the Keys to help us celebrate. The 4-day event featured diving, seminars, and parties. Seminar topics ranged from fish identification and behavior, to REEF's programs, to underwater encounters with animals big and small. A big thanks goes to all of our event sponsors and auction donors, including Florida Keys dive operators, hotels, and breweries. A special thanks to our platinum sponsors, Atlantis Dumaguete Resort, Explorer Ventures II, and M/V Caribbean Pearl.
Join Christy and Brice for an unforgettable week of diving and citizen science in the diverse and dynamic Sea of Cortez, home to a wide range of creatures including nudibranchs, blennies, jawfish, rays, guitarfish, sharks, eels, octopuses, seahorses and much more! In addition to numerous fish and invertebrate families, participants may also get to observe pilot and sperm whales while in transit and we'll look for Whale Sharks on the last day. |
REEF members and enthusiastic fish surveyors will not want to miss our first-ever Field Survey Trip to Micronesia, alongside REEF's Director of Science, Christy Pattengill-Semmens! This exciting 12-day adventure begins land-based at the world-renowned Manta Ray Bay Resort in Yap, featuring three days of diving Yap's rich coral walls, channels, and lagoon sites, all while observing creatures including manta rays, reef sharks, and maybe even mating mandarinfish. |
REEF Field Survey trips offer a great introduction to fish identification for novice fishwatchers, and are a fun way for experienced surveyors to build their Life List while interacting with fellow ocean enthusiasts. There are still a few spaces remaining on 2015 trips to St. Lucia and Catalina, and we have an exciting lineup of destinations planned for 2016. We hope you will join us. REEF staff, board members, and other marine life experts lead the trips, and each features daily classroom seminars and a full diving schedule.
Every month, scientists, government agencies, and other groups request raw data from REEF’s Fish Survey Project database. Here is a sampling of who has asked for REEF data recently and what they are using it for:
- A scientist from Bermuda Institute of Ocean Sciences (BIOS) requested REEF data to evaluate fish assemblages in Bermuda with regard to no-take reserves, comparing shallow vs. deep water habitats, and to evaluate the impact of invasive lionfish.