All are invited to join us for REEF Fest 2021 on October 14-17 in Key Largo, Florida! REEF Fest is the perfect opportunity to experience the underwater world of the Florida Keys by diving, snorkeling, or kayaking. You can join REEF staff and marine life experts on the mornings of Friday, October 15 and Saturday, October 16, as we explore diverse ocean habitats like coral reefs and mangrove trails.
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.
We are now accepting applications for the Spring 2022 REEF Marine Conservation Internship. Program dates are January 10-May 13, 2022. The application deadline is September 19, 2021. Visit www.REEF.org/internship for complete details and to apply.
Have you booked your 2014 REEF Trip yet? If not, confirm your space now before it's too late! Many trips are sold out, or close to it. Prices and complete details can be found online at www.REEF.org/trips.
There are a few Field Survey trips in 2011 with spaces available. Please consider joining us in one of these great destinations – Maui, Roatan, and the Bahamas. These trips offer a great introduction to fish identification for novice fishwatchers, and are a fun way for experienced surveyors to build their life list while interacting with fellow fishwatchers. REEF staff lead these trips, and each features daily classroom seminars and a full diving schedule.
Last year we shared an article about a new non-native fish, the Regal Demoiselle (Neopomacentrus cyanamos), showing up in the southwestern Gulf of Mexico. REEF surveyors in the Yucatan region of Mexico have since reported the species. And now a new publication co-authored by REEF staff Lad Akins documents that the species could become established and spread in the western Atlantic. The study incorporated a computer model to evaluate the the non-native species’ potential to impact native populations.
We are encouraging all REEF surveyors in the Tropical Western Atlantic region to be on the lookout for a new non-native fish! Researchers from the University of Veracruz have documented a new non-native species in the southwestern Gulf of Mexico with the potential to spread throughout the region. Sightings of the Regal Demoiselle (Neopomacentrus cyanamos) have recently come from the nearshore reef systems south of Veracruz, Mexico. The species is native to a broad region of the Indo-Pacific and Red Sea.
We are excited to announce that Lad Akins, REEF Director of Special Projects, is a 2016 recipient of Diving Equipment & Marketing Association (DEMA)’s Reaching Out Award! First presented in 1989, this award honors leaders in the diving community whose significant contributions to the sport have elevated the industry on all levels. Lad will join distinguished past recipients including Jacques Cousteau, Dr. Sylvia Earle and Dr. Eugenie Clark, as well as REEF Co-Founder Paul Humann, and Board of Trustees Members Peter Hughes and Marty Snyderman.
If you haven't planned your summer vacation yet, it's not too late to join a REEF Field Survey Trip this August. We have spaces remaining on trips to Brazil and Belize this summer and hope you can join us!
REEF Ocean Explorers Education Programs: Highlighting Marine Conservation Through Community Outreach
Education is typically thought of as taking place in a classroom, but through the REEF Ocean Explorers Education Program, learning can happen in unexpected places - like music festivals, craft breweries, and art classes! As a Marine Conservation Intern last fall, and in my current role as Education & Outreach Fellow, I have many opportunities to participate in public education, community outreach, and events. Community outreach is important for REEF because it enables us to connect with a wide range of audiences, including different age groups, backgrounds, and interests.