REEF members are at the heart of our grassroots marine conservation programs. Over 50,000 divers, snorkelers, students, and armchair naturalists stand behind our mission.

This month we highlight Alice Ribbens, a REEF member since 2010. Despite being based in snowy Minnesota, MN (USA), Alice is an active surveying member who has conducted over 70 surveys in four of REEF's regions (TWA, PAC, TEP, and CIP). She is a member of Advanced Assessment Team in the TWA, and she is a SCUBA instructor who enjoys sharing her love of fish ID. Here's what she had to say about REEF:

How did you become involved with REEF?

I had always been interested in identifying creatures seen on my dives. My husband bought me the ReefNet fish ID software for my birthday in 2010. Through that, I found out about REEF. I joined right away and was hooked on Fishinars from our very first one!

If you have been on a REEF Field Survey, where and what was your trip highlight?

My first REEF trip was to the Sea of Cortez in 2012 aboard the Rocio del Mar. Diving with such an experienced group of divers and surveyors was incredible. Also very exciting to see my first whale shark (with Christy and Brice reminding us to put down “whale shark” and “remora” on our surveys)!

Do you have a favorite local (or not) REEF field station or dive shop?

I am an instructor at Scuba Center in Eagan, MN. They became a REEF Field Station in 2014. I have been running “Fish Nights”: we use a combination of REEF materials and fish photos to teach about fish ID. When a Fishinar is on a night that our classroom is free, we try to participate live. Otherwise, we pick recorded fishinars based on an upcoming trip or people’s interests. Although we don’t have a lot of active surveyors yet, the Fish Nights are very popular, a number of our instructors and divers have joined REEF, and everyone is learning a lot.

What is your favorite fish or marine invertebrate?

Diving in Minnesota is not too exciting in terms of fish, so I love to travel to dive. I always look in nooks and crannies for fish and critters. I’m a little obsessed with cardinalfish right now, probably because they are generally so shy. I was so happy to find pajama cardinalfish in Raja Ampat. I know they are not unusual, but they are so cute! (I loved anemonefish until one bit me—I had a fish hickey on my forehead for several days.)

Do you have any surveying, fishwatching, or identification tips for REEF members?

It’s easy to get overwhelmed when you first start. Fishinars are great to get the basics. With surveys, start slow, learn a few new fish every day, and write down what you know. (Photos are great, but work on your buoyancy skills before adding a camera.) Dive with a likeminded buddy so you can help each other with mystery fish. REEF Trips are like fish boot camp so if you can join one, do it. I thought I knew my TWA fish before my first REEF trip there, but was amazed at how much I learned!