Author: The REEF Team
GivingTuesday is coming up on December 3! This global day of giving is a great way to show your support for REEF’s marine conservation and education programs. You don't want to miss the chance to join in this year, because your GivingTuesday donation to REEF will make double the impact! Thanks to an anonymous donor, all gifts received in honor of GivingTuesday 2024 are being matched dollar for dollar, up to $40,000! We hope you'll make a gift to REEF in honor of GivingTuesday. Keep an eye on your email inbox as GivingTuesday approaches. We'll also announce this year's limited-edition photograph from Paul Humann's collection. To honor Paul's memory, we’re continuing the tradition of sharing one of his marine life photographs as a special gift for those who contribute $250 or more during the winter. Please save the date for GivingTuesday on December 3, so you can take advantage of this matching opportunity and help set REEF's ocean conservation programs on a path to success in 2025 and beyond. From all of us at REEF, thank you for your support!
Author: The REEF Team
We are excited to share that Michaela Koessler Peterson has joined the REEF team as Director of Education. She is based at the REEF Campus in Key Largo, Florida. Michaela is passionate about connecting people of all backgrounds to science and nature through place-based educational initiatives. Originally from Montana, Michaela earned a BFA at the University of Montana, and then moved to Seattle in 1991, where she fell in love with the ocean and all things marine. She joined a (then smaller) coffee corporation, managing multiple units, helping to open new markets, and designing training materials. After her children were born, she returned to school, studying science with a focus on environment and genetics. She earned her Master’s in Education in Secondary Science (MIT) from University of Washington. Prior to joining the REEF team, Michaela spent 13 years teaching science in Seattle Public Schools, acting as Department Head and working to open a new high school. Michaela has also been an active REEF member and surveyor since 2011, and she previously served on the REEF Education Advisory Panel. She is thrilled to be working with REEF to enhance the organization's educational initiatives. In her free time, you can find her hanging out with family and friends in the mountains of Montana, underwater surveying fish, or paddleboarding. Welcome to the REEF team, Michaela!
Author: Amy Lee, Communications Manager
We recently hosted our annual REEF Fest in Key Largo, and we want to thank everyone who joined to celebrate marine conservation. We had an amazing time enjoying seminars, socials and nature tours, while connecting with our amazing REEF members and the Keys community. Our seminar speakers shared some excellent presentations, on topics ranging from Upside-down Jellyfish, Diving With a Purpose's citizen science program, the importance of museum collections in science, the history and future of Key Largo's marine environment, and REEF's exciting conservation science work. Thanks to the help of some of our wonderful volunteers, the seminars were live-streamed and recorded, so you can view them online any time! Check out the recordings on our Facebook page and YouTube channel.
REEF Fest was made possible thanks to our sponsors and supporters, including First Horizon Foundation, Florida Keys Brewing Company, Little Moir's Hibiscus StrEATery, Kaldi's Coffee, Divers Alert Network, and Keys Weekly. We are also very appreciative to all who donated to support the REEF Fest silent auction and raffle. Thank you to everyone who attended, partnered with us, or volunteered for helping us put on another fun and successful REEF Fest! Check out the REEF Fest 2024 photo album to see photos from the weekend. We're already looking forward to next year - be sure to mark your calendar for REEF Fest 2025, on October 16-19! Registration will open in the summer of 2025. Keep an eye on www.REEF.org/REEFfest for more information.
Author: Amy Lee, Communications Manager
REEF members are the heart of our grassroots marine conservation programs. A diverse community of divers, snorkelers, and ocean enthusiasts support our mission to conserve marine environments worldwide.
This month we highlight Carmen Toanchina, a REEF member who lives in Bonaire. She joined REEF in 2018 and has conducted more than 500 surveys in the Tropical Western Atlantic (TWA) and Central Indo-Pacific (CIP) regions. In addition to being an active surveyor, she also teaches fish ID classes to help share her love of marine life with others! We are proud to feature Carmen this month, and are glad that she is part of REEF.
When and how did you first volunteer with REEF or become a REEF member?
I officially started volunteering with REEF in 2018 while working in the Solomon Islands on a liveaboard. A group from the Women Divers Hall of Fame joined our trip, bringing along survey papers, and they were very enthusiastic about conducting surveys during every dive. As a big fish enthusiast, I decided to join them, and I quickly became hooked on the surveying process. This experience sparked my passion for data collection, and I’ve been actively involved with REEF ever since.
If you have been on a REEF Field Survey Trip, where and what was your trip highlight?
My first-ever group trip was a REEF Field Survey trip to Bonaire, and it was one of the best dive trips I’ve ever been on. I loved it so much that I decided to move to Bonaire, so I think that says it all. The highlight of the trip was being surrounded by fellow fish enthusiasts. We had a fantastic time learning more about fish and discovering new species to add to our life lists. On that trip, I recorded my first century dive in Tropical Western Atlantic with 111 species on Tori’s Reef. You never forget this milestone when you’re a fish geek.
What is the most fascinating fish encounter you’ve experienced?
One of my most unforgettable fish encounters happened during a night dive in the Solomon Islands. Halfway through the dive, I decided to turn my light off. As I was cruising behind the group, I looked at the wall and noticed an unusual bioluminescent light darting around. Unlike the typical plankton glow, this was something entirely different—it looked like two blinking eyes. Intrigued, I switched on my light and was amazed to find myself face-to-face with a Twofin Flashlightfish (Anomalops katoptron.) This elusive creature had been on my wish list ever since I heard stories from divers encountering them on the SS President Coolidge wreck in Vanuatu, where you can spot them deep inside the wreck by turning off your lights. It was an incredible experience, and I returned to the spot on several subsequent nights, always finding them in the same location. I’m so captivated by these fascinating fish that I’m planning a return trip to the Solomon Islands just to see them again.
What is your favorite part about being a REEF member?
My favorite part about being a REEF member is the opportunity to contribute to marine conservation efforts while connecting with a global community of like-minded individuals. The ability to participate in surveys, share knowledge, and learn about marine life is incredibly rewarding. I love knowing that my efforts in fish surveying contribute to a larger database that is being used to generate reports aimed at protecting and preserving our oceans.
Do you have any surveying, fishwatching, or identification tips for REEF members?
One of the best tips I can offer for surveying, fishwatching, or identification is to take your time and focus on the details. Slow down your dives to really observe the fish and their behaviors—this can help you spot subtle differences between similar species. Also, familiarize yourself with the key characteristics of the fish families you’re likely to encounter. Lastly, always keep a fish ID guide handy for reference, and don’t hesitate to consult with other REEF members—they can be a great resource for improving your skills.
Author: Hilary Penner, Education Manager: Program Development
Are you an educator with a passion for marine conservation and hands-on learning? Check out the REEF Educator in the Field Fellowship! This unique opportunity is a great way to deepen your knowledge of ocean citizen science.The Fellowship, awarded annually, enables a qualified educator to participate in a REEF Field Survey Trip. They will join other citizen scientist volunteers to learn about marine life and conduct fish surveys while scuba diving or snorkeling as part of the REEF Volunteer Fish Survey Project. The Fellowship aims to provide an experience to help educators to engage their students and/or audiences with REEF programs through fieldwork, REEF database exploration, Virtual Field Trips, or other REEF programs. Fellowship recipients are also invited to join the REEF Education Advisory Panel.
Applications are now open for the 2025 REEF Educator in the Field Fellowship. This year's recipient will join the REEF Field Survey Trip to Roatan, Honduras, at CoCo View Resort on June 28 to July 5, 2025. REEF will cover the total cost of the Field Survey Trip, plus air travel up to $1,200. The application deadline is January 5, 2025. For more information or to apply, visit www.REEF.org/educatorinfield.
Author: Stacey Henderson, Field Survey Trips Program Manager
Looking for an adventure to explore both the ocean and the rainforest? REEF’s eco-adventure to Costa Rica includes diving or snorkeling plus land-based tours through a vibrant tropical rainforest and a wildlife-watching boat trip! This weeklong trip includes four days of diving/snorkeling to conduct REEF surveys and a variety of tours through the diverse Guanacaste region, and is a great fit for divers, snorkelers, and families.
REEF Field Survey Trips are eco-vacations led by marine life experts. Each trip features daily dives and fish ID classes for both beginners and experienced surveyors. To book your space on a REEF Trip, email trips@REEF.org. Check out all of our upcoming trips with open space below. We hope to "sea" you underwater soon!
Maldives: Jan. 12-22, 2025 -- More information here.
Belize: Feb. 15-22, 2025 -- More information here.
Guanaja: March 22-29, 2025 -- More information here.
Nevis: May 17-24, 2025 -- More information here.
Costa Rica: June 21-28, 2025 -- More information here.
Yap: June 21 - July 2, 2025 -- More information here.
Author: Noa Parks, Citizen Science Coordinator
Our online programs are free and open to all! Check out what's coming up, and view the entire schedule of Fishinars and other online programs here.
Into the Blue Book Club Meeting
Thursday, November 14 8pm ET
Click here to register.
REEF Into the Blue Book Club brings together readers who love the ocean. At this meeting, we will discuss our latest book selection, The Extreme Life of the Sea by Anthony R. Palumbi and Stephen Palumbi Everyone is invited to join, and reading the book is not a requirement for attending the meeting.
Author: The REEF Team
Meet our November Fish of the Month, the Cabezon, Scorpaenichthys marmoratus!
Survey Regions: The Cabezon is commonly found throughout REEF's PAC region, from southern California to British Columbia, and occasionally north to Alaska. Click here to see a distribution for this species in the REEF database.
Size: They are about 2-3 ft, and grow to a maximum size of about 3.5 ft.
Identifying Features: They have a marbled body in a variety of earth tones. Males typically come in red shades and females are greenish. They also have a large, bulbous head and a stout body, with a cirri above each eye and another one centered near the tip of their snout.
Fun Facts: Cabezon means "large head" in Spanish. They are one of the largest members of the sculpin family, related to scorpionfishes. Cabezons live on rocky bottoms near kelp beds, and males will fiercely guard nests of eggs from predators.
Thanks for reading, and stay tuned for our next Fish of the Month.
Photo by Tom Nicodemus.
