Welcome to Citizen Science Corner, our quarterly feature to celebrate those who recently reached a milestone in our Volunteer Fish Survey Project. Here are achievements from October, November and December 2023.
Juvenile Hamlet Award
The Juvenile Hamlet Award is for individuals who have conducted 500+ REEF surveys. Congratulations to our latest Juvenile Hamlet Club member, Annette Felix! Read more about the Juvenile Hamlet award and others who have achieved it.
The Golden Hamlet Club is a highly dedicated group of surveyors who have conducted 1,000 or more REEF surveys as as part of the Volunteer Fish Survey Project. Please join us in congratulating Kenny Tidwell as the newest member of the Golden Hamlet Club. Kenny joined REEF in 1998 and started surveying on a REEF Field Survey Trip to Puerto Rico in November 2002. He has been an avid surveyor ever since, and has completed surveys all over the world, from the Caribbean to the Central Indo-Pacific.
Last month, a team of scientists represented REEF at the 76th annual Gulf and Caribbean Fisheries Institute (GCFI) conference, held in The Bahamas. REEF programs and data were represented by REEF Co-Executive Director, Dr. Christy Pattengill-Semmens, and Conservation Science Associate, Lex Bryant, as well as our partners from Scripps Institute of Oceanography (Dr. Brice Semmens) and Oregon State University (Dr. Scott Heppell).
Want to make a difference on your next dive trip? Join a REEF Field Survey Trip to participate in meaningful ocean conservation and citizen science programs, learn about marine life, and have fun with friends. We have a year-round schedule of trips to fantastic locations all over the world. Several of our 2024 trips are already sold out, but there is still limited space remaining on some REEF Field Survey Trips next year. Below are our 2024 trips with availability. Trips are filling up quickly, so we suggest booking as soon as possible to secure your space!
REEF Ocean Explorers Education Programs bring oceans to life through online and in-person learning. Our programs include hands-on lessons and activities to teach participants of all ages and backgrounds about ocean life and habitats, while empowering people to make a difference. We tailor programs to each group's unique needs and interests, creating a memorable learning experience and helping people to build connections to the ocean. 2023 was an amazing and impactful year for REEF Ocean Explorers Education programs, and we're proud to share some stats and highlights from the past year.
There are just a few weeks remaining in the year, and if you have any REEF surveys that you haven't yet entered, it's an excellent time to dust them off and submit them into our online database. As a REEF surveyor, each survey you conduct can help make a difference in the health of the ocean, but these data must be submitted to the REEF database to make an impact! The marine life information collected by REEF volunteers is used by scientists and researchers protect our oceans.
We're excited to introduce our 2023 REEF Educator in the Field Fellowship recipients! This past summer, three educators joined us on REEF Field Survey Trips in Roatan and the Red Sea, where they participated in ocean citizen science and data collection, and explored how to incorporate these programs into their classroom. The 2023 REEF Educators in the Field are:
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 Pieter Booth, a REEF member from Washington. He is an active surveyor in the Pacific Coast of the US and Canada (PAC) region, where he has conducted more than 120 surveys. He enjoys exploring the nearby waters of the Puget Sound. We're thankful that Pieter is a part of REEF, and look forward to seeing more surveys from him in the future!
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.
