Join us for a free fish ID class, held every Thursday from 11am-12pm at the John Pennekamp State Park Visitor Center. This engaging class will teach you how to identify various fishes that you'll see while snorkeling or diving in the Florida Keys!
Address:
John Pennekamp State Park Visitor Center
102601 Overseas Hwy, Key Largo, FL 33037
Calling all lionfish hunters - you're invited to participate in the Florida Keys Lionfish Derby & Festival on Sept. 8-11, 2022. The event includes two days to collect as many invasive lionfish as possible, followed by a family-friendly festival hosted at Postcard Inn Beach Resort & Marina in Islamorada. The festival is open to the public and features lionfish tastings, drink specials, educational demonstrations, games, interactive booths from environmental vendors, live music, and more.
Are you participating in the Conservation Challenge? It's a fun way to get involved in marine conservation and earn collectible stickers for completing different challenges. Get ready to jump in the water (or take a look through your camera's memory card) to complete this month's featured Conservation Challenge: the Discover the Sea Underwater Photography Contest. All you need to do to complete this Conservation Challenge (and earn the corresponding sticker) is enter one or more of your photos into the contest, or simply cast a vote for your favorite photo.
REEF's online programs are free and open to everyone! Here's what is coming up in the next several weeks:
We are now accepting reservations for the REEF Field Survey Trip to St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands! Trip dates are February 18-25, 2023. Join us and enjoy the Caribbean’s natural beauty right outside your doorstep with swaying coconut trees, a vibrant shoreline, and a beautiful sandy beach. This trip includes six days of diving with local operator Dive Aqua Marine, allowing plentiful opportunities to explore a variety of sites including wrecks, reefs, and walls. After diving, relax in Bolongo Bay Beach Resort's tropically adorned oceanview rooms, each with a private balcony.
Our annual fundraising match is here - and that means when you make a contribution to REEF this summer, your gift has twice the impact for the oceans. Now through August 8, all donations to REEF will be matched dollar for dollar, up to $70,000! We are so thankful to our three foundation partners, the Curtis and Edith Munson Foundation, the Henry Foundation, and the Meyer Foundation, for their longtime support of REEF by providing our summer donation match. You can make a donation online at www.REEF.org/donate.
REEF is excited to announce the new Marine Conservation Fellow Program, and we are currently seeking qualified individuals to apply for three open positions, each with a different focus. Current fellowship openings include: Education and Events, Communications and Outreach, and Conservation Science. The fellowship is designed to equip recent college graduates and other early career individuals with the tools, experiences, support, and community they need to become leaders in marine conservation.
Mark your calendar for REEF Fest, coming up on October 13-16, 2022 in Key Largo, Florida. REEF Fest is an annual celebration of marine conservation, featuring free ocean-themed seminars, eco-excursions, social events, and more. REEF Fest registration is now open, and we hope you can join us! You can register for REEF Fest 2022 here. We have a spectacular lineup of seminar speakers joining us for REEF Fest 2022, including:
Introducing our June Fish of the Month, the Guineafowl Puffer (Arothron meleagris)!
