The Golden Hamlet Club is a highly dedicated group of surveyors who have conducted 1,000 or more REEF surveys as part of the Volunteer Fish Survey Project. We are filled with fishy delight to welcome Todd Cliff to the Golden Hamlet Club! Todd started surveying in 2002 in Washington state. He has conducted surveys in the Pacific Northwest and Hawaii regions, and has reached Expert Level status in both!
Our online programs are free and open to all! Check out what's coming up, and view the entire schedule of Fishinars and other online programs here.
Fishinar: Common Fishes of the Galapagos
Tuesday, February 20, 8pm EST
Click here to register.
The Galapagos Islands are known for their biodiversity, endemic species, and large pelagic fish. Join us to learn about some of the most commonly seen species there.
Our February Fish of the Month is the Hawaiian (Green) Lionfish, Dendrochirus barberi!
Survey Regions: Hawaiian Lionfish are endemic to the Hawaiian Islands, meaning this is the only place in the world they are found! Click here to view the REEF database report for this species in the HAW survey region.
Size: They grow to a maximum length of 6.5 inches.
Information for the 2025 Florida Keys Lionfish Derby & Arts Festival will be posted soon!
REEF's 15th annual Florida Keys Lionfish Derby will culminate Sunday August 18, 2024 at the lionfish weigh-in and awards at the REEF campus.
Please contact lionfish@REEF.org with questions
Last month, we wrapped up the year-long celebration of the 30th anniversary of the Volunteer Fish Survey Project (VFSP). Since its launch in 1993, this citizen science program has generated one of the largest marine life databases in the world. Here are a few stats to recap a great year!
We are very excited to welcome two new staff to the REEF Team - Jill Kuehnert (right) as Campus Director and Dr. Kindra Bartz (left) as Operations Manager. Both are based at the REEF Campus in Key Largo, Florida.
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. Looking for an amazing dive trip this spring? We have a few spaces left on our much-anticipated trip to Indonesia aboard the Blue Manta liveaboard. This a 12-night trip is a one-way crossing through some of the most exotic dive destinations in Indonesia, including Raja Ampat, Ring of Fire, Alor, Maumere and more.
This article highlights the collaborative efforts of conservationists throughout the Gulf of Mexico and western Atlantic who work to combat the invasive lionfish, including REEF's work to orgnanize removal events such as the Florida Keys Lionfish Derby & Festival.
Grouper Moon Project researchers use a variety of technology to study endangered Nassau Grouper in the Cayman Islands, including an underwater microscope to track the movements of Nassau Grouper eggs in the wild. This groundbreaking technology allowed scientists to study the behavior of these fish at a microscopic level and understand more about their reproduction and survival. A study detailing these findings was recently published in the Proceedings of the Royal Society B.