These REEF members are moving up in the world! This past month we've had a number of Experience Level advancements by folks who have been busy conducting surveys and learning how to identify fish. This month's achievements are:

Hawaii (HAW)

  • Lynn Fulks - Level 2

California (PAC/CAL)

REEF surveyor under a pier

It's a New Year and along with it come new Fishinars in our popular and free Fishinar program series. These online webinars are open to anyone, taught by experts and are mostly focused around fish ID with occasional other topics of interest for the waterlogged-at-heart. You can log in live from your laptop, desktop or even mobile device with the GoToWebinar app. All are recorded and free viewing after-the-fact is available to all REEF members as a benefit of REEF membership.

What they're saying about Fishinars:

Michéle Doucet and Anne-Josèe Chicoine with their REEF slates

Let's put our pectoral fins together for the following REEF members who have recently moved up an Experience Level in our Volunteer Fish Survey Project!

Volunteers have the opportunity to advance through 5 levels (Novice through Expert) within each of our survey project regions. Experience Levels are obtained by a combination of fish/invertebrate ID tests and numbers of submitted surveys. As they advance, their data is categorized in our online sightings database accordingly.

Kris Karlen CIP Level 3

Our Volunteer Fish Survey Project has some enthusiastic surveyors who have moved up a level this month. All REEF members are Level 1 by default, so Experience Level 2 is really the first step toward learning fish identification in our various regions. This month's advancements almost entirely consist of new Level 2 surveyors! Those advancing came from:

Eyestripe Surgeonfish - photo by Jeff Haines

Who doesn't love Surgeonfish?

They're big and easy to see underwater, colorful, and plentiful in the Pacific Ocean. So consider this a pre-Thanksgiving treat from us to you - an entire Fishinar devoted to these oval-shaped beauties, taught by REEF Director of Science, Dr. Christy Semmens. Tune in on Tuesday, Nov. 19 at 8pm Eastern Time.

Eric Schaad - CAL Level 3

They've worked hard to move up a level - with a combination of submitting surveys AND passing a fish ID test - so let's give a big shout out to all of these fine citizen scientists who have advanced recently! Volunteer surveyors move through Novice and Expert Levels and their submitted survey data is categorized into these levels.

Want to know more? Check out this page: https://www.REEF.org/REEFs-experience-levels

California (CAL/PAC)

Amanda Zielinski - PNW Level 4

Let's put our pectoral fins together for the following REEF members who have recently moved up an Experience Level in our Volunteer Fish Survey Project!

Volunteers have the opportunity to advance through 5 levels (Novice through Expert) within each of our survey project regions. Experience Levels are obtained by a combination of fish/invertebrate ID tests and numbers of submitted surveys. As they advance, their data is categorized in our online sightings database accordingly.

Cassandra Neal

Congratulations to the following REEF members who have recently moved up an Experience Level in our Volunteer Fish Survey Project!

Volunteers have the opportunity to advance through 5 levels (Novice through Expert) within each of our survey project regions. Experience Levels are obtained by a combination of fish/invertebrate ID tests and numbers of submitted surveys. As they advance, their data is categorized in our online sightings database accordingly.

REEF Volunteer Fish Survey Project regions

Congratulations to the following REEF members who have recently moved up an Experience Level in our Volunteer Fish Survey Project! Volunteers have the opportunity to advance through 5 levels (Novice through Expert) within each of our survey project regions. Experience Levels are obtained by a combination of fish/invertebrate ID tests and numbers of submitted surveys. More about our experience levels can be found here.

Geographic Zone Codes Map Screenshot

Last summer, we launched a brand-new version of the REEF website! There are many improved features on this new interface that we'd like to share with you. This month, we'll show you how to find a geographic zone code for a dive or snorkel site you’ve surveyed or are going to survey.

Step 1: Go to the Programs Tab on www.REEF.org and select Geographic Zone Codes & Maps

Step 2: Select the region you want on the list

Step 3: Locate on the map the area you want, and hover your mouse over it.

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