Outstanding in their Field: Featured REEF Field Station, Sea Saba
By Alecia Adamson, REEF Field Operations Coordinator
REEF is proud to partner with over 130 dive shops, dive clubs, individuals, and other organizations as REEF Field Stations
This month we feature Sea Saba, a top-notch dive operator located on a small Caribbean island devoid of beaches, but abundant in spectacular dive sites! The island of Saba is known for its unspoiled natural beauty and lack of development- the island has fewer than 2,000 residents. Dive shop owners, Lynn and John, have made scuba diving, travel, and photography their life for well over 2 decades. Some time ago, while exploring a rainforest in Peru with an exceptionally knowledgeable and enthusiastic guide, Lynn realized that there aren’t enough scuba guides in the industry who are highly knowledgeable about the marine life and habitats they work in. To quote her, “Certainly professional and safety standards are important but sadly, far too many dive guides are actually poor guides.”
Working with the REEF program is one great tool utilized by Sea Saba to continue to improve the knowledge base of their dive instructors. Dive staff members are frequently reminded that their core function is to be great guides, and newly hired dive staff are required to become REEF Level 3 surveyors within 60 days! “It’s a win/win/win. We’re making a concerted effort to ensure a great dive experience is had by all our visitors but also by our staff. If we can engage each guide to be more aware and knowledgeable and share this information with our diving guests, dive guides avoid burnout. The enthusiasm is contagious.” says Lynn.
Sea Saba understands and shares REEF’s mission to educate, enlist, and engage divers in marine conservation efforts. In Lynn’s words, “Fish identification skills are a stepping stone in understanding our underwater environment. By sharing knowledge, we not only create better surface interval conversations, we can hope each diver is also an advocate to use what power he/she has to protect this realm: the coral, the fish, the reef, the ocean…our planet.”
Sea Saba hosted the first REEF Field Survey of the year in March and they made sure our trip season got off to a great start - participants confirmed over 150 species sightings during the week, including rare finds such as yellowcheek basslets, punk blennies, and a hammerhead shark! Our team of ten was well taken care of by the excellent divemasters and staff of Sea Saba, many of whom are active surveyors throughout the Saba Marine Park surrounding this petite island. The natural beauty of Saba was the perfect setting for our diving (and hiking) adventure.
Grouper Moon Project Works With Dr. Guy Harvey To Produce Documentary
By Christy Pattengill-Semmens, Ph.D., Director of Science
Acclaimed marine artist and conservationist, Dr. Guy Harvey, joined the Grouper Moon Project team in 2011 to document the research being conducted on the Nassau grouper spawning aggregation on Little Cayman. Dr. Harvey and videographer, George Schellenger, spent 7 days in the field with scientists from REEF, the Cayman Islands Department of the Environment, and Oregon State University. The culmination of their work came together in a documentary called "The Mystery of the Grouper Moon", which was premiered to a packed house at the Harquail Theatre on Grand Cayman in September. Since that time, Dr. Harvey has been busy showing the documentary to local schools and promoting grouper conservation to generations of future Caymanians. The film will soon be available online for REEF members to watch, stay tuned. Inpsired by his time underwater with the grouper, Dr. Harvey created a painting of the aggregation that is featured on the documentary promotional poster. The original artwork will soon be available for purchase, with all proceeds going to REEF to support the Grouper Moon Project. To read more about the documentary, check out this article in the Cayman Compass. We are excited to have Dr. Harvey as a collaborator on this important REEF program.
REEF.org Website Redesigned
By REEF Staff
REEF is proud to announce the next generation of our website - www.REEF.org. The redesigned page was launched earlier this month. The website still features the wealth of information, tools, and resources you expect from REEF.org, but now they are highlighted with a new design and user friendly navigation. Aside from the new look, you may notice that the site is much faster due to an upgrade in our server equipment. Whether you're quizzing yourself on fish ID, looking to book a REEF Trip, or learning the latest research on the lionfish invasion, REEF.org keeps you up to date with all of our latest activities and programs. The Discussion Forum is a perfect place to post your ID questions, dive trip highlights, and more. Our website is also the central hub for the almost 160,000 fish surveys that have been submitted by our volunteer members over the last 19 years. Exploring the REEF Database is now even easier with significantly faster reporting. If you are a REEF surveyor, be sure to create a REEF.org login account (if you don't have one already) so that you can generate your personal survey log and species lifelist. The Top Stats page now shows the 25 surveyors in each region with the most surveys, so that even more of our members can track their progress.
This is the fourth major revision to the REEF website. REEF's online home was originally launched fifteen years ago in 1997. REEF would like to extend a huge thank you to longtime IT volunteer extraordinaire, Ben Weintraub, for making this new site possible. Please take a moment to explore the new website. Let us know what you think - send an email to webmaster@REEF.org. Your feedback is important to us as we continue to improve the site. We hope you enjoy it!
Putting it to Work: Who's Using REEF Data, October 2012
By Christy Pattengill-Semmens, Ph.D., REEF Director of Science
Every month, scientists, government agencies, and other groups request raw data from REEF’s Fish Survey Project database. Here is a sampling of who has asked for REEF data recently and what they are using it for:
- A National Research Council post-doctoral fellow is using REEF sightings data on manta and mobula to evaluate global populations of these at-risk species.
- A researcher is evaluating fish distribution and abundance data from south Florida to be included in a NOAA document used to respond to oil spills.
- A University of Washington researcher is using data on Red Sea Urchin to evaluate population trends in this important echinoderm that is increasingly harvested.
- A graduate student at Scripps Institution of Oceanography is using population data on Nassau Grouper to document populations trends of this endangered Caribbean reef fish.
REEF Lionfish Expeditions Lead to New Information
By Lad Akins, Special Projects
Working with leading scientists, REEF's lionfish field work is paying off in valuable information needed to address this key issue. Information from the five Bahamas projects conducted thus far this year is being used to help determine the range and extent of the lionfish invasion, as well as to address key questions on age/ growth, reproduction, genetics, parasites and habitat preference.
To date, more than 400 fish have been collected and shipped to the NOAA research lab in Beaufort NC and more than 500 sightings have been documented in the Bahamas. Data on length, plumage and stomach content have been gathered in the field, and samples for genetics and age/growth studies have been shipped to researchers. REEF has worked in close partnership with the College of the Bahamas, researchers at UNCW, and Salisbury University, and local dive operators Bruce Purdy and Stuart Cove in gathering and analyzing the data.
Interesting data to date include:
- Average size:188mm
- Most species: Pterois volitans (though there are some Pterois miles present also)
- Stomach content: about 70 % fish and 30 % crustacean with the most prevalent prey families including basslets, gobies and shrimp. Also found in stomachs: whole crab, whole sand diver, jawfish with eggs still in its mouth, and juvenile grouper (including Nassau)
- Genetics: It appears that there were at least 11 females involved in the original founding population. This number is up from previous indications of four fish.
- Reproduction: Fish are reproducing year-round with age at reproduction as young as 1-2 years.
- Habitat preference: Lionfish have been found in almost all habitat types including artificial sites, canals, deep reefs, shallow reefs, small ledges and sand bottom.
- Parasites: Compared to native fish, lionfish have almost no parasites, leaving more energy and time for growth and reproduction.
- Growth: Lionfish appear to grow faster than similar sized native fish species like the graysby and the red hind.
REEF Remembers Chile Ridley
By Leda A. Cunningham
Just before the holidays, REEF was saddened to learn of the passing of long-time volunteer and friend, Chile Ridley of Bonaire. Our thoughts are with his family and friends, especially his wife, Linda. The following article by Buddy Stockwell was published in the Caribbean Compass.
"On December 16, 2007 , the Cruising Community, the Island of Bonaire, and Mother Earth all lost one of their most wonderful, talented, and trusted friends. Edward Alton Ridley, known to all as " Chile" Ridley, took his own life at the age of 58. Chile was born in Valentine, Texas, and had battled the disease of depression all of his life. He is survived by his wife, Linda Ridley of Marfa, Texas . The Ridley's began their Cruising life aboard their Valiant 42 "Natural Selection" by departing Galveston in 1998 and sailing to St. Petersburg, Florida , where their new Valiant was part of the 1998 boat show. Thereafter, they cruised down the Eastern Caribbean , finally arriving in Bonaire five years later on Valentine's Day of 2003. As avid SCUBA divers, both Chile and Linda instantly fell in love with Bonaire and remained there as residents living aboard "Natural Selection." Chile was Manager of Bonaire's Capture Photo and also worked as a Dive Master. Most important, he was an indispensable volunteer for environmental organizations such as REEF, STINAPA and the Bonaire Seaturtle Conservation Project. Chile completed 300 Level 5 surveys for REEF, collected hundreds of amazing underwater images on film, and completed almost 2,000 dives. Chile's "True Grit" Texas spirit, fine character, and exceptional skills combined to make him an unflagging Champion of the environment like no other. Loved by all, Chile was not just a gentleman but a gentle man, always willing to lend a hand and always the first to volunteer. He will be missed by all who knew him, including all of the beautiful sea creatures of Bonaire that he loved so well and fought so hard to protect. The family asks that in lieu of cards or flowers, donations should be made in his name to support the Sea Turtle Conservation Project by visiting https://www.supportbonaire.org or to www.REEF.org for the fish survey projects."
New England Online Data Entry Teased Apart from TWA
By Joe Cavanaugh, Director of Field OperationsREEF will separate our online dataentry interface for New England region from the tropical western Atlantic (TWA) where it currently resides, in the coming month. Just in time for the Great Annual Fish Count, for more information, please contact gafc@reef.org or call 305-852-0030. We hope that this will facilitate an increase in the New England region survey efforts starting this summer. In the next few weeks, login at http://www.reef.org/dataentry/login.php and you will be able to select New England for uploading New England fish surveys. There are a few New England members who are willing to assist and guide those REEF members who are interested in participating in New England surveys.
REEF Names 2008 Volunteer of the Year
By REEF Staff
REEF proudly awards our 2008 Volunteer of the Year award to Sheryl Shea, a dedicated REEF surveyor, teacher and ambassador. Sheryl became a REEF member in the very early days of the organization and has consistently been one of our most active surveyors. Her first survey was conducted in 1994 and to date Sheryl has conducted 954 REEF surveys. Sheryl became a member of the Advanced Assessment Team (AAT) in 1999 and her lifelist contains 351 fish species. After moving to Cozumel from Buffalo, NY, Sheryl facilitated REEF training programs for the Cozumel Marine Park and started leading an annual REEF Field Survey on the island in 2005. This popular REEF trip sells out every year. Sheryl has participated in several AAT projects including monitoring in the Florida Keys, the Grouper Moon Project and helped initiate REEF’s survey program in the Veracruz Marine Park.
Picking just one outstanding volunteer each year is difficult. REEF volunteers are the cornerstone of the organization. Without this dedicated corps, our marine conservation programs would not exist. They are central to the REEF Volunteer Survey Project, in which over 12,000 divers and snorkelers have submitted their sightings information to the largest marine life database in the world. REEF volunteers conduct important marine conservation research alongside scientists as part of the Grouper Moon Project and the Lionfish Invasion Program. And donations from our members are critical to ensuring the long-term success of the organization.
The REEF staff and Board of Trustees extend a big thank you to Sheryl and congratulate her on all of her efforts and great work on behalf of the organization and marine conservation. Cheers to our Volunteer of the Year!
Rare Finds on the Grenada Field Survey
By Paul Humann, REEF Founder
REEF Field Surveys are not just another dive vacation. These eco-trips offer divers and snorkelers the chance to really get to know the critters that are seen underwater. In mid-July Paul Humann lead a Field Survey trip to the fairly remote group of Caribbean Islands in Grenada and the Grenadines and the participants were rewarded with many exciting finds. The group was a mixture of expert, intermediate and beginning REEF fish surveyors, and it was a great opportunity for everyone to learn and have fun. The evening classes and general discussions led everyone to improve their identifications skills. During the week, Blue McRight took and passed the Expert Level exam - Congratulations Blue!
Beyond having fun and learning, the objectives of this trip were two-fold: build up the fish survey data for this remote area and document possible species range expansions. Because of the islands’ proximity to South America, the group was especially interested in learning if any species thought to exist only along that continental coast would be found on these islands to the north. On the first night, Paul gave a presentation about species of fish to be on the look out for. The results were amazing. First and foremost - the Longspine Sailfin Blenny and Resh Pikeblenny, never recorded outside Venezuelan waters before were found! Sighting confirmations of the Giraffe Garden Eel, Veija, Red Banner Blenny, Bluebar Jawfish, Corocoro and Bluestripe Dartfish, rarely in waters north of Venezuela or Tobago were important as well. Also recorded were the very rarely spotted Spiny Flounder, African Pompano, Unicorn Filefish and Snapper Snake Eel. A total count of 261 species is nearly a REEF Field Survey record! And the group conducted 221 surveys during the week. To see the project summary and fish list, check out the REEF database. Paul, REEF and the fish thank everyone involved for making this such a successful Survey Trip. A special thanks goes to Jill Ericsson for taking charge of the survey forms.
Be sure to check out the exciting line-up of destinations for the 2010 REEF Field Survey Schedule. Come join us and make a dive vacation that Counts!
Great Diving On One of the Friendliest Islands in the Caribbean
By Jonathan Lavan, REEF AAT Member
Last week, we kicked off the 2010 REEF Field Survey season with a spectacular trip to Dominica. Eight REEF members (and two non-diving spouses) headed out for 5 days of excellent dives with many wonderful discoveries along the way. Highlights included a glut of Secretary Blennies, Arrow Blennies and Lofty Triplefins along with Cherubfish, Longlure Frogfish, Longsnout Seahorses, Shortnose Batfish, a Reef Scorpionfish (see picture), most of the Hamlets and a Black Brotula found by yours truly and witnessed by James Brooke and trip leader Heather George. Another thrilling highlight was watching a pair of Barred Hamlets spawning during our dusk dive - the final dive of the trip. Congratulations go out to our new level 3 surveyors, Amy Kramer and Chris Ostrom, and a new level 2 surveyor, Kirsten Ostrom. Both topside and below, the crew at Dive Dominica was very enthusiastic. Not only were they very interested in REEF’s mission and pointing out the best fish and creatures, but also helped us coordinate daily travel and restaurant jaunts. Roseau, Dominica’s capital, has that small town feel, very friendly and accommodating to us, and everyone knows each other. On our “off-gas’ day, many of us explored the inner island, climbing up to Trafalgar Falls where three freshwater fish were discovered; a freshwater Grunt, Goby and Suckerfish. We also ventured up the beautiful Titou Gorge. Dominica is a truly beautiful island with fantastic views, great diving and some of the friendliest people in the Caribbean - an island not to be missed.
REEF Field Surveys are week-long dive trips coordinated by REEF and led by experienced staff, Board members, and instructors. These "Trips that Count" 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. Check out the 2010 schedule here and reserve your space today!