Join us for a FREE Fish ID Class at Trans World Radio (TWR) Bonaire Headquarters on Tuesday, January 28, starting at 7:00pm AST! Expert REEF surveyor, Carmen Toanchina, will be teaching the "Many Faces (Phases) of Parrotfish."
Join Robin and Perry Webster as they give you an introduction to REEF's Volunteer Fish Survey Project and to a few of Puget Sound's fish and invertebrates.
The class is 2 hours and is free, and held at:
Underwater Sports Federal Way
34428 Pacific Hwy S. #B
Federal Way, WA 98003
(253) 874-9387
Dive into the world of marine conservation with the Volunteer Fish Survey Project (VFSP), home to one of the largest marine life databases in the world. Whether you’re a data enthusiast, a marine science student, or an ocean-loving volunteer, this workshop offers a hands-on opportunity to deepen your impact.
We are so excited for the 16th annual Florida Keys Lionfish Derby & Arts Festival! Starting this year, we are combining the Florida Keys Lionfish Derby with the annual Arts & Science Festival to form a conservation and arts festival! It will all take place at the REEF Campus and will feature vendors including artisans and local non-profits, along with lionfish scoring, fun conservation science and art activities, music, educational and cooking demos, food trucks and drinks, free lionfish tastings, raffle, and derby awards ceremony!
Did you know that the REEF Volunteer Fish Survey Project (VFSP) has generated one of the largest marine life sightings databases? This citizen science effort engages scuba divers and snorkelers to collect data on fishes and select invertebrates and algae. What began as a small effort in the Florida Keys in 1993 has since grown into a project with a global reach, inluding almost 18,000 volunteers. In 2024, the 300,000th survey was submitted to the REEF database, which now contains over 14 million sightings records. What happens to all this data?
Come learn about the top 15 most reported fish at the Mukilteo T-dock (according to REEF survey data). Find out what the common fish are, how to ID them, and learn about REEF (if you are not familiar with it).
This will be a free, in-person classroom session at Evergreen Dive Service (no diving involved) taught by Edgar Graudins (REEF Level 5 surveyor). All fish ID experience levels welcome.
Thursday, January 16, 5pm PST
Welcome to the new year - an excellent time to plan your next dive or snorkel trip! Spaces are filling up for our 2025 trips, but there is still some availability, including our Field Survey Trip to Nevis, a charming Caribbean island known for its quiet villages, lush green mountains, and tranquil beaches. Nevis is separated from its sister island, St. Kitts, by a two-mile stretch of water known as the Narrows. The picturesque topside scenery of this quaint Caribbean Island makes this the ideal destination for both divers and non-divers to enjoy.
REEF members are the heart of our grassroots marine conservation programs. A diverse community of divers, snorkelers, and ocean enthusiasts support our mission to conserve marine environments worldwide.
This month we highlight Donna Goodale, a REEF member who lives in Hawaii. She joined REEF in 2023 and has conducted 87 surveys. She is an Expert surveyor in the Hawaii (HAW) region and has also surveyed in the Central Indo-Pacific (CIP) region. We're so glad to have a dedicated member like Donna!
We're kicking off a new year with our January Fish of the Month, the Bluestripe Butterflyfish, Chaetodon fremblii!
Survey Regions: Bluestripe Butterflyfish are endemic to Hawaii, which means this is the only place in the world that they are found. Click here to see a distribution for this species in the REEF database.
Size: They grow to about 6 inches.