REEF is proud to announce Nancy Perez as our 2017 Volunteer of the Year. REEF has over 67,000 members and Nancy is proud of her longtime support as member number 589! Nancy originally joined REEF because of her interest in diving, marine fishes and underwater photography.
When she moved to Key Largo in 1996, Nancy was closer to REEF’s Headquarters and looked for ways to be active in the community, learning more about REEF while volunteering for the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary.
We are pleased to announce the 2012 REEF Field Survey trip schedule. We have an exciting lineup of destinations planned and we hope you will join us. These 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 fishwatchers. REEF staff, board members, and other REEF instructors lead these trips, and each features daily classroom seminars and a full diving schedule.
Dominica, known as the “Nature Island”, has a picturesque landscape of tropical rainforests, rivers, and waterfalls as well as boiling pools and geysers. Dominica’s volcanic activity and unique geothermal properties mean that the island has many one-of-a-kind locations, such as Champagne Reef, a warm, shallow dive site that gets its name from the many bubbles emerging from the ocean floor. |
REEF staff and partners just returned from the annual Gulf and Caribbean Fisheries Institute (GCFI) conference, held this year in the Dominican Republic. REEF’s programs and data were represented to the GCFI community by REEF Director of Science, Christy Pattengill-Semmens, and REEF Invasive Species Program Manager, Alli Candelmo, as well as our partners from Scripps Institute of Oceanography (Brice Semmens), Oregon State University (Scott and Selina Heppell), and Cayman Island Department of Environment (Bradley Johnson).
Did you know that REEF hosts twelve Marine Conservation Interns each year? This important program is vital to REEF's success and serves as a formative experience for these young adults. As a new feature in our newsletter, we will periodically check in with intern alumni to see where they are now and how their time at REEF impacted their journey. This month we visited with Laura Palomino.
When were you a REEF intern?
We’re excited to introduce our Spring 2019 Marine Conservation Interns. These individuals will support the REEF team in mission-oriented tasks and daily office operations, as well as play an integral role in the many education and outreach programs that take place throughout the spring semester. They will also have opportunities to scuba dive, conduct fish surveys, and volunteer with environmental organizations in South Florida and the Florida Keys. This semester’s interns bring diverse skills and interests to REEF. They include:
Expand your knowledge of fish id at this lovely seaside resort in the heart of beautiful St. Lucia. The entire region is a protected marine area and excellent, easily accessible beach diving is available directly in front of the resort. When not diving or snorkeling, guests can enjoy many other activities including sea kayaking, jungle biking, yoga and sailing. Anse Chastanet is an environmentally-conscious, luxury resort with plenty of amenities and delicious food, making it a great destination for REEF surveyors of all levels.
Dreaming of diving? Want to talk fish? Share scuba stories? Be sure to visit REEF and get your underwater fill at the Our World Underwater consumer dive show in Chicago, February 15-17th. REEF staff and volunteers will be at Booth 1004, ready to tell you about our exciting programs, answer your questions, and equip you with the latest REEF gear. We will be offering free REEF memberships, so stop by and sign up as a REEF member if you haven't already.
Want to get the latest news and updates from REEF? Then be sure to check out the REEF Facebook Page. You don't have to have a Facebook account to view the page, anyone can look at the content. If you do have a Facebook profile, be sure to "like" us so that all of the latest information about REEF's programs and events, our marine conservation work, and exclusive content and stories will go straight to your feed. It's also a great place for our members to post pictures, fish stories, and whatever is on their mind.
As the holidays wind down, now is the perfect time to plan a dive vacation that counts. We still have openings on several REEF Field Survey Trips in 2017, to both tropical and temperate dive destinations all over the world. Join us for an itinerary of diving, educational classroom seminars, and fun with friends!
Spaces are available on the following REEF Trips in 2017:
February 18 - 25 -- Dominica -- Dive Dominica & Castle Comfort Lodge, Led by Lad Akins, find out more
