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.
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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.
We are excited to announce a great line-up of destinations for REEF's 2010 Field Survey Travel Schedule. These fun and educational eco-dive trips are part of REEF's Volunteer Survey Project and they are the perfect way to "Make a Dive That Counts". The week-long trips are a great introduction to fish identification for novice fishwatchers, and a fun way for experienced surveyors to build their life list while interacting with fellow fishwatchers. Trips are led by REEF staff and other REEF instructors and feature daily classroom seminars and a full diving schedule.
REEF staff recently returned from the 11th International Coral Reef Symposium (ICRS) in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, where nearly 3,000 scientists, conservationists, and government officials met to compare notes, network and identify problems and solutions for the ocean's most delicate ecosystem. This is the keystone scientific meeting on coral reef science. REEF Director of Science, Dr. Christy Pattengill-Semmens, gave a talk on the science and management applications of the REEF database and presented a research poster on the same topic.
Over the past decade, Indo-Pacific lionfishes have invaded and spread throughout much of the tropical and subtropical northwestern Atlantic Ocean and Caribbean Sea. These species are generalist predators of fishes and invertebrates with the potential to disrupt the ecology of the invaded range. Lionfishes have been present in low numbers along the east coast of Florida since the 1980s, but were not reported in the Florida Keys until 2009.
On April 12, REEF attended a Middle Keys Earth Day celebration at Bahia Honda State Park. It was a lovely day, albeit unseasonably hot! Several organizations had booths in attendance as well, including the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary (FKNMS), Dolphin Research Center, Reef Relief, the Turtle Hospital, and many others.
Reef Environmental Education Foundation is excited to announce an opportunity to partner with classroom teachers for the 2023-2024 school year. Thanks to the Coastal Partnership Initiative (CPI) grant from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, we can offer your class FREE REEF Virtual Field Trips, Colorful Fish Identification Cards for your students, and marine life curriculum for you to use as a classroom resource.