Author: Christy Pattengill-Semmens, Ph.D., Co-Executive Director: Science & Engagement
This year marks the 20th anniversary of the Grouper Moon Project, and we are excited to report that our team was once again able to get into the field after missing last year due to COVID-19 restrictions. For ten days around the January full moon, our team conducted research to document the Nassau Grouper spawning aggregation on the west end of Little Cayman - the largest and one of the last known aggregations of these endangered reef fish. This year, we continued to develop the 'Fish Faces' project, which uses artificial intelligence and pattern recognition to identify individual Nassau Grouper. These images will be processed through REEF's GrouperSpotter© platform to estimate population size and track growth and behavior of individuals. We also used stereo video to document fish lengths, monitored for spawning activity, and used a tagging method called mark-recapture to estimate population size. The team didn't see any spawning activity in January, although this is not surprising because it's a "split moon" year, meaning the full moon falls in the middle of the month. We anticipate plenty of spawning activity later this month during the February full moon. In addition to the field work, we held several Grouper Education field chats with classrooms in the Caymans and beyond. These web-based chats introduced students to the important and exciting work the scientists participated in as part of the Grouper Moon Project.
Our team is headed back to the Cayman Islands in a few weeks for the February full moon, so stay tuned to REEF's social media channels and next month's e-News to get updates. To learn more about the Grouper Moon Project, including links to documentaries, published papers, and the education program, visit www.REEF.org/groupermoonproject.
The Grouper Moon Project is a conservation science partnership between REEF and the Cayman Islands Department of Environment (DoE) with scientists from Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego and Oregon State University, aimed at studying Nassau Grouper (Epinephelus striatus), a social and ecological cornerstone of Caribbean coral reefs. The work focuses on studying the spawning aggregation of Nassau Grouper on Little Cayman. Reseach also takes place on the other two known aggregations in the Cayman Islands, one on Grand Cayman and one on Cayman Brac.
Author: Christy Pattengill-Semmens, Ph.D., Co-Executive Director: Science & Engagement
We are very excited to introduce the newest member of the REEF Team, Dr. Rachel Walls. Rachel began working with REEF in January 2022, and will continue ongoing research started by previous REEF Research Associate, Dr. Dan Greenberg. This body of work seeks to leverage the extensive REEF Volunteer Fish Survey Project dataset by asking fundamental and applied questions in fisheries science, marine ecology, and conservation biology.
Rachel fell in love with marine life from a young age. She started SCUBA diving in 2002 and became a scientific diver in 2005. She received her undergraduate honours degree in marine biology at Newcastle University in the UK in 2009, and completed an M.Sc. in conservation at University College London in 2011, focusing her thesis on the impacts that divers have on coral reef cleaning stations that are frequented by sharks and rays. Her intrigue in sharks and rays led her to work as the Program Officer for the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Shark Specialist Group (SSG) for a year in 2013, and to continue working part time as a Research Assistant and Red List Trainer for the SSG until 2021. Rachel most recently completed her Ph.D. in marine conservation biology in 2021 from Simon Fraser University, using Europe’s sharks and rays as a case study to explore strategies for including data poor, longer lived species in global biodiversity target timelines in the face of limited conservation resources.
Rachel will be focusing her initial work with REEF data on sea turtles, hamlets, and species targeted by the marine life trade. Dan Greenberg will continue to wrap up his work focusing on REEF data collected in the Florida Keys and how it compares with other monitoring datasets, evaluating populations in the Salish Sea, and trends in the endangered Goliath Grouper. He will work closely with Rachel as her projects get underway.
To read more about the entire REEF Team, visit www.REEF.org/reef-staff-bios.
Author: Stacey Henderson, Program Services Coordinator
We are hard at work creating an exciting schedule of REEF Field Survey Trips for 2023 and beyond. Keep an eye on your inbox in March for the official announcement and registration. Be sure to book early because REEF Trips often sell out. Destinations in the works include Guanaja, Saba, Curacao, Red Sea, and more! Today, we are excited to open registration for the REEF Field Survey Trip to Belize aboard the Belize Aggressor IV, on January 21-28, 2023. Click here for more details. To secure your space, contact trips@REEF.org.
Author: Madalyn Mussey, Education and Outreach Program Manager
Immerse yourself in an engaging and hands-on citizen science experience this summer by joining in one of our new REEF Ocean Explorers Education Programs. Led by our education staff, these programs feature multi-disciplinary activities and lessons in biology, ecology, conservation, and more.
Ocean Explorers Field Survey Trip - Guanacaste, Costa Rica: July 23-30, 2022
Created for individuals ages 18-25, this service learning and conservation trip includes snorkeling or scuba diving, nature walks through tropical rainforests and waterfalls, and a wildlife-watching boat trip. Participants will take part in citizen science activities like REEF fish surveys, and will also learn from local pottery artisans, go zip lining, and explore volcanic hot springs. Click here for more information or to register.
Citizen Science Workshop for Educators - Key Largo, FL: June 23-26, 2022
Designed for both formal and informal educators of all backgrounds, this professional development workshop will provide strategies for implementing marine science and conservation lessons in and out of the classroom. The program has a focus on citizen science and includes snorkeling, fish ID surveys, a mangrove kayak tour, and land-based education activities and discussions. Click here for more information or to register.
For more info on the REEF Oceans Explorers Education Program, visit www.REEF.org/explorers or email explorers@REEF.org.
Author: Madalyn Mussey, Education and Outreach Program Manager
Diversity is one of nature’s greatest strengths, and it should be ours as well. REEF is committed to using our programs, platform, and voice to support foundational change in marine conservation. Through the REEF Oceans for All initiative, we aim to foster opportunities for individuals from underrepresented communities to build connections with the ocean. Oceans for All supports scholarships, programming, and outreach activities to provide immersive, hands-on learning and exploration.
By partnering with REEF and adding your voice to this crucial work, you can help communities and individuals cultivate connections with the marine environment, regardless of zip code. Individuals, businesses, and foundations committed to investing in a more equitable future for marine conservation may donate to the Oceans for All Fund, a pooled scholarship fund dedicated to supporting the core values of diversity, equity, and inclusion in marine conservation.
In 2021, thanks to the support of members like you, the Oceans for All Fund supported:
• 24 educational sessions provided at no cost to participants, including 12 in-person Discovery Programs, 7 virtual Discovery Programs, and 5 live sessions for the Virtual Field Trips.
• Programming for 8 organizations or schools, including the Therapeutic Scuba Institute’s Camp Open SEAS, Florida Aquarium Summer Camp, Bronx Charter School for Better Learning, Community School of Naples, Simonsdale Elementary, Coral Shores High School, Ocean Studies Charter School, and Conservancy of Southwest Florida.
• Engagement and learning opportunities for more than 300 students, ranging from elementary to high school.
Additionally, starting in summer 2022, REEF Marine Conservation Interns will receive financial support through monthly stipends and housing provided at no cost while participating in the program. Click here read more or make a donation to the Oceans for All Fund.
As part of Oceans for All, over the next three months, REEF will be celebrating the voices and experiences of diverse people who are making an impact in marine conservation. Keep an eye on our social media to see highlights, and mark your calendars for "Oceans for All: Diverse Experiences in Marine Conservation." This special webinar will be held on Wednesday, May 11 at 8pm ET and will feature a panel of marine conservation professionals from underrepresented groups, who will come together to discuss and share their unique professional journeys through the field. Click here to register for the free webinar.
Author: Amy Lee, Engagement and 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 REEF member Itziar Aretxaga Mendez, who lives in Puebla, Mexico. She has been a REEF member since 2003. An avid REEF surveyor, she has conducted 523 surveys, making her a member of the Juvenile Hamlet Club. Itziar is an Expert level surveyor in the Tropical Western Atlantic (TWA) reigon and has also conducted surveys in the Tropical Eastern Pacific (TEP) and Hawaii (HAW). We're thankful that she's a part of REEF, and we are thrilled to spotlight her enthusiasm for learning about fish.
When and how did you first volunteer with REEF or become a REEF member? How did you first hear about REEF?
Shortly after I started diving, I bought the book Reef Fish Identification - Florida Caribbean Bahamas. I was eager to learn about my newly discovered universe of underwater creatures. In their introductory remarks, Ned DeLoach and Paul Humann described the REEF Volunteer Fish Survey Project, and I looked up the REEF webpage and signed up immediately. I was hooked!
If you have been on a REEF Field Survey Trip, where and what was your trip highlight?
I attended an Advanced Assessment Team trip to Dry Tortugas National Park in Florida. It was a superb experience of finding like-minded people and a great exchange of ID tips and clues on how to look for new species. I very fondly remember one of the veterans, Pat Ayers, and her advice and critical eye to pay attention to minute details. She was crucial in finding many new species for me.
What inspires you to complete REEF surveys? What is the most interesting thing you’ve learned doing a REEF fish survey?
I am a professional scientist, and I have a trained mind to look for patterns and use statistics in a very intuitive way. I often look into my own records and into the REEF database and I love spotting the unexpected, like a rare species seen during a different season or a new species appearing suddenly in a well-known area. Collectively, we volunteers contribute to that experience, and I am very motivated to report what I see and to learn from the biologists and educators of REEF, who are eager to share their own findings and methods.
What is your favorite part about being a REEF member?
I love the sense of community and the passion to share and grow together that I have found in REEF. I always take my survey slate when I go diving and without exception, there is somebody who asks about what I am doing underwater scribbling every few steps along the dive. Everyone loves to look at the book and share their own findings. I love the opportunity to share and guide in fish watching in the same way others have done with me.
If you had to explain REEF to a friend in a couple of sentences, what would you tell them?
Recreational divers with a purpose, having fun diving and contributing to marine conservation at the same time!
In your opinion, what is the most important aspect of REEF’s projects and programs?
REEF has a tremendous educational mission. I am engaged in only a few of its programs, but I have only praise for what I see being done in the other programs. Keep those annual reports coming!
Do you dive close to where you live, and if so, what is the best part about diving there?
I mostly dive in the Veracruz Marine Park. I love recognizing and anticipating what species I will see in different spots, and the rare new or odd species that every now and then pop up. I often wonder if they had always been there, and I just learned how to spot them.
Do you have a favorite REEF Conservation Partner or dive shop?
I do not have local REEF shops nearby, so my growth has been mainly supported by REEF staff and volunteers. I took my very first REEF survey tests at the Baltimore Aquarium in 2004! Luckily REEF has always had an amazing network of generous volunteers helping each other.
What is the most fascinating fish encounter you’ve experienced?
I have so many anecdotes of unexpected fish underwater that it is difficult to choose! One of my most memorable encounters even got featured in a REEF newsletter! The story is, I was participating underwater photography contest and as I was descending on a dive, I spotted a jawfish that I was not familiar with. I spent 90 minutes taking pictures of it, to the point that I almost went into deco. After digging into ReefNet, Fishbase and other resources, I learned that it was the Swordtail Jawfish, which has been very rarely documented in the wild.
What is your favorite fish or marine invertebrate? Why is it your favorite?
Frogfishes are my most sought-after fish family. They blend in so perfectly with their environment! A few years into diving I had yet to see one and I was frustrated I could not spot any in my usual diving sites. My partner at the time booked a dive trip with an environmentally-geared company for me to observe one on my 40th birthday. I was moved to tears. I did not want to leave that rock where I saw my first frogfish!
Do you have any surveying, fish watching, or identification tips for REEF members?
Whenever you plan a trip to a different location, look at the REEF database and see what others have reported there. You might find species you never have seen before, and you have to learn about their environments to maximize your chances to see them. Never underestimate somebody else´s experience. They might look in different environments that you rarely explor. Even if you have 500 surveys somewhere, different eyes mean different exploring patterns.
What is your most memorable fish find and why? Is there a fish (or marine invertebrate) you haven’t seen yet diving, but would like to?
After watching Mickey Charteris' REEF Fishinar on invertebrates, I realized I have to pay attention to those. I am so focused on fish, that I am missing all that other fun. I would love to survey invertebrates too! But my to-see list of fish still has me plenty busy! From my adored frogfish family, the only species I have seen is the Longlure Frogfish in Tropical Western Atlantic.
Author: Amy Lee, Engagement and Communications Manager
If one of your resolutions for this year was to read more books, be sure to check out REEF Into the Blue Book Club, which brings together readers who are passionate about the ocean and conservation. This book club is completely virtual, so you can participate from the comfort of home. Here's how it works: each quarter, we select a book about the ocean, marine science, environmental conservation, or diving. Over the next several months, members read the book and may share their thoughts on the Into the Blue Facebook group. At the end of the quarter, we host a meeting via Zoom to discuss the book, and the author often joins in!
It's free and easy to join - just fill out the online registration form here. As a book club member, you will receive emails with information on the chosen books, meeting reminders, and discussion questions. Members are also invited to join the Into the Blue Facebook group, which is the best way to stay up to date, share thoughts on the books as you're reading, and get to know your fellow readers.
The next book club meeting will be on Thursday, April 21 at 8pm EDT. We will be discussing our latest book selection, Emperors of the Deep: Sharks - The Ocean's Most Mysterious, Most Misunderstood, and Most Important Guardians by William McKeever. The author will also be attending this meeting! For more information about Into the Blue Book Club, visit www.REEF.org/bookclub.
Author: Sierra Barkdoll, Citizen Science Program Lead Intern
Have you heard about the REEF Conservation Challenge? It's a brand new way to dive into citizen science and marine conservation, and earn exclusive, collectible stickers by completing fun challenges. This month, we’re highlighting the Fishinar challenge. Fishinars are free, marine life identification webinars, led by expert marine life surveyors. To complete this challenge, simply register for and attend a Fishinar any time this year, then fill out the form online to request your sticker! For more information about the Conservation Challenge or to request stickers, visit www.REEF.org/conservationchallenge.
Author: Sierra Barkdoll, Citizen Science Program Lead Intern
REEF's online programs are free and open to everyone! Here's what is coming up in the next several weeks:
Tropical Pacific Damselfishes Pt. 1
Thursday, February 28, 8pm EST
Click here to register.
Those darn Damselfishes! Join us as we get some tips and tricks to tell them apart in the Tropical Pacific. This is part 1 of a 2-part series - catch part 2 on April 4!
Author: The REEF Team
With Valentine's Day coming up, we have the perfect Fish of the Month for February. Meet the Chocolate Dip Damselfish (Pycnochromis hanui)!
Survey Regions: The Chocolate Dip Damselfish is endemic to Hawaii, which means this is the only place in the world it is found. You can check out the REEF database sightings report for this species here. They are most frequently reported around the Big Island, and are seen in 43% of all REEF surveys conducted throughout Hawaii.
Size: They grow to about 3 inches.
Identifying Features: Chocolate Dip Damselfish have a brown body with dark ventral fins, and a white tail and tail base. They also have a black or dark spot on the pectoral fin base.
Fun Facts: Chocolate Dip Damselfish may occur alone or in groups. They are often seen swimming above the reef, where they feed on zooplankton. Nuptial (mating) males will become a pale yellowish-brown color and have bright blue eyes. Males also guard their egg patches.
Thanks for reading, and stay tuned for our next Fish of the Month.
Photo by Ed Robinson.
