Author: Christy Pattengill-Semmens, Ph.D., Co-Executive Director: Science & Engagement
REEF staff and collaborators attended the 154th annual American Fisheries Society (AFS) Conference last month, held in Honolulu, Hawaii. REEF's marine life database is a valuable tool for conservation science and research on a global scale, and we were proud to represent our work at this notable conference. Nine sessions at AFS featured REEF data and/or programs. Several presentations were given to share the latest findings and applications of three of REEF's conservation science programs - the Grouper Moon Project, Size Matters: Innovative Length Estimates (SMILE), project, as well as an innoative approach for REEF surveyors to collect environmental DNA (eDNA).
We were also excited to have three talks that shared analyses of REEF data, including Max Titcomb and collaborators from Scripps Institution of Oceanography (SIO), who shared findings in a talk titled, “Thirty years of Citizen Science Reveals Population Trends of Caribbean Groupers & Sharks.” Recent SIO graduate, Dr. Jordan DiNardo, and her collaborators shared their findings in “Investigating Long-Term Relative Abundance Trends of Caribbean Parrotfishes.” Finally, Tim Grabowski and his collaborators from USGS Hawaii shared their findings in a talk titled, “Using citizen science to model changes in occupancy and abundance of Hawaiian reef fishes,” which specifically looked at changes through time in several important herbivorous surgeonfishes.
This year's conference theme, Conserving Fishes and Fishing Traditions through Knowledge Co-Production, sparked thoughtful discussion among the thousands of professionals from all over the world who attended the conference to examine the past, present, and future of fisheries science and conservation.
Author: The REEF Team
We are very excited to welcome two new staff to the REEF Team - Noa Parks as Citizen Science Coordinator (left) and Shelby Thomas as Education Coordinator! Both are based at the REEF Campus in Key Largo, Florida.
Noa Parks first came to REEF as a Marine Conservation Intern in the fall of 2023. Following her internship she served as Marine Conservation Fellow, where she refined her skills and passion for ocean conservation before officially joining the staff team this past September. Noa grew up in the Memphis area, and earned a B.S. in biological sciences from Mississippi College in 2023. While obtaining her degree, she was a student-athlete, a member of the TriBeta Biological Honor Society, and part of an ecology research team that focused on the social behaviors of reptilian species. As Citizen Science Coordinator, Noa is excited to support the REEF Volunteer Fish Survey Project, as well as conservation science activities and education programs at the REEF Campus. In her free time, Noa loves anything competitive, as well as hiking, traveling, rock and fossil hunting, scuba diving, and cooking.
Shelby Thomas grew up in Vienna, Virginia. She graduated with a degree in marine affairs from the University of Miami in 2019, and received a Master of Professional Science degree in Marine Conservation in 2020. Previously, Shelby worked at Walt Disney World in their Animals, Science, and Environment department as an educator, with a focus on informal education. She has also worked with Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History as an Ocean Education intern, and worked with Waterlust on their communication initiatives. She is passionate about making science accessible to the public and getting people excited about the things that they learn. In her free time, Shelby enjoying cooking, reading, hanging out on the beach, and rooting for her favorite D.C. and Miami sports teams.
Welcome to the REEF team, Noa and Shelby!
Author: Amy Lee, Communications Manager
REEF Fest is nearly here, and we couldn't be more excited for our annual marine conservation celebration in Key Largo! If you're planning to attend, we look forward to seeing you soon. If you haven't yet registered, you can still make plans to join us Oct 17-20 for ocean presentations, diving, snorkeling, kayaking, and fun evening socials. Check out all the details and register for REEF Fest at www.REEF.org/REEFfest.
Don't miss the REEF Campus Open House on Thursday, Oct. 17 from 4:30-6:30pm. This event is free and open to the public, and all are invited to drop by to visit our historic Headquarters building and walk the Native Plants Trail. Local craft beer from Florida Keys Brewing Company and wine will be available, as well as light snacks. There are still tickets available to For the Love of the Sea, our annual REEF Fest celebration held at stunning waterfront location overlooking Florida Bay. There will be dinner, drinks, and a silent auction featuring marine life artwork and photography, jewelry, vacation packages, and more. Tickets are available for $105 per person and include appetizers, dinner, desserts, coffee, and an open bar with local craft beer from Florida Keys Brewing Company, wine, liquor and non-alcoholic beverages. You can purchase tickets to For the Love of the Sea online by visiting the link above.
Finally, be sure to join us for the free ocean seminars at Murray Nelson Government Center on Friday, Oct. 18 and Saturday, Oct. 19. If you aren't able to watch in person, all of the REEF Fest seminars will be live-streamed on our Facebook page and YouTube channel. The seminar schedule is below. All times listed are in ET.
Friday, October 18
• 2:45 pm: "Upside-down Jellyfish As Bioindicators" presented by Natalia López Figueroa, Ph.D. Candidate, University of South Florida College of Marine Science
• 3:30 pm: "Diving With a Purpose: Restoring Coral Reef Ecosystems and Documenting Maritime History" presented by Kramer Wimberley, Founder, Diving with a Purpose-Collective Approach to Restoring our Ecosystems (DWP-CARES)
• 6:15 pm: "The Reef Fishes of Gainesville, Florida: How the Florida Museum Fish Collection informs our understanding of reef fish communities" presented by Rob Robins, Ichthyology Collection Manager at the Florida Museum of Natural History
Saturday, October 19
• 2:30 pm: "Fisheries Science with a SMILE: Citizen Scientists contribute to marine conservation one photo at a time!" presented by Dr. Alli Candelmo, REEF Director of Conservation Science
• 3:00 pm: "Key Largo... The New Normal" presented by Stephen Frink, Underwater Photographer and Publisher of Alert Diver Magazine
Author: Stacey Henderson, Field Survey Trips Program Manager
The votes have been counted, and we're excited to share the 2024 Discover the Sea Photography Contest results! This year's contest had an amazing turnout, with nearly 500 stunning photos submitted and over 4,500 votes cast! First, second, and third place winners were selected via popular vote for each photo category, including Fish Portrait, Macro, Invertebrate, REEF Surveyor, and Habitat/Seascape/Environment. Click here to view all the winning photos. Thank you to everyone who participated in this year's contest, either by submitting photos, voting for your favorite photos, or both!
Photo: "The Meeting Point" photographed by Katherine Mason in the Maldives. 3rd Place, Habitat/Seascape/Environment category
Author: Amy Lee, Communications Manager
We are excited to welcome our Fall 2024 Marine Education & Conservation Interns to REEF! They will assist with education, outreach, events, and daily operations around the REEF Campus in Key Largo, Florida. Marine Conservation Interns play an integral role in our daily operations, programs, events, and outreach. Since 1993, more than 150 young adults have interned with REEF and transitioned into careers all over the world, in the marine conservation field and beyond. Please join us in welcoming (from L-R) Natalee, Coryn, Kuba, and John! Here's a bit more about them:
John Bychok is from York, Maine, and recently graduated this year from California Polytechnic State University with a B.S. in biology and a minor in biotechnology. He studied abroad during his junior year in Costa Rica, where he backpacked through the OSA Peninsula for six weeks, studying environmental conservation and policy. John also worked closely with sustainable tourism and conducted coral restoration field research. He is interested in ecology and understanding how environmental change can impact animals and natural processes within habitats, and would like to learn about hot to counteract that and prioritize sustainability within communities.
Coryn Ferguson graduated from the University of Miami in May 2024 with a degree in marine science and immunology and microbiology. She has spent most of her undergraduate career engaging in research, where she has worked with marine viruses, educational outreach programs, and cancer treatment development. She is passionate about the influence the ocean has on so many processes. During her undergraduate career, she learned about the ocean's role in human health and hopes to pursue a career in marine pharmacology. Coryn has served on the executive board of Ocean Awareness Week at UM, has enjoyed service trips to Key Largo, and has planted corals off the coast of Florida. She also has a company called Creative Carbon Innovations, which focuses on providing seed funding to new ventures within climate tech. In her free time, she enjoys diving, going to the beach, or finding something new to explore.
Kuba Naum graduated from UC-Santa Barbara with a double major in film and environmental studies. His love for the ocean was sparked at a young age during a snorkeling trip in Bermuda. Since then he’s dived around the world, worked on coral farms in Saba and in the Florida Keys, and become a certified rescue diver. He aspires to make a difference through his storytelling skills, combining film and environmental topics to produce media that can promote change and better our relationship with the natural world. Kuba has worked on award-winning documentaries, created videos for nonprofit organizations, and loves to bring his camera underwater. Some of his hobbies include scuba diving, photography, sports, watching movies, and traveling. He’s very excited to learn more about how non-profits operate and to work with the REEF team!
Natalee Webster graduated in June 2024 with a B.S. in biology and a focus in marine biology from Oregon State University. As an undergraduate, she studied gray whale ecology and foraging patterns, which involved kayaking, towing plankton samples, and using software to track whale blows. She also studied Oregon’s kelp forest ecosystems, with a focus on the presence of Sunflower Sea Stars. A certified Divemaster and AAUS scientific diver, she loves introducing new divers to the underwater world! She has volunteered at the Oregon Coast Aquarium, where she helped clean tanks used for public education, and ReefCheck, where she conducted underwater surveys to monitor species. In her free time, Natalee enjoys reading, swimming, camping, and SCUBA diving. She is very excited to explore the Atlantic Ocean and be part of the REEF team!
For more information about the REEF Internship or to apply for an upcoming semester, visit www.REEF.org/internship.
Author: Stacey Henderson, Field Survey Trips Program Manager
Looking for a fun dive trip in 2025? Kick off your year by joining us in the Maldives on January 12-22 aboard the Empreror Explorer liveboard! Made up of nearly 1,200 islands, the reefs of the Maldives are a haven for wildlife like Whale Sharks, mantas, and more. In February, join us to explore the beautiful dive and snorkel sites of Belize, where our home base will be the charming SunBreeze Hotel on Ambergris Caye. Then in March, we're headed to Villa on Dunbar Rock in Guanaja, Honduras! The amazing sand, reef and rocks surrounding the island make this a great location who love shore diving and searching for all of the unique fish species that inhabit the shallows.
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 all of our upcoming trips with open space below. We hope to "sea" you underwater soon!
Maldives: Jan. 12-22, 2025 -- More information here.
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.
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 July, August and September 2024.
Ultra Golden Hamlet Award
REEF Volunteer Chuck Curry is already a member of the Golden Hamlet Club (for those who have done over 1000 REEF surveys), but he recently hit another milestone - 2000 surveys and counting! Those who have done at least 2000 surveys are part of our Ultra Golden Hamlet Club. You can view all 8 of these ultra-dedicated REEF volunteer surveyors here.
Juvenile Hamlet Award
The Juvenile Hamlet Award is for individuals who have conducted 500+ REEF surveys. Congratulations to our latest Juvenile Hamlet Club members:
- David Thompson
- Ellie Briscoe
Read more about the Juvenile Hamlet award and others who have achieved it.
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)
Rosie Arathoon - Level 3
Darren Hunter
Jamie Harb
Jennifer Brooker
Jeremy Kemball
Wendy Norena
Rich Williams
Central Indo Pacific (CIP)
Cathie Becker
Donna Goodale
Rosie Arathoon
Eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean (EAM)
Carrie Neal
Debbie Cacace
Marilyn Bentley
Robert Bentley
Sara Cowles
Stacey Henderson
Indian Ocean and Red Sea (IORS)
Aisha Alqarni
Balint Kovacs
Gabor Vadasz
Kitti Nagy
Krisztina Szabo
Lilianna Pap
Olivia Kuzmos
Takar Yvette
Toth Abigel
NE US and Canada (NE)
Amélie Germain-Paulette
Nathalie Parent
South Atlantic States (SAS)
Amber Stubbs
Daisy Lott
Mark Fairbrass
Timothy Dykes
Tropical Eastern Pacific (TEP)
Nan Schmidt - Level 5
Stefano Ghedini
Vicki Dixon
Tropical Western Atlantic (TWA)
Frank Krasovec - Level 5
Kevin Abbott - Level 4
Annika Olson - Level 3
Audrey Brooks - Level 3
Jasmine Mateo - Level 3
Jill Kuehnert - Level 3
Joni Sensel - Level 3
Katie Shoultz - Level 3
Paul Terkelsen - Level 3
Sydney Brock - Level 3
Abigail Harrell
Andre Regateiro
Annika Olson
Anthony Aceves
Barb Garii
Caleb Krause
Camille Harrell
Charlie Newhouse
Chelsea Benjamin
Ciara McCarthy
Coryn Ferguson
Diana Phillips
Douwe Musch
Duncan Laird
Fiona Brooks
Hanna Konen
Isabela Gonzales
Izabell Froemming
Jack Teasley
Jasmine Mateo
Joe Gaydos
John Bychok
Joni Sensel
Kuba Naum
Melanie Morford
Nancy Weiner
Natalee Webster
Nicole Antonisen
Oscar Stachelberg
Remy Zipper
Rosalyn Fletcher
Sam Willoughby
Sarah Moffett
Shelby Thomas
Spencer Hugh
Susan Fuchs
Susan Hahn
Susanne Lazarus
Sydney Brock
Terrance Lazarus
Aidan Lammie
Anna Heffington
Ansley Jones
Ella Beazley
Gracie Osburn
MacKenna Davis
Matthew Griffin
Sophie Strock
Author: The REEF Team
Our October Fish of the Month is the Bat Ray, Myliobatis californica!
Survey Regions: Bat Rays are found throughout the waters of California, as well as north to Oregon and south to the Baja peninsula in Mexico. They have been reported in REEF's PAC (Pacific Coast of US and Canada) survey region. Click here to see a distribution for this species in the REEF database.
Size: Female Bat Rays can grow to about 6 ft. across, while males are smaller, growing to about 3 ft.
Identifying Features: Bat Rays are gray to brown with a white belly. They have a large, blunt head, and long, triangular pectoral fins. They also have a whip-like tail.
Fun Facts: Bat Rays live in a variety of habitats, including sand and mud flats and kelp beds. They can be seen alone or in schools. During the day, they tend to rest on the bottom and become more active at night. The base of their tail has a barb that can inject venom.
Thanks for reading, and stay tuned for our next Fish of the Month.
Photo by Deenie Clinton.
