Hello REEF Members. In this edition of REEF-in-Brief, we reflect on some of our recent activities, remind you about some great upcoming travel opportunities and let you know about some exciting new ways that REEF programs and data are being used to help protect endangered species. One such example, the Grouper Moon Project, will be presented tomorrow (Wednesday May 20) as part of a full day symposium on marine conservation success stories being held at the National Museum of Natural History in the Sant Ocean Hall.
On April 25, 2009 we celebrated history in Key Largo. It was a beautiful tropical day with the REEF parking lot covered in tents, tables and chairs, fish balloons with cold drinks and appetizers island music being offered up. People came from near and far as we all helped celebrate the dedication of the James E Lockwood REEF Headquarters. The afternoon celebrated the merging of three paths - that of a dive industry pioneer, a historic building in the Florida Keys and a grass-roots environmental organization. The gift by James E.
Needed -- a few more volunteers for this critical marine conservation project in Belize! Peter Hughes and REEF’s Lad Akins will lead this great project aboard the livaboard dive vessel Sun Dancer II, June 13-20. I am sure that most of you have been following the news about the lionfish invasion and the recent updates on fish beginning to show up in Belize. We are really concerned about this.
Don't Just Blow Bubbles This Summer! Participate in the 18th Great Annual Fish Count. An exciting lineup of free identification seminars and survey dives are being organized around the country by REEF partners. Check out the GAFC Website for more details and to find out how to organize your own GAFC event. And be sure to watch the GAFC calendar of events to see what's being planned in your area.
Last Friday, May 15th, America celebrated Endangered Species Day. While very few marine species have technically been declared as endangered, many of the critters that REEF volunteers see while conducting marine life surveys have experienced declines in recent years. REEF programs and data provide much needed information for scientists and resource agencies charged with evaluating the status of such species. A recent example is a National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) proposal to list 5 species of rockfish in the Puget Sound under the Endangered Species Act (ESA).
REEF is taking our message on the road this spring and summer to a few of the regional dive shows. Last month, several volunteers and REEF Director of Science, Christy Pattengill-Semmens, greeted visitors at the Northwest Dive and Travel Show in Tacoma, WA. The REEF booth provides an opportunity to spread the word about the fun of conducting marine life surveys and the valuable role that citizen science data can have in marine conservation and management. Our next stop is SCUBA Show 2009 in Long Beach, May 30 and 31.
The Indo-Pacific lionfish invasion front is rapidly moving south into the Caribbean. Through REEF’s on-the-ground work, lionfish impacts are being documented in the Bahamas and initial results suggest these impacts will be devastating. Belize saw their first lionfish in 2008, and they are spreading fast. Divers are starting to see more fish on more sites. Now, Belizean organizations are offering a $50.00 per fish bounty to remove the fish before they become established.
On Saturday April 25th, 2009, the headquarters of the Reef Environmental Education Foundation (REEF), located in Key Largo, Florida, will be dedicated in honor James E. Lockwood. The dedication ceremony will be held at the historic conch house located in the median of Highway 1 at Mile Marker 99.8 from 1 - 3pm.
3 Paths That Merged Into One
About The Benefactor
Key Largo, Florida. The Reef Environmental Education Foundation’s home study DVD, Reef Fish Identification Florida Caribbean Bahamas, A Beginning Course has been awarded a Bronze Award in the 2008 Telly Awards competition in the Non-Broadcast Education category.
DCoSV Annual Fish count - event starts at 8am Lovers Beach in Pacific Grove CA with BBQ starting at 11am.