Happy New Year! We hope that all of our members had a joyous holiday season. In this first edition of REEF-in-Brief 2009 we bring you news that everyone knew was just a matter of time -- the invasive Indo-Pacific Lionfish has been confirmed in the Florida Keys. Thanks to her experience as a REEF fishwatcher and the numerous outreach stories that REEF has issued to our members, REEF surveyor Becky Fowler knew just what she was looking at last week while diving during her vacation off Key Largo, Florida.
As 2008 draws to a close, I look back over the last 6 months since I have been at the helm of REEF. It's amazing what a few dedicated staff, a network of incredible partners and a corps of thousands of dedicated volunteers can do! In this issue of REEF-in-Brief, we bring you highlights from a few of the most recent accomplishments. There is also a notice to save the date and join us in February for the 2nd annual For the Love of the Sea Benefit and Auction to be held in Key Largo, Florida.
Greetings from REEF HQ. This month we bring you highlights from our recent trip to DEMA, the dive industry trade show, where we shared results from REEF's research on Indo-Pacific Lionfish and the urgency of the threat that the invasion of this unwanted species into the Bahamas and Caribbean poses. We are also excited to announce that two REEF member, Lad Akins and Anna DeLoach, were inducted as a Platinum Pro5000 Diver by SSI. The REEF 2009 Trip schedule offers a wide array of destinations.
- Ocean Science 2.0: REEF Pioneers New Approach to Understanding Ocean Ecosystems
- REEF.org Redefined: REEF Launches New Website
- Studying MPAs in the Channel Islands
- Monitoring Artificial Reeefs
- Putting REEF Data to Work
- Online Mapping - A New Data Tool
- REEF's Grouper Moon Project: Conserving a Caribbean Icon
- Lionfish Expeditions Lead to New Information
- REEF Field Stations: Partners on the Ground, In the Water
- Capacity Building in New England
Hello and Happy Fall! In this issue of REEF-in-Brief, we remind you of the many ways to make dives that count, and share secrets for success in using the Online Data Entry program. While we still process paper survey scansheets, we highly recommend that our surveyors submit their data to the Volunteer Survey Project through the online program. Not only is it faster and more accurate, it requires less REEF staff resources and saves money on postage and paper.
Summer is becoming a fishy memory as we get ready for back to school and fall. Here in the Keys that could mean some trying to reason with hurricane season moments but we will still get some great survey dives in.
Dear Reef Members:
Dear REEF Members:
I am thrilled to be addressing all of you for the first time. I have ofishally started and we have a lot going on to share with you. Here are some of the highlights of our latest issue of Reef-in-Brief, so take a moment, get neutral and think about fish.
Hello REEF Members. In this edition of REEF-in-Brief, we reflect on some of our recent activities, as well as introduce you to the newest member of the REEF Staff, Lisa Mitchell. Lisa will be taking over as REEF's Executive Director next month. Our close relationship with the marine world and our commitment to its preservation are unmistakably evident in the news briefs below.
Hello Friends and Field Stations,
The 17th Great Annual Fish Count is rapidly approaching. We are counting on you to reach out to your divers and local communities this July and get them involved in some fun marine conservation through fish-watching.