REEF needs your input by August 9! We invite all members - whether you’ve used SMILE cameras or not - to take a brief (10–15 minute), voluntary online survey. Your responses will directly help shape and strengthen the collaborative SMILE (Size Matters: Innovative Length Estimates) project, which uses handheld cameras to estimate fish lengths in the wild.
This summer, we had the privilege of partnering with several incredible adaptive dive organizations, including Barrier Free Divers, Camp Open Seas, Adapt‑Able Dive Foundation, and Diveheart, to make ocean education more inclusive and accessible than ever before. Thanks to generous support from REEF's Oceans for All initiative, students from these organizations took part in immersive marine science programs that brought learning to life, both in and out of the water.
The 2025 REEF Discover the Sea Underwater Photography Contest is coming soon! Starting September 1, all photographers, regardless of skill level or experience, are invited to submit their best ocean-themed photos for this year's contest. Be on the lookout for our new comedy category which is sure to give you a laugh!
Join us March 14-21, 2026, on our first-ever REEF Trip to Jamaica! Negril, Jamaica is home to a famous 7-mile beach with white sand and turquoise water. Our trip takes place at the family-owned Travellers Beach Resort, which is known for warm Jamaican hospitality and a stunning beachfront setting. We'll also be conducting fish surveys during the trip, making this an exciting opportunity to contribute valuable data from a new area.
Last month, long-time REEF scientific advisor and Professor at Scripps Institution of Oceanography, Dr. Brice Semmens, participated in an important fisheries science meeting in Florida to help shape how Hogfish populations are assessed and managed in the Southeast U.S. This meeting was part of the SEDAR (Southeast Data, Assessment, and Review) process, a formal scientific review used by government agencies to assess the health of fish populations and set sustainable catch limits.
Get ready for a night to remember at REEF Fest 2025! One of the most anticipated events of the weekend, For the Love of the Sea, will take place on Saturday, October 18 from 5:00 to 8:30 pm at a stunning outdoor waterfront venue on Blackwater Sound in Key Largo.
This sunset celebration is a gathering of ocean enthusiasts, conservationists, and community members who share a passion for protecting our marine environment.