Author: Christy Pattengill-Semmens, Ph.D., Co-Executive Director: Science & Engagement
This year we are celebrating the 30th anniversary of the REEF Volunteer Fish Survey Project (VFSP). We are amazed and in awe of how the program has grown, and are so grateful to the over 17,000 volunteers who have conducted surveys through the years. The first surveys were conducted in July 1993 in Key Largo, FL. Since then, the VFSP has been expanded to waters around the world and has been modified to include invertebrates and algae in colder temperate waters. The database is approaching 300,000 surveys! A large portion of these surveys (189,000) have been conducted on the coral reefs of the Tropical Western Atlantic (TWA) region, with active and rapid growth in ten other regions globally.
The cornerstone program of REEF, the VFSP started with the idea of enabling divers and snorkelers to collect data while in the water. It was modeled after the successful Audubon Christmas Bird Count and other citizen science and community data efforts. REEF founders, Paul Humann and Ned DeLoach, knew that the recreational diving community was in a position to serve as the eyes of the underwater world and fill a large gap in knowledge about fish population status and trends. With help from fisheries scientists at NOAA and The Nature Conservancy, the team developed a simple and robust survey method called the Roving Diver Technique. Today, the VFSP is widely regarded as one of the most impactful and effective volunteer-driven data collection effort for the oceans. The data have been used in over 150 scientific publications and are enabling studies that would otherwise not be possible. We are proud of what we have accomplished so far, and we know that there is so much more to do. The oceans can't wait. Here's to the next 30 years!
Author: Stacey Henderson, Program Services Coordinator
The votes are in, and we're excited to share the results of the 2023 Discover the Sea Photography Contest! We had an incredible response to this year's contest, with more than 500 photos submitted and over 6,500 votes, making this a very competitive and successful year! First, second, and third place winners were selected for each photo category, including Fish Portrait, Macro, Invertebrate, REEF Surveyor, and Habitat/Seascape/Environment. Click here to view all the winning photos. Thank you to everyone who participated, either by submitting your photos, voting in the contest, or both!
Photo: "In the Forest" photographed by Tom Baker in San Clemente Islands, CA. Third Place, Habitat/Seascape/Environment.
Author: Amy Lee, Communications and Engagement Manager
REEF Fest is nearly here, and we couldn't be more excited for our annual marine conservation celebration happening next week (Oct. 19-22) in Key Largo! If you're planning to attend, we look forward to seeing you there. If you haven't yet registered, you can still make plans to join us for ocean presentations, diving, snorkeling, kayaking, and fun evening socials. Check out all the details and register for REEF Fest at www.REEF.org/REEFfest.
Don't miss the REEF Campus Open House on Thursday, Oct. 19 from 4-7pm! We hope you can also join us for the free ocean seminars at Murray Nelson Government Center on Friday, Oct. 20 and Saturday, Oct. 21. If you aren't able to join us in person, all of the REEF Fest seminars will be live-streamed on our Facebook page and YouTube channel. The seminar schedule is below. All times listed are in EDT.
Friday, October 20
• 2:30 pm: Seafood Fraud and the Sustainable Management of Groupers, presented by Dr. John Claydon, Executive Director, Integrated Marine Biosphere Research
• 4:15 pm: A Connection to the Sea, presented by Alex Troutman, NOAA Knauss Fellow with the Fish and Aquatic Conservation Program
• 6:30 pm: A Journey Through the Science and Management of the Remote and Wild Reefs and Islands of the Coral Sea Marine Park, presented by Martin Russell, Manager, Coral Sea Marine Park, Australia
Saturday, October 21
• 2:30 pm: Stickball & Seahorses – A photographic journey, presented by Jason Belport, Underwater Photographer
• 3:15 pm: 30 Years of Making a Difference for the Oceans presented by Dr. Christy Semmens, REEF Co-Executive Director: Science and Engagement, and Dr. Brice Semmens, Professor, Scripps Institution of Oceanography
Author: Amy Lee, Communications and Engagement Manager
Last month, 22 teams of scuba divers took to the water and collected 1,898 invasive lionfish during the 14th Annual REEF Florida Keys Lionfish Derby & Festival. Derby teams fished from sunrise to sunset on Friday, Sept. 8 and Saturday, Sept. 9. On Sunday, Sept. 10, participants gathered at Postcard Inn Beach Resort & Marina in Islamorada for a community celebration. The festival featured lionfish tastings, cooking and dissection demos, games, interactive booths, and live music.
More than $7,000 in cash and prizes were awarded to teams who brought in the most, largest, and smallest lionfish. The “Most Lionfish” category included the competitive Apex Predators division and the Reef Defenders division for casual lionfish hunters. Forever Young led the Apex Predators with 648 lionfish, setting a record for the most lionfish harvested by a single derby team! Volitans finished second with 291 lionfish, and Team Trash placed third with 101 lionfish. Fourth, fifth and sixth places went to ZooKeeper with 91 lionfish, The Hunters with 80 lionfish, and Will 2 Spear with 71 lionfish. In the Reef Defenders division, Men of Science won first place with 156 lionfish. Sea Venom Creations brought in 128 lionfish for second place, Barnacles won third place with 121 lionfish, and Reefreaks placed fourth with 55 lionfish.
Competition was close in the largest and smallest lionfish categories. Barnacles won first place in the “Largest Lionfish” category with a 428 mm fish, nearly 17 inches long. Men of Science’s second place fish measured 421 mm, and Forever Young won third place with a 415 mm fish. The smallest fish of the derby was 60 mm (just over two inches) and was collected live by ZooKeeper. Will 2 Spear won second place with a 72 mm fish, and Tequila Little Time brought in a 76 mm fish, also live, to win third place. The two live lionfish are now part of an educational exhibit at the REEF Campus in Key Largo. Full results from the derby are posted online here.
REEF Lionfish Derbies educate the public about invasive species, gather data about lionfish populations, and promote a consumer market for lionfish. Regular removals events have been found to significantly reduce lionfish populations on a local scale. REEF has been hosting lionfish derbies in the Florida Keys since 2010, and the 1,898 invasive lionfish harvested during this year’s derby is the most that have ever been caught during a REEF Lionfish Derby in the Florida Keys!
We are thankful to our supporters who made this year's derby possible, including Ocean Conservancy, Ocean Reef Conservation Association, Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission, TRIAD, Mesara Foundation, and Postcard Inn Beach Resort & Marina. Activities occurred within NOAA Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary under permit.
REEF will host the 15th annual Florida Keys Lionfish Derby & Festival in 2024. Stay tuned for more information about next year's event, and for more details about REEF Lionfish Derbies, visit www.REEF.org/lionfish-derbies.
Author: Hilary Penner, Education and Conservation Programs Manager
Education is an essential part of marine conservation, and REEF is committed to making ocean education accessible and fun for as many people as possible. Through the REEF Oceans for All initiative, we aim to create opportunities for equity-deserving individuals and groups to build their own unique connections with the ocean. Oceans for All supports scholarships, programming, and outreach activities to provide immersive, hands-on learning and exploration.
The Oceans for All Fund is a pooled scholarship fund dedicated to supporting the core values of diversity, equity, and inclusion in marine conservation. Oceans for All funds a variety of REEF Ocean Explorers Education programs, including virtual Field Trips and Virtual Case Studies for students in grades 3-12. Through these programs, students across the country and abroad are able to make connections with the ocean and broaden their understanding of conservation issues and career opportunities. In addition, thanks to the support of Oceans for All, over the next two months, students at Ocean Studies Charter School in the Florida Keys will visit the REEF Campus and participate in hands-on activities and lessons to learn about our oceans. Oceans for All also supports young professionals who interested in pursuing a career in ocean science or conservation. REEF Marine Conservation Interns and Fellows receive a monthly stipend in addition to local housing, making the program accessible to a greater number of students.
If you participated in the REEF Fish Out of Water Virtual 5K this past June, your race registration fees helped support Oceans for All. To learn more about Oceans for All or how to get involved, visit www.REEF.org/oceans-for-all.
Author: The REEF Team
REEF online programs are free and open to everyone! Here's what's coming up this month:
Fishinar: The Colorful Fish of Curacao
Thursday, October 12, 8pm EDT
Click here to register.
Headed to Curacao? Nestled between Aruba and Bonaire, this island has a great variety of fish species. Join us to learn about some of the species found here!
Author: Stacey Henderson, Program Services Coordinator
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. Divers, snorkelers, and families are all welcome. If you're looking for a Caribbean getaway this spring, the upcoming REEF Field Survey Trip to Utila offers an amazing chance to dive the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef, the second-largest reef system in the world! Although it's the smallest of the three Bay Islands of Honduras, Utila has over 100 dive sites, including wrecks, huge drop-offs, and seamounts.
Visit www.REEF.org/trips for more details about this and other trips. To book your space, email trips@REEF.org. Check out some of our upcoming trips with open spaces, including:
Grenada - Jan. 27-Feb. 3, 2024
Galapagos - March 17-24, 2024
Utila, Honduras - April 6-13, 2024
St. Lucia – May 4-11, 2024
Bonaire – July 20-27, 2024
Author: Janna Nichols, REEF Citizen Science Program Manager
Welcome to Citizen Science Corner, our quarterly feature to celebrate those who recently reached a milestone in our Volunteer Fish Survey Project. Here are achievements from July, August and September 2023:
Juvenile Hamlet Award
The Juvenile Hamlet Award is for individuals who have conducted 500+ REEF surveys. Congratulations to our latest Juvenile Hamlet Club members, Marilyn and Robert Bentley! Read more about the Juvenile Hamlet award and others who have achieved it.
Experience Level Advancements
REEF Experience Levels are a way for divers and snorkelers to measure their fish ID knowledge along with their surveying experience. From beginner to expert, you'll find plenty of resources and friends to help you along the way. Experience Levels are achieved by submitting a certain number of surveys and passing a fish ID test. For more info, visit www.REEF.org/experiencelevels. Let's hear it for these REEF members who have advanced an Experience Level!
All listed below are Level 2 unless otherwise noted.
California (CAL)
Brendon Russell
Gracie Cordes
Jared Adkins
Kendall Capra
Leeah Lee
Michele Vogt
Rafael Abrera
Robin Seldin
Rosie Arathoon
Central Indo-Pacific (CIP)
Tracey Griffin - Level 5
David Thompson - Level 4
Marilyn Bentley - Level 3
Robert Bentley - Level 3
Doug Harder - Levels 2 and 3
Eric Frick - Levels 2 and 3
Hilary Penner - Levels 2 and 3
Guy Pinneo
Helen Truax
Jehiah Batigulao
Laurie Lee
Sharmaine Deloria
Hawaii (HAW)
Martin Bjontegard - Levels 3 and 4
Indian Ocean / Red Sea (IORS)
Ahmed Abougharbia
Alex Bulanov
Bernat Palvolgyi
Carine Catellani
David Meyer
Emil Karath
James McKay
Jen Donahue
Maki Kasai
Max Titcomb
Renata Berkes
Ross Meisner
Sandor Palvolgyi
Shaina Michael
Shannon Lehmkuhl
Sierra Barkdoll
Sue Thompson
Tunkel Richard
Northeast US & Eastern Canada (NE)
Florence Robertson
Veronique Beaudoin-Cote
Pacific Northwest (PNW)
Perry Webster - Level 5
Robin Webster - Level 5
Alyssa Rasmussen
Catherine Lo
Elizabeth McCune
Skyler Gibbs
Tropical Eastern Pacific (TEP)
Anne Reese
Ben Klitzkie
Cora Reese
Gordon McIntosh
Gracie Semmens
Jason Kuphaldt
Scott Veirs
Shelley Kirkpatrick
Silas Grossman
Sue Shoemaker
Victoria Nosler
Zander Nosler
Tropical Western Atlantic (TWA)
Dylan Heppell - Level 5
Carolyn Corley - Level 3
Dana Kowalsick - Level 3
Karl Wirth - Levels 2 and 3
Katie Barnes - Level 3
Mary Beth Casement - Levels 2 and 3
Alan Stewart
Ally Lafayette
Amelia Jaffe
Angelos Lamprou
Anna Wright
Asavari Shanker
Bernadett Vekes
Blair Stuhlmuller
Cheri Shaw
Christine Buching
Christopher Wagner
Claudia Horn
Dani Rachman
David Haddock
Dimphy Van Den Elsen
Elizabeth Kroger
Elizabeth Nash
Ellie Casement
Ev Gregory
Gary Block
Gina Fuller
Jelena Jaggi
Jenny Gollin
John Windemiller
Julia Rakowsky
Laura Schofield
Lily Schaeufele
Lisa Fuller
Maggie Schaffzin
Malcolm Amado
Maria Fernanda Oliva
Maria Fernandes
Matt Steiniger
Maya Henning
Mckenna Rayburn
Nathan Hayes
Noa Parks
Noah Herren
Piper Sweeney
Rachel Kobylas
Rachel Ulchak
Rose Delgado
Sydney Brandt
Tayla Saunders
Tony Browne
Vivienne Weir
Author: The REEF Team
Meet our October Fish of the Month, the Red-lipped Batfish, Ogcocephalus darwini!
Survey Regions: Red-lipped Batfish are found in the Galapagos Islands, part of REEF's Tropical Eastern Pacific (TEP) survey region. Originally thought to be endemic to the Galapagos, they have also been recorded south off the coast of Peru. Click here to view a sightings report for this species.
Size: They grow to an average of 9 inches, and can reach up to 15 inches long.
Identifying Features: Red-lipped Batfish have a light brown to gray body, with a dark unicorn-like horn protruding from the front of their head and characteristic bright red lips that give them their name.
Fun Facts: Although they are capable of swimming, Red-lipped Batfish often treat their modified pectoral and pelvic fins as "legs" and move by walking and perching on the seabed in search of food. They also have a structure on their head called an illicium, which is thought to be used to attract prey. They eat mainly small fish, crustaceans, and molluscs.
Thanks for reading, and stay tuned for our next Fish of the Month.
Photo by Vlad Karpinsky, www.flickr.com/zlatkarp, CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 DEED.
