As the lionfish invasion progresses throughout the Western Atlantic region, marine resource managers are struggling with lionfish control in protected areas. In the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, Sanctuary managers have come up with a special permit process to allow removal of lionfish within the Sanctuary Preservation Areas (no-take zones). A critical part of the permit process is participation in a training and handling workshop conducted by REEF. To date, over 15 workshops have been held in the Keys and over 230 on the water professionals have been trained and permitted.
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We are happy to welcome four new Marine Conservation Interns to REEF. These individuals will play a vital role in the organization by assisting with numerous summer projects including Lionfish Derbies and Ocean Explorers Summer Camp, while working to support daily office operations and other mission-oriented tasks. They will also have many opportunities to dive, conduct fish surveys, and volunteer with environmental organizations in South Florida and the Florida Keys. Each group of interns brings a unique perspective and skill set to REEF. Our Summer 2018 interns include:
Over the last quarter-century, REEF's programs and impact have grown in scale and scope, affecting ocean conservation and education world-wide. Despite our global reach, our headquarters remains in Key Largo where it all began in 1993. The REEF Headquarters building is housed in the oldest building in Key Largo and serves as a community touchstone for local residents and visitors alike.
REEF is proud to partner with over 130 dive shops, dive clubs, individuals, and other organizations as REEF Field Stations. Our featured Field Station this month, Paradise Watersports, is based at Peter Island Resort and Spa in the British Virgin Islands. Their team is led by Randy Keil, an active REEF surveyor and member of the Advanced Assessment Team. Randy was first introduced to REEF over 10 years ago by Lad Akins.
We recently welcomed our Fall 2021 Marine Conservation Interns to REEF. They will support the REEF team by assisting with annual events like the Florida Keys Lionfish Derby & Festival and REEF Fest, as well as education and outreach programs and daily operations around the REEF Campus. This semester’s interns bring a unique set of skills and interests to REEF. They include:
Lionfish hunters, mark your calendars and plan to join us for the 2022 REEF Florida Keys Lionfish Derby & Festival on Sept. 8-11. Registration is now open, and teams of 2-4 people can register online here. The 13th annual event includes two full days of fishing and a public festival at Postcard Inn Beach Resort & Marina in Islamorada.
Last month, REEF’s Explorers Education Program had the pleasure of working with two collegiate groups in Key Largo, Florida. Each group of students spent one fun-filled week working alongside REEF staff and interns to learn about TWA (Tropical Western Atlantic) fish identification and the REEF survey method. The first group was nine students from Georgia State University, accompanied by their professor, Dr. Amy Reber. This weeklong education program has become an annual component of Georgia State's marine ecology course.
As climate change and tropical storms have increasingly drastic impacts on our blue planet, the marine conservation work we do at REEF is more important now than ever. The future of our ocean depends on each of us.
REEF recently completed a Field Survey trip to Roatan, Honduras, led by REEF co-founder, Paul Humann. Over six days, the group completed 17 survey dives including one night dive. Both novice and highly experienced REEF surveyors enjoyed the near perfect weather and dive conditions. Shortfin pipehorses, wrasse blennies, linesnout gobies, peppermint basslets, orangesided gobies, dash gobies, and blue dartfish are a sample of the cryptic fishes that were observed. Spotted Eagle Rays and Southern Stingrays graced us with their presence on a number of dives.