We’re excited to introduce REEF’s new Marine Conservation Interns for the Fall 2018 semester. These four individuals will support the REEF team in mission-oriented tasks and daily office operations, as well as assist in the Upper Keys Lionfish Derby and REEF’s biggest event of the year, REEF Fest. 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: 

Calling all college students and recent graduates interested in ocean conservation: the application deadline for the Fall 2019 Marine Conservation Internship has been extended to July 22! This internship provides diverse experiences including non-profit operations, outreach and education, field work, data collection and management, public speaking, event planning and more. During the four month internship semester from September to December 2019, you will have opportunities to dive and volunteer with partner organizations in the Florida Keys and South Florida.

The holiday season is here, and that means cherished time with loved ones, plenty of celebrations, fun memories, and more. It can be tricky to choose the perfect holiday gift for your friends and family. We have the perfect solution!

This article features some upcoming events at REEF, with a focus on the Florida Keys. Events highlighed include the Earth Day Lionfish Derby, Fish Out of Water Virtual 5K, and Ocean Explorers Summer Camp.

The holidays are here, and REEF has plenty of great gifts for the ocean lover in your life! Check out our new Ocean Icon Rash Guards, featuring charismatic megafauna like the whale shark, manta ray, and sunfish. These rash guards are breathable and comfortable to wear while relaxing at home or during a day on the water. You can pair it with a visor, beanie, or a colorful REEF trucker hat for extra sun or wind protection.

Last month, a team of scientists represented REEF at the 76th annual Gulf and Caribbean Fisheries Institute (GCFI) conference, held in The Bahamas. REEF programs and data were represented by REEF Co-Executive Director, Dr. Christy Pattengill-Semmens, and Conservation Science Associate, Lex Bryant, as well as our partners from Scripps Institute of Oceanography (Dr. Brice Semmens) and Oregon State University (Dr. Scott Heppell). 

Dollars to Help Develop Rapid Response Plan 

  • Ocean Science 2.0: REEF Pioneers New Approach to Understanding Ocean Ecosystems
  • REEF.org Redefined: REEF Launches New Website
  • Studying MPAs in the Channel Islands
  • Monitoring Artificial Reeefs
  • Putting REEF Data to Work
  • Online Mapping - A New Data Tool
  • REEF's Grouper Moon Project: Conserving a Caribbean Icon
  • Lionfish Expeditions Lead to New Information
  • REEF Field Stations: Partners on the Ground, In the Water
  • Capacity Building in New England

REEF Director of Science, Dr. Christy Pattengill-Semmens, and Grouper Moon Scientists, Dr. Brice Semmens (NOAA) and Dr. Scott Heppell (Oregon State University), participated in the Gulf and Caribbean Fisheries Institute (GCFI) meeting last month in Guadeloupe. This annual meeting brings together scientists, fishermen, resource agency managers, and marine conservation organizations to present and discuss current topics and emerging findings on coral reef resources of the tropical western Atlantic waters.

After many years of planning, financial woes and last minute negotiations, it appears that the Hoyt S Vandenberg, a 520-foot troop transport/missile tracking military vessel, will be sunk as the newest artificial reef in the Florida Keys. Recent communication with the State of Florida’s Fish and Wildlife Commission has given the go ahead for REEF to initiate pre-deployment monitoring of the sinking site and 7 other adjacent reef areas to study the recruitment and movement of fish around the wreck and reef sites. 

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