REEF Fest is just ten days away! Sponsored by Capital Bank Foundation, REEF Fest is an annual celebration of marine conservation held in Key Largo, Florida, on Oct. 17-20. The event features diving, ocean-themed seminars, and social events. REEF Fest is open to the public, and most events are free to attend. To see the complete schedule, visit www.REEF.org/REEFfest.
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Eating invasive species has become a popular form of environmentalism in recent years. This article discusses REEF's work to address invasive lionfish and shares other invasive species currently on the menu around the world.
REEF Fest 2026 is almost here, and this year mornings are all about getting out on the water. From October 15 to 17, our REEF Fest Experience Partners are offering diving, snorkeling, and marine science adventures up and down the Upper Keys, so you can build the kind of REEF Fest that suits you best. Spend your mornings underwater, then join us at the Ocean Exploration Center in the afternoons and evenings for seminars and social events.
During the last week of April, divers from around the country gathered at Amoray Dive Resort in Key Largo, Florida for a REEF Fish Behavior Tour hosted by Ned and Anna DeLoach. After making two morning dives each day, the group spent their late afternoons and early evenings attending entertaining talks about the myriad fish they encountered on the reef. Lad Akins, REEF’s Special Projects Director, dropped by to explain the science behind the recent invasion of Indo-Pacific lionfish in the western Atlantic.
As Fall is upon us, we look ahead to 2009 and a great lineup of REEF travel opportunities. Our partners at Caradonna Dive Adventure have helped us put together an exciting Field Survey schedule, including St. Croix, Bermuda (with Ned and Anna DeLoach), and Grenada on the Peter Hughes Winddancer (with Paul Humann). These week-long projects are led by experts in fish identification and include great diving, learning, and camaraderie with like-minded divers and snorkelers. Your non-diving companions are welcome on all of the land-based projects.
As Lad reported in an earlier article, DEMA was eventful and exciting. Beyond the networking and outreach about the lionfish invasion, REEF was proud to attend the SSI Platinum Pro Award ceremony. On Thursday October 23, Lad Akins and Anna DeLoach joined Paul Humann (1993) REEF Board of Trustees, Ned Deloach (1993) REEF Board of Trustees and Lisa Mitchell (1993) REEF Executive Director as proud recipients of the SSI Platinum Pro5000 Diver award.
Earlier this month, on World Oceans Day, we kicked off REEF's Summer Fundraising Campaign with a goal of raising $60,000 by July 31. Thanks to the Curtis and Edith Munson Foundation, who has generously offered to match your donations, we are over one-third of the way to our goal with $10,345 donated and matched so far. To all of our members who have already donated, we extend our sincere gratitude. If you haven't yet had a chance, please contribute today.
Remember to join REEF in our online communities on Facebook. Anyone can visit our Facebook page, even if you don't have a Facebook account. We also maintain a Facebook page specifically about the Lionfish program. If you do have a Facebook account, click the icon below to "like" us!
An excellent review of the extent of the lionfish invasion and the importance of getting involved to save native species.
We want to extend a special thanks to our members who have already made a donation during our Winter Fundraising Campaign. If you haven't yet, please take a moment to support REEF's critical marine conservation work. You can contribute securely online at www.REEF.org/contribute or call REEF Headquarters at 305-852-0030.
With your support, we will build on twenty years of success. In 2014, REEF plans to: