REEF is proud to highlight Scuba Center, a Conservation Partner in Minnesota. REEF Conservation Partners are 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.

The Conservation Challenge is a fun way to get involved in marine conservation and citizen science. You can earn collectible stickers by participating in various REEF programs and events! There are some great opportunities coming up this fall to earn different Conservation Challenge stickers, including:

Greetings REEF Members. This issue of REEF-in-Brief brings you updates on several of REEF's programs as well as announcements of upcoming events. Earlier this month, we launched a new lecture series, REEF Fish and Friends. These informative presentations will be held the second Tuesday of every month in the Florida Keys. Our invasive lionfish work has expanded to begin working with countries on the forefront of the invasion.

When University of Kansas graduate Keri Kenning joined REEF in August 2012 as a Marine Conservation Intern, Keys residents constantly reminded her, “You’re not in Kansas anymore.” Five months, sixty dives, and zero lionfish stings later, Keri has abstained from clicking those ruby red heels together and returning to Kansas. She is staying at REEF headquarters in Key Largo as the new Communications and Affiliate Program Manager. Keri graduated in May 2012 from the University of Kansas with a Bachelor of Arts in Biology and University Honors.

As the Florida Keys began to open up, the summer Marine Conservation Interns moved in and began at REEF! Joining Lead Intern Maddi Piascik for the summer are Emily Wheat, Tasha McCluhan, and Stephanie Letourneau. These interns had a great orientation week meeting led by Intern Coordinator, David Ehlert. They met all the staff, learned about REEF programs and projects, created lionfish jewelry, dissected a lionfish, and of course, went on their first fish survey! The interns are excited to get involved this summer.

REEF Field Surveys are 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. Don't miss out, spaces are filling up for our 2012 trips. The schedule and more details are posted online at www.REEF.org/trips.

This article highlights some of the ways that the Upper Keys community has adressed the invasive lionfish, including REEF's 8th Annual Earth Day "Locals" Lionfish Derby held on April 23-25, 2021 in Key Largo. 

The third annual Fish Out of Water Virtual 5K is coming up on June 6-12. If you haven't registered yet, visit www.REEF.org/5K to sign up today! Be sure to register before April 30 to receive the early bird registration rate. When you sign up for the 5K, you will choose to join one of five Fish Teams. Read on to learn more about our 2022 Fish Teams, and you can check out each fish's "race personality" here.

Happy New Year! We hope that all of our members had a joyous holiday season. In this first edition of REEF-in-Brief 2009 we bring you news that everyone knew was just a matter of time -- the invasive Indo-Pacific Lionfish has been confirmed in the Florida Keys. Thanks to her experience as a REEF fishwatcher and the numerous outreach stories that REEF has issued to our members, REEF surveyor Becky Fowler knew just what she was looking at last week while diving during her vacation off Key Largo, Florida.

If you haven't yet booked your space on one of our 2013 REEF Field Surveys, don't delay. They are filling up fast. A last minute opening is available on the Fiji trip aboard the Nai'a liveaboard, May 11-21 - we just had a cancellation, so if you want to join REEF Founder Paul Humann, REEF Director of Science Christy Semmens, and a boat full of enthusiastic South Pacific fishwatchers, get in touch with our travel agent at Caradonna right away - 1-877-295-REEF (7333) or REEF@caradonna.com.

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