Author: The REEF Team
REEF celebrates Give BIG for the Oceans each year in April. This single-day giving event is a way for the REEF community to come together to celebrate and support ocean conservation. Give BIG for the Oceans 2025 is coming up on Friday, April 18. All donations made during Give BIG for the Oceans 2025 will be MATCHED up to $20,000! We're so thankful to the Pelton Charitable Foundation and an anonymous supporter for providing these matching funds. Be sure to mark April 18 on your calendar because you don't want to miss this incredible matching opportunity.
Everyone who makes a donation of any amout during Give BIG for the Oceans will receive a signed 5"x7" print photographed by REEF Co-Founder Ned DeLoach. This year, Ned and Anna selected this amazing image of a pair of male Beautiful Gobies! This print is available only during Give BIG for the Oceans 2025, as a special gift for all those who contribute any amount on April 18. Be sure to watch your email inbox this month for reminders, and thank you for your support!
Author: Carolyn Corley, Education Coordinator
We are excited to share that registration is open for the sixth annual REEF Fish Out of Water Virtual 5K! This event brings people together in the spirit of health, community, and conservation. From June 8-14, you can join in by getting active in celebration of World Ocean Day! You can choose your favorite activity: run, walk, hike, bike, swim, or even paddle! You can complete your 5K at your own pace and participate from anywhere in the world. For all the details and registration, visit www.REEF.org/5K.
Proceeds from the Fish Out of Water 5K support the REEF Oceans for All initiative. Oceans for All supports scholarships, programming, and outreach activities to provide ocean experiences and education for all. Visit this page to learn more.
When you register for the 5K, you’ll choose to join one of five Fish Teams: Moorish Idol, Red Irish Lord, Scarlet-fin Flasher Wrasse, Balloonfish, or European Parrotfish! Read more about Fish Teams here and then select your favorite team during registration! Friends, families, co-workers, or dive buddies can also team up to participate together by forming a Fish Shoal. You don't have to be on the same Fish Team as your "shoal-mates" either. Read more about Fish Shoals here.
Registration is $55 per person through April 30. Rates increase starting May 1, so be sure to sign up early to take advantage of the early bird discount. All participants receive a limited edition 5K shirt, printable race bib, and a set of Fish Team stickers.
Author: Amy Lee, Communications Manager
Mark your calendars! The 16th Annual Florida Keys Lionfish Derby & Arts Festival is coming up this month, on April 24-27, 2025. This event blends ocean conservation, art, science, and community fun, and it's free and open to the public! Join us for a weekend of lionfish hunting, eco-art, ocean education, and family-friendly festivities. The Lionfish Derby engages divers in a thrilling competition to remove as many invasive lionfish as possible, helping protect native marine ecosystems. Teams of 2-4 people can register online to compete in the derby at www.REEF.org/derby. Not a scuba diver? You can still make an impact! The event concludes with a Festival on Sunday, April 27, featuring music, lionfish tastings, cooking demos, marine science and activity booths, local artists and environmentally-minded vendors, raffles, and the derby award ceremony. Festival-goers can support REEF’s Invasive Species Program by sampling lionfish dip, entering the raffle, making a donation, or grabbing limited-edition derby merch. Check out all the event info at www.REEF.org/lionfishfestival. We hope to see you there!
Author: The REEF Team
Join us on June 7-8, 2025, as we celebrate World Ocean Day and the grand opening of the Ocean Exploration Center at the REEF Campus in Key Largo, Florida! This exciting milestone marks a new chapter for marine conservation and education in the Florida Keys and beyond.
The Ocean Exploration Center is a dynamic space where ocean lovers of all ages can dive into hands-on exhibits, learn about marine conservation, and discover the wonders of the underwater world, no wetsuit required. Whether you're a longtime REEF supporter or new to our mission, this event is the perfect opportunity to connect, learn, and celebrate together. Join us for the following fun activities:
- Ribbon Cutting Ceremony: Be part of a historic moment as we officially open the Ocean Exploration Center for Marine Conservation with a celebratory ribbon cutting. Don’t miss the photo op!
- Lionfish Dissection: Get up close and personal with one of the most notorious marine invaders. Learn about the impact of lionfish on reef ecosystems, watch a live dissection, and sample a tasty lionfish bite. You’ll also hear how you can help combat the invasion.
- Microscope Discovery: Step into the microscopic world of marine life! Explore the underwater world through high-powered microscopes. Perfect for curious kids and ocean-loving adults alike.
- Dry Survey Exploration: Think you can ID reef fish like a pro? Take on the REEF Survey Challenge - no dive gear needed! Test your knowledge, log species, and compete for fun prizes in this interactive activity.
This Grand Opening is free and open to the public. Whether you stay for one activity or the whole evening, we’d love to share this exciting milestone with you. Visit www.REEF.org/oecgrandopening for more details.
Author: Michaela Peterson, Director of Education
Have you ever wondered what it’s like to experience a REEF Ocean Explorers Education Program? Students, travel programs, or other groups can join us at the REEF Campus in Key Largo to learn all about the ocean, marine life, conservation, and how to make a difference! Read on to see what a day with REEF might be like for a 16-year old student visiting the Florida Keys to participate in a REEF Ocean Explorers Education Program:
Today was so awesome! We started the morning in the Reefscape Room, a super cool space at REEF that has underwater ocean scenes covering three walls! It feels like you're surrounded by fish and coral. We learned all about the fish species here in the Florida Keys. They were interesting and pretty to see, but the Queen Angelfish was my favorite.
After our lesson, we got to practice doing fish surveys right there in the room. It was kind of like a scavenger hunt to find all the fish and mark them off on our checklist. It’s hard to remember all the different fish, but practicing really helped.
After lunch, we went out to the coral reef on a snorkel boat! The water was so clear, and we got to actually practice doing surveys in the ocean. Did you know that the fish survey paper is waterproof, so you can take it in the water with you while snorkeling? It was so fun talking about the fish we saw while we were in the water. Someone shouted “ANGELFISH!” and we all dove back down to look. Definitely one of the best parts of the day.
Tomorrow, we'll learn how to submit our REEF survey data into their system. I am excited to know the info we collect actually helps scientists conducting all kinds of research. Then, we’re doing a lionfish dissection. I’ve never dissected a fish before, let alone an invasive one with venomous spines! Our REEF instructor said that we'll even check its stomach to see if we can identify what kinds of fish it has been eating. Hopefully not any angelfish!
Interested in finding out more or booking a program? Visit www.REEF.org/explorers to learn more, or email us at explorers@REEF.org.
Author: Amy Lee, Communications Manager
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 Nan Schmidt, a REEF member who lives in Arizona. She joined REEF in 2022, and since then she has conducted more than 100 surveys and achieved Expert Level status in the Tropical Eastern Pacific (TEP) survey region. We're so thankful to have a dedicated member like Nan!
When and how did you first volunteer with REEF or become a REEF member? How did you first hear about REEF?
I learned about REEF when my friend, Annette Felix, invited me on a REEF Field Survey Trip with her several years ago. Well, I guess a more truthful statement is that I paid attention to what she was doing with all those little white forms when we were diving after she invited me and I accepted! I'm pretty sure she had told me about REEF before that. Once I had signed up for the trip, I dove right into surveying.
If you have been on a REEF Field Survey Trip, where and what was your trip highlight?
All of my REEF Field Survey Trips have been in the Gulf of California, which is where I consider myself to be at home while diving. I have been diving in many other places since I started diving in 1986, but the Gulf is by far my favorite place. I love how it changes with the seasons (the water temps vary from over a 40-degree range) and how the desert and the sea combine together to make such a beautiful environment.
What is your favorite part about being a REEF member?
I have a Ph.D. in marine science and have always enjoyed fieldwork more than anything else. Now that I am retired, volunteering for REEF gives me a chance to scratch that itch, so to speak. Plus, I've enjoyed the ongoing (and perhaps never-ending) challenge of really learning to identify the fish of the Gulf. My only regret is that REEF doesn't collect data on the inverts in this region!
What is your favorite fish or marine invertebrate? Why is it your favorite?
I love the invertebrates most of all, and the Gulf of California has great invertebrates that aren't difficult to find - although, just like the fish, sometimes they are difficult to ID! Nudibranchs and snails are my favorites, but that is a pretty loose statement! I love the algae and the rocks and how it all fits together.
"One who was born by the ocean or has associated with it cannot ever be quite content away from it for very long." John Steinbeck, The Log from the Sea of Cortez.
Author: Noa Parks, Citizen Science Coordinator
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.
Into the Blue Book Club Meeting
Thursday, April 10 8pm ET
Click here to register.
REEF Into the Blue Book Club brings together readers who love the ocean. At this meeting, we will discuss our latest book selection, Underjungle by James Sturz. Everyone is invited to join, and reading the book is not a requirement for attending the meeting.
Fishinar: Triggerfish & Filefish - ID Tools of the Trade
Tuesday, April 15, 8pm ET
Click here to register.
REEF surveyor and volunteer Jonathan Lavan will share some key characteristics to identify triggerfish and filefish in the Tropical Western Atlantic.
Fishinar: Fishes of Micronesia Part 2
Tuesday, May 6, 8pm ET
Click here to register.
REEF staff member Amy Lee will highlight some of the amazing species found in Micronesia, part of the Central Indo-Pacific survey region.
Slender Filefish photo by Jonathan Lavan.
Author: Janna Nichols, Citizen Science Program Manager
Welcome to the Citizen Science Corner, our quarterly feature to celebrate those who recently reached a milestone in our Volunteer Fish Survey Project. Here are achievements from January, February and March 2025.
Juvenile Hamlet Award
The Juvenile Hamlet Award is for individuals who have conducted 500+ REEF surveys. Congratulations to our latest Juvenile Hamlet Club members:
Read more about the Juvenile Hamlet award and others who have achieved it.
100 Survey Milestone Award
A new recognition for active surveyors who have done 100+ surveys. We sent out emails with certificates to over 150 active volunteers at the start of the year who had earned this achievement. Now we will start recognizing those who have recently earned this award within the last three months. A big congratulations to:
- Rachael Lewus
- Frances Tong
Experience Level Advancements
REEF Experience Levels are a way for divers and snorkelers to measure their fish ID knowledge along with their surveying experience. Experience Levels are achieved by submitting a certain number of surveys and passing a fish ID test. For more info, visit www.REEF.org/experiencelevels. Let's hear it for these REEF members who have advanced an Experience Level!
All listed below are Level 2 unless otherwise noted.
California (CAL)
Ashley Murphey
Christina Agulian
Daniel Herrick
Doug Bonhaus
Doug Wagner
Eloi Agnus
Ganeev Singh
Shannon Schumacher
Hawaii (HAW)
Naomi Wooten
Indian Ocean / Red Sea (IORS)
Amy Lee - Level 3
Donna Goodale - Levels 2 & 3
Kevin Abbott - Levels 2 & 3
Marilyn Bentley - Level 3
Robert Bentley - Level 3
Stacey Henderson - Level 3
Carolyn Corley
Coryn Ferguson
Kristi Draper
Rachael Lewus
Pacific Northwest (PNW)
Pam Jensen - Levels 3 & 5
Bethany Schmidt
Tropical Western Atlantic (TWA)
Bill Isbell - Level 5
Patrick De Bortoli - Level 4
Cris Hall - Level 3
Danielle Klose - Level 3
Danielle Nielsen - Level 3
Jackie Myers - Level 3
Mead Krowka - Level 3
Noa Parks - Level 3
Allyson Oviedo
Amy Clapp
Ariana Katsaras
Ariella Jacobson
Armani Cortez
Athena Peterson
Bailey Tate
Bianca Ropeter
Britney Nguyen
Caitlyn Sykes
Cayden Eliason
CJ Richard
Claire Boudard
Corrina Schell
Courtenay Lampert
Danielle Klose
Dylan Hutchinson
Gabriel Fields
Hannah Hellein
Henry Hodgkinson
Isabelle Hartmond
Ivan Pidperyhora
Jack Baptist
Joshua Cash
Jozef Wolek
Kloe Lyons
Kristi Hall
Laura Brind
Lydia Harris
Madison Bacon
Martin Weingartner
Melanie Podolsky
Roan Rebel
Ross Meisner
Rylee Rejonis
Samuel Trimble
Shawn Clapp
Sheila Dacey
Stephen Zondervan
Thomas Pardoe
Tyler Thiel
Author: Stacey Henderson, Field Survey Trips Program Manager
We just released our 2026 Field Survey Trip schedule, so be sure to take a look at all of the new exciting destinations we have in store! Click here to see our new 2026 trips.
If you are looking to take a trip this year, we have a few spaces still available, including a male shared space on the Nevis trip and a female shared space in Yap, with additional openings on our Canary Islands and Curacao trips. See links for these trips and more below.
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. To book your space on a REEF Trip, email trips@REEF.org. We hope to "sea" you underwater soon!
Nevis: May 17-24, 2025 -- More information here.
Costa Rica: June 21-28, 2025 -- More information here.
Yap: June 21 - July 2, 2025 -- More information here.
El Heirro, Canary Islands: August 16-23, 2025 -- More information here.
Anilao, Philippines: October 25 - November 4, 2025 -- More information here.
Curacao: November 1-8, 2025 -- More information here.
Author: The REEF Team
Introducing our April Fish of the Month, the Broom-tail Wrasse, Cheilinus lunulatus!
Survey Regions: The Broom-tail Wrasse is found in REEF's Indian Ocean & Red Sea (IORS) survey region. It is found throughout the Red Sea, Gulf of Oman, and western Indian Ocean. Click here to see a distribution for this species in the REEF database.
Size: They grow to a maximum of 50 cm/20 inches long.
Identifying Features: Broom-tail Wrasses are green with small pink spots on their forebody. Males have yellow pectoral fins and a dark blue tail with ragged, broom-like edges.
Fun Facts: Broom-tail Wrasses live on outer reefs and lagoons, and are usually solitary, unless they are spawning, which happens in the afternoons. They eat bottom-dwelling invertebrates like clams and shrimp.
Thanks for reading, and stay tuned for our next Fish of the Month.
Photo by François Libert, https://www.flickr.com/photos/zsispeo/.
