As summer approaches, we are gearing up to host two of our biggest annual conservation events later this year. We hope you can join us in the Florida Keys for one or both of these events. Whether you're a diver, snorkeler, or land-based ocean lover, there's something for everyone to enjoy.
Spring has been a rewarding and productive season for the REEF Campus-based Ocean Explorers Education team! From traveling to the Florida panhandle to lend a hand with measuring fish at the world's largest lionfish derby, to attending a conservation-based music festival on the beach in south Florida, we have been spreading the word about REEF’s programs far and wide. Here are some recent education and outreach highlights.
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. Escape the winter and join us next February for a Field Survey Trip to Belize! Located on Ambergris Caye, SunBreeze Hotel is surrounded by lush tropical gardens and breathtaking views of the Caribbean Sea. The hotel faces the famous Belize Barrier Reef, which has three of Western Hemisphere’s four coral atolls and the second-largest continuous coral reef in the world.
Our online programs are free and open to all! Check out what's coming up, and view the entire schedule of Fishinars (marine life ID webinars) and other online programs here.
Fishinar: Masters of Camouflage
Tuesday, June 18 8pm ET
Click here to register.
Join REEF volunteer and Fish Geek Extraordinaire Jonathan Lavan for a trip around the world to marvel at the clever disguises of some hidden marine creatures.
Our June Fish of the Month is the Lumpfish, Cyclopterus lumpus!
Survey Regions: Lumpfish are found throughout the northwestern Atlantic Ocean, from Greenland to New Jersey, including REEF's Northeast US and Canada (NE) survey region. Click here to view a REEF distribution report for this species.
Size: They can reach up to 2 feet in length!
We are excited to welcome our Summer 2024 Marine Conservation Interns to REEF! They will assist with education, outreach, events, and daily operations around the REEF Campus in Key Largo, Florida. Marine Conservation Interns play an integral role in our daily operations, programs, events, and outreach. Since 1993, more than 150 young adults have interned with REEF and transitioned into careers all over the world, in the marine conservation field and beyond. Please join us in welcoming Sydney, Jasmine, Annika, and Diana! Here's a bit more about them:
The Great Annual Fish Count (GAFC) is just two months away! Held each July, the GAFC is an initiative to encourage divers and snorkelers to participate in the REEF Volunteer Fish Survey Project. This is a great way for anyone to get involved in citizen science and learn more about marine life by joining in ID classes and group dives. It's easy and fun to participate in the GAFC,. To get started, check out the FAQs below.
Mark your calendars for the 15th annual Florida Keys Lionfish Derby & Festival on August 15-18! A Lionfish Derby is a competition where teams of divers and snorkelers compete to collect as many invasive lionfish as possible. REEF Lionfish Derbies educate the public about invasive species, gather important scientific information on lionfish populations, and promote a consumer market for lionfish.
The fifth annual Fish Out of Water Virtual 5K is coming up on June 8-15. Have you registered to join us yet? It's a great way to celebrate World Ocean Day! You can participate from anywhere in the world, complete the 5K at your own pace throughout the week, and pick your favorite way to get active - run, walk, hike, bike, or swim - it's up to you! When you sign up, you will choose to join one of five Fish Teams. Read on to learn more about this year's Fish Teams, and click here to read about each fish's race personality!
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. Join us in July for our Field Survey Trip to Tobago! We have just added additional spaces to this previously sold out trip, and it is not to be missed! Tobago's unique location in the southern Caribbean results in rich biodiversity. Outflow from Venezuela’s Orinoco River feeds this area with an abundance of nutrients, which in turn attracts an abundance of fish.