Author: The REEF Team
We are thrilled to announce the new Ocean Exploration Center for Marine Conservation at the REEF Campus in Key Largo, Florida. This state-of-the-art, interactive space will immerse visitors in the wonders of the ocean, sharing REEF’s mission and inspiring conservation action. This 4,000-square-foot, two-story facility will serve as a hub for marine conservation, education, and citizen science. Designed to inspire ocean stewardship for all ages, the Center will feature interactive exhibits, a science discovery classroom, and galleries dedicated to ocean exploration, scientific innovation, and the intersection of history, humanities, and the arts. To see more information about the Center, visit www.REEF.org/OEC.
The grand opening celebration will take place June 7-8, 2025, coinciding with World Ocean Day, and all are invited to attend! This family-friendly event will feature hands-on activities, immersive exhibits, guided tours, engaging presentations, food and drink and more. Join us for this special milestone! Visit www.REEF.org/oecgrandopening for event details and to RSVP.
With 93% of our $6 million goal raised, we are in the final stretch of this incredible project! To help us reach the finish line, longtime REEF members Byron and Sheila Bishop have launched a $100,000 Challenge Grant, matching all new donations and pledges made before June 30. That means your gift goes twice as far!
You can be part of this historic moment by making a donation at www.REEF.org/OEC-support. Special donor recognition opportunities are available, including gallery naming and personalized plaques. We welcome your support at any time, but to insure that your recognition is in place for the grand opening, gifts must be confirmed by February 28.
For more than 30 years, REEF has been helping people build meaningful connections with the oceans and empowering them to make a difference, and the Ocean Exploration Center represents a pivotal next step in our mission. Thank you for being part of the REEF community and for helping us build a brighter future for our ocean. We hope to celebrate with you in June!
Author: Christy Pattengill-Semmens, Ph.D., Co-Executive Director: Science & Engagement
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. The project is aimed at studying Nassau Grouper, Epinephelus striatus, a keystone species on Caribbean coral reefs. Since 2002, our team has studied the Nassau Grouper spawning aggregations in the Cayman Islands, which hosts some of the largest and last known gatherings of this endangered fish. Our efforts have resulted in the successful recovery of Nassau Grouper populations in the Cayman Islands, and the project highlights the value of collaborative efforts for conservation success.
As the winter full moon approaches and we prepare for our annual field season, we wanted to share some of the highlights of Grouper Moon research findings over the last 23 years. Read on to learn more. You can also visit www.REEF.org/groupermoonproject to see details on education programs, scientific studies, and documentaries about the Grouper Moon Project.
One of the earliest scientific papers from the Grouper Moon Project was published in the journal Environmental Biology of Fishes in 2004. This paper documented the characteristics of the newly discovered Nassau Grouper spawning aggregation in the Cayman Islands. The authors provided visual and video documentation of four nights of spawning of Nassau Grouper, the description of the fish's nighttime movements and color phase shifts, and the documentation of courtship and spawning behavior in ten additional species. A few years prior to this paper being published, former REEF staff member Leslie Whaylen was leading a REEF Field Survey Trip in Little Cayman, around the same time that fishermen discovered the aggregation of Nassau Grouper off the west end of the island. As a result, approximately 2,000 fish were harvested in 10 days, from a population that was later determined to be approximately 9,000 fish. After meeting with the Cayman Islands government, the Grouper Moon Project was formed.
A few years later, in 2007, lead scientist for the project Dr. Brice Semmens, along with project partners, published a paper that explored why Nassau Grouper had declined so drastically in the Caribbean, and what could be done to reverse the trend. The discussion leaned heavily on early findings from the Grouper Moon Project. This study, titled "Charting a Course for Nassau Grouper Recovery in the Caribbean: What We’ve Learned and What We Still Need to Know" was presented at the 60th Gulf and Caribbean Fisheries Institute Meeting.
In 2020, almost two decades after the spawning aggregation was first discovered, a landmark paper was published in the prestigious Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences that presented our findings of conservation success for endangered Nassau Grouper. Results of the analysis showed that on both Little Cayman and neighboring Cayman Brac, Nassau Grouper spawning aggregations have more than tripled in response to adaptive management by the Cayman Islands government over a decade. These management actions were a direct result of research conducted as part of the Grouper Moon Project.
The Grouper Moon Project is the Caribbean’s oldest continuous grouper spawning aggregation research program, and represents one of the most advanced, multi-faceted tropical fisheries research programs in the world. The project aims to support science-informed policies that will facilitate healthy grouper fisheries in the Cayman Islands in the coming years, while maintaining the Cayman Islands’ global leadership in collaborative tropical fisheries research and management. Since 2001, REEF and our collaborators have published 22 scientific papers sharing results from the research. You can see the full list of papers here.
Author: Amy Lee, Communications Manager
We are gearing up for an amazing year of conservation and celebrations, we hope you can join us at a REEF event this year. Save the date and check out details below!
REEF by the Sea - February 28 in Ft. Lauderdale, FL: REEF Sustainers receive an invitation to this annual event, held each spring in either California or Florida. For more information about donor recognition levels, visit this page.
Florida Keys Lionfish Derby & Arts Festival - April 24-27 in Key Largo, FL We are so excited for the 16th annual Florida Keys Lionfish Derby. Starting this year, we are combining the event with our annual Arts & Science Festival to form a conservation and arts festival! The event kicks off with a welcome party at Florida Keys Brewing Company on April 24, following by two days of lionfish hunting for derby teams. On Sunday, April 27, we're hosting a free, family-friendly festival at the REEF Campus, including booths from artisans and local non-profits, lionfish scoring, fun conservation science and art activities, music, educational and cooking demos, food trucks and drinks, free lionfish tastings, raffle, and the derby awards ceremony! Visit www.REEF.org/lionfishfestival to see all the details.
REEF Ocean Exploration Center for Marine Conservation - Grand Opening Celebration - June 7-8, 2025 in Key Largo, FL Be part of history as we unveil the brand-new REEF Ocean Exploration Center for Marine Conservation! This state-of-the-art facility will serve as a dynamic hub for ocean education, research, and citizen science. The grand opening celebration will feature exclusive tours, engaging exhibits, hands-on activities, and special presentations showcasing the Center’s role in fostering marine conservation action. The event coincides with World Ocean Day, making it the perfect opportunity to connect with the ocean and REEF’s mission. Learn more and RSVP at www.REEF.org/oecgrandopening.
Fish Out of Water Virtual 5K - June 8-15: Celebrate World Ocean Day with your favorite physical activity! You can run, walk, hike, bike, or even swim, and complete your 5K in one day or throughout the week. Best of all, you can join in from anywhere because this event is virtual! Proceeds from the 5K support the REEF Oceans for All Fund, a pooled scholarship fund that provides scholarships, programming, and marine conservation opportunities for equity deserving groups. Registration will open on April 1. Visit www.REEF.org/5K for more details.
REEF Fest - October 16-19 in Key Largo, Florida: Don't miss this annual four-day marine conservation event, with diving, snorkeling, kayaking, ocean seminars, and socials. Registration will open in the early summer. Visit www.REEF.org/REEFfest for more information.
Author: Noa Parks, Citizen Science Coordinator
Congratulations to Fred Hartner, who recently joined the Golden Hamlet Club! This distinguished group is made up of highly dedicated volunteers who have conducted 1,000 or more REEF surveys as part of the REEF Volunteer Fish Survey Project.
Fred first learned about REEF through the owner of his local dive shop in Whitehouse, New Jersey. He conducted his first survey in 1995 in Roatan, Honduras. Fred completed his milestone 1,000th survey in Key Largo, FL in November 2024, at Molasses Reef Ball 18. Before this special dive, mooring ball 18 was not named in the REEF database. In honor of Fred’s achievement, his wife, Laura, named the site Fred's Folly. Over the years, Fred has surveyed all over the world, collecting valuable marine life data across multiple regions. He is an expert surveyor in the Tropical Western Atlantic (TWA), Central Indo-Pacific (CIP), and South Pacific (SOP) regions, and has also contributed surveys in the Indian Ocean & Red Sea (IORS) and Hawaii (HAW) regions. Some of Fred’s favorite fish include the Peppermint Basslet, Purple Reeffish, and all types of cardinalfish. He also has a fondness for (invasive) lionfish, but only when they’re on his dinner plate!
Congratulations Fred, and thank you for your contributions to REEF and citizen science! Click here to read more about the Golden Hamlet Club.
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 Edgar Graudins, a REEF member who lives in Washington. Since joining REEF nine years ago, he has conducted more than 140 surveys and achieved Expert Level status in the US Pacific Coast & Canada (PAC/PNW) survey region. We're thankful to Edgar for his dedication to conservation and passion for REEF's mission!
When and how did you first volunteer with REEF or become a REEF member? How did you first hear about REEF?
I first joined REEF in 2016. I heard about REEF from members of my dive club, the Emerald Sea Dive Club, and my local dive shop, Evergreen Dive Service, a REEF Conservation Partner. They helped me get started with surveying and directed me to learning resources.
If you have been on a REEF Field Survey Trip, where and what was your trip highlight?
I have been able to participate in the REEF Advanced Assessment Team surveys in the Puget Sound for the last few years. It's great to work with fellow fish geeks who are just as passionate about REEF as I am.
What inspires you to complete REEF surveys? What is the most interesting thing you’ve learned doing a REEF fish survey?
Being able to identify the different fish species makes my dives more interesting, and being a REEF member motivates me to keep improving my ID skills.
What is your favorite part about being a REEF member?
While growing up, I was going to be either a marine biologist or an engineer. I ended up going the engineering route for my profession, but I never lost my interest in the marine world. Being a REEF member and doing surveys gives me the opportunity to feed my other passion by being a citizen scientist in my spare time.
In your opinion, what is the most important aspect of REEF’s projects and programs?
One of the most important aspects of REEF is involving the public in science. The wide network of citizen scientist divers around the world not only helps collect data, but they also become passionate advocates for marine conservation.
Do you dive close to where you live, and if so, what is the best part about diving there?
Living in Washington State, I am fortunate to have the entire Puget Sound on my doorstep. I dive year round in the Sound (even in winter!) and have a bunch of great dive sites within an hour of my house. This area has a wide variety of diving environments including eelgrass, kelp forests, natural reefs, artificial reefs, wrecks, and walls, each with its own variety of life. Diving Puget Sound never gets old.
What is your favorite fish or marine invertebrate?
I love the Mosshead Warbonnet. It has fantastic colors and patterning, and makes a great photo subject. Also, it likes to hide and is hard to spot, so when you do find one, you feel a sense of accomplishment.
Do you have any surveying, fishwatching, or identification tips for REEF members?
Practice, practice, practice! Find what method you learn best with - watching Fishinars, studying fish ID books , flash cards, or whatever - and just keep doing it regularly.
What is your most memorable fish find?
I once spotted a Redstripe Rockfish, Sebastes proriger, at one of my local dive sites. That species is rarely seen by divers and even more rarely reported - partly because it is very similar to another, more common species. Had I not been studying for my REEF Level 5 test that year, I probably would not have recognized it.
Author: Stacey Henderson, Field Survey Trips Program Manager
2025 REEF Trips are filling up fast! A few spaces still remain on our REEF Trip to Curacao on November 1-8, 2025. This southern Caribbean island recently rated as one of the top 10 diving destinations by Scuba Diving magazine readers. The trip includes daily fish ID classes, five days of boat dives and unlimited shore diving! Divers and snorkelers alike will enjoy the cozy, casual atmosphere at LionsDive Resort. More info about this trip can be found here.
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. Check out some of our upcoming trips with open space below. We hope to "sea" you underwater soon!
Belize: Feb. 15-22, 2025 -- More information here.
Guanaja: March 22-29, 2025 -- More information here.
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.
Roatan: June 28 - July 5, 2025 -- More information here.
Author: The REEF Team
Introducing our February Fish of the Month, the Bogue, Boops boops!
Survey Regions: The Bogue is found in REEF's Eastern Atlantic & Mediterranean (EAM) survey region. It is found along the coasts of Europe, Western Africa, the Azores, and the Canary Islands. Click here to see a distribution for this species in the REEF database.
Size: They are between 7-15 inches (20-40 cm) long.
Identifying Features: They have a silvery, torpedo-shaped body, large eyes, and a forked tail. They can sometimes have a golden sheen across their back.
Fun Facts: The Bogue is a member of the Porgy family. They are typically seen in schools, which can consist of thousands of individuals! They eat a combination of crustaceans and plankton, often feeding near the surface of the water at nighttime.
Thanks for reading, and stay tuned for our next Fish of the Month.
Photo by Peter Wirtz.
