Author: Christy Pattengill-Semmens, Ph.D., Co-Executive Director: Science & Engagement
Did you know that REEF is part of an international effort to determine how to best use large fish biodiversity datasets? REEF Co-Executive Director of Science & Engagement Dr. Christy Semmens is part of a working group called "CoNCENSUS: Advancing standardisation of COastal and Nearshore demersal fish visual CENSUS techniques", led by Anthony Bernard from the South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity and Rick Stuart-Smith from Reef Life Survey. Christy will attend the upcoming CoNCENSUS working group meeting in South Africa this October. Previous meetings have been held virtually, as well as an in-person meeting in Australia.
Various researchers and organizations, including REEF, are collecting vast datasets of fish biodiversity information, often with different methodologies and stored in a variety of data structures. The goals of this multi-year effort are to develop and implement guidelines and protocols for the collection, management, and organization of fish survey observations based on traditional and novel methodologies in order to provide recommendations on how best to utilize data from multiple methods to monitor and study coastal fish populations from local to global scales. CoNCENSUS will also develop processes and tools for the management, publication, and visualization of open-access data.
Fishes play a critical role in coastal ecosystems and provide nutrition and livelihoods for millions of people, but face many threats. Broad-scale datasets, such as that generated by the REEF Volunteer Fish Survey Project, can help provide context to evaluate the most important and widespread threats to fish and associated ecosystems around the world. CoNCENSUS aims to develop a global community of practice that is able to bring these important datasets together to lay the foundation for relevant and sustained research that encourages capacity development, furthers our fundamental understanding of coastal ecosystems, and provides essential support for policy and decision makers.
Funding for the working group is provided by the Scientific Committee on Oceanic Research of the International Science Council.
Author: Alli Candelmo, Ph.D., Director of Conservation Science
Last month, 14 teams of scuba divers took to the water and collected 1,527 invasive lionfish during the 15th annual REEF Florida Keys Lionfish Derby & Festival. Teams fished from sunrise to sunset on Friday, Aug. 16 and Saturday, Aug. 17. On Saturday evening, derby participants and the public gathered at Florida Keys Brewing Company for Invaders on Tap, a lionfish awareness celebration and social with live music, educational activities and games, and lionfish tastings. The weekend concluded on Sunday, Aug. 18 at the REEF Campus in Key Largo, with a celebration featuring lionfish weigh-in and scoring, cooking and dissection demos, and an awards ceremony for the derby winners.
More than $6,000 in cash and prizes were awarded to teams who brought in the most, largest, and smallest lionfish. The “Most Lionfish” category included the competitive Apex Predators division and the Reef Defenders division for casual lionfish hunters. Forever Young led the Apex Predators with 321 lionfish. Volitans finished second with 274 lionfish, and Team Trash placed third with 138 lionfish. Fourth, fifth and sixth places went to ZooKeeper Eradicators with 85 lionfish, ZooKeeper Destroyers with 65 lionfish, and The Hunters with 36 lionfish. In the Reef Defenders division, The Stooges won first place with 212 lionfish. Jellyfish Daydreams brought in 159 lionfish for second place, Men of Science won third place with 142 lionfish, and Headshot Jesus placed fourth with 63 lionfish.
Competition was close in the largest and smallest lionfish categories. Team Trash won first place in the “Largest Lionfish” category with a 415 mm fish, just over 16 inches long. Forever Young’s second place fish measured 410 mm, and Volitans won third place with a 402 mm fish. Men of Science had the smallest fish of the derby, which measured 85 mm. Headshot Jesus won second place with a 96 mm fish, and The Stooges brought in a 98 mm fish for third place. Full results from the derby are posted online at https://www.REEF.org/past-derby-results.
REEF has been hosting lionfish derbies in the Florida Keys since 2010, and to date more than 70,000 invasive lionfish have been removed from Florida waters during REEF Lionfish Derbies. These events are more than just a conservation effort - they are a powerful way to unite the community through excitement, education, and environmental stewardship. We are very thankful to all of the derby participants, event volunteers, and our supporters who make this annual event such a fun success each year. Click here to see photos from the weekend.
This event was made possible thanks to Ocean Reef Conservation Association and Florida Keys Brewing Company. Activities occurred within NOAA Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary under permit.
Be sure to save the date for the 16th annual Florida Keys Lionfish Derby & Festival on September 4-7, 2025! Fishing will take place Sept. 5-6, and the festival will be on Sunday, Sept. 7 at Three Waters Resort & Marina in Islamorada. For more info, visit www.REEF.org/lionfish-derbies.
Author: Amy Lee, Communications Manager
Our annual REEF Fest celebration is coming up on October 17-20 in Key Largo, Florida. If you haven't registered yet, there's still time to plan to join us for free, educational ocean seminars, diving, snorkeling, kayaking, nature tours, and socials! You can see all the details and register online at www.REEF.org/REEFfest. This year we're excited to welcome the following speakers:
- Stephen Frink, Underwater Photographer and Publisher of Alert Diver Magazine, who will highlight the history and current outlook of reefs and marine life in the Florida Keys
- Natalia López Figueroa, Ph.D. Candidate, University of South Florida College of Marine Science, who will share her research on Upside-down Jellyfish as indicators of ecosystem health
- Kramer Wimberley, Founder, Diving with a Purpose-Collective Approach to Restoring our Ecosystems (DWP-CARES), who will discuss the importance of maritime shipwreck documentation while highlighting the work of DWP-CARES
- Rob Robertson, Ichthyology Collection Manager at the Florida Museum of Natural History, who will share how the Florida Museum Fish Collection helps improve our understanding of fish communities
- Dr. Alli Candelmo, REEF Director of Conservation Science, who will discuss two REEF projects that combine new imaging technology with citizen science to gather data for fisheries assessments
These free seminars will take place at Murray Nelson Government Center on Oct. 18 and 19. You can also join in a snorkel or dive charter, or book a kayak eco-tour during REEF Fest. Limited space is available, so be sure to book your space soon! You may also purchase your ticket to the For the Love of the Sea Celebration on Oct. 19. The event is hosted at a beautiful location overlooking Florida Bay, and includes dinner from one of South Florida's top caterers, an open bar, a silent auction. Discounted tickets are available for $95 per person. After Sept. 27, ticket prices increase to $105 per person, so don't wait to make your plans! We hope to see you next month at REEF Fest!
Author: Mead Krówka, Education Coordinator
This summer, we've been making waves in the Florida Keys and beyond, with plenty of engaging education programs and outreach events. Our team of staff and interns led 39 educational programs this summer. From teaching weekly fish ID classes at John Pennekamp State Park in Key Largo to programs for schools, clubs, dive shops, and more, it has been a jam-packed and fun season. Our summer Ocean Explorers Education Programs offered participants the chance to dive into citizen science with snorkeling and diving excursions, fish ID classes, and even lionfish jewelry making. We also hosted and attended a variety of community outreach events. Summer Intern Jasmine Mateo organized a public presentation about how seabird conservation is connected to healthy fish populations, meanwhile fellow intern Annika Olsen put together an outreach event to educate attendees about conservation genetics, complete with a fun DNA extraction activity!
To gear up for the 2024 Florida Keys Lionfish Derby & Festival, we partnered with Key Dives and Looe Key Reef Resort to host two Lionfish Collecting & Handling Workshops. Participants learned all about the lionfish invasion and safe collecting and handling techniques during a presentation, and then we headed out on the water to put our skills to the test while diving. Throughout the two workshops, participants removed 64 invasive lionfish from Florida Keys reefs. It was a great way to kick off this year's derby! Be sure to check out the derby recap in this issue to learn more.
Author: Stacey Henderson, Field Survey Trips Program Manager
Submissions for the 2024 REEF Discover the Sea Underwater Photography Contest are now open! All ocean photographers are invited to submit their favorite photos. It’s free to enter, and you may submit up to three photos per person in each of the following categories:
• Fish Portrait: Portrait shots of fish only; may include the fish's whole body or be framed around the head only
• Macro: Close up shots that make the subject appear "larger than life"
• Invertebrates: Photos featuring ocean life with no spine
• REEF Survey: photos may include divers or snorkelers participating in the Volunteer Fish Survey Project as citizen scientists, including conducting REEF surveys in the water, or topside survey activities such as data entry or fish ID classes.
• Habitat/Seascape/Environment: Photos of an ocean environment or seascape. They do not have to be underwater but must be marine-focused, such as over/under shots, mangroves, or topside water shots.
Submissions close at noon ET on September 19. Online public voting will be from September 20-30. First, second, and third place winners will be selected for each category. The winning photos will be featured on our social media and communications channels. Visit www.REEF.org/photocontest for rules, submission guidelines, and to see past year's winners.
Photo credits from L-R: Jack Teasley, Tom Baker, Stacey Henderson, Peter Leahy, Shuo-Wei Chang.
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 Michèle Doucet, a REEF member who lives in Quebec, Canada. She joined REEF in 2019 and has conducted more than 150 surveys in the Tropical Western Atlantic (TWA) and Northeast US & Canada (NE) regions. In addition to being an active surveyor, she also teaches her students how to conduct REEF surveys in Canada and the Caribbean. We are proud to feature Michèle this month and are glad that she is part of REEF.
How did you first hear about REEF?
It was a series of coincidences. In 2018 I became a PADI instructor. As a veterinary researcher in my day job, one of the specialties that I wanted to teach was Fish ID. While doing my fish ID instructor course, I learned that the theory portion could be fulfilled by teaching the REEF fish ID curriculum. That got me on the REEF website where I joined as a member and learned about REEF Fest. I decided to go to REEF Fest and after attending a seminar with Janna, I discovered the excellent educational approach of the REEF fish ID method.
If you have been on a REEF Field Survey Trip, where and what was your trip highlight?
I have never been on a REEF Field Survey Trip, but I have conducted several field trips for my students in our scientific diving program which is an optional rotation in the Doctor of Veterinary Medicine program at the Université de Montréal’s veterinary college. So far, we have used REEF surveys to collect data in Bonaire in 2022 and recently returned to Bonaire in May 2024 as part of a longitudinal study.
What inspires you to complete REEF surveys?
I am inspired to do the REEF surveys and especially motivated to submit the data by knowing that the data is useful to researchers in the advancement of our general knowledge of the ocean. I emphasized the fact of submitting the data because it’s fun to do the surveys and to share our sightings with fellow surveyors after a dive but the important part of surveying (i.e. entering the data) is sometimes set aside or forgotten because it isn’t as fun to most people. Motivation is essential to get this part of the job done otherwise, surveying is just an activity with no greater purpose.
What is the most interesting thing you’ve learned doing a REEF fish survey?
Doing REEF surveys makes one focus on the fish so we get to observe their behavior while we’re trying to figure out what species they are. Some of the fish behaviors that I have observed are fascinating and always a learning experience. It is also a great privilege to be able to observe fish in their natural environment and to be there live instead of watching it on screen in a nature show.
What is your favorite part about being a REEF member?
I love the sense of community and shared values among fellow fish and ocean lovers. It’s fun to be among other people who are as passionate about what they do and see in the ocean as I am.
What is the most fascinating fish encounter you’ve experienced?
In Turks and Caicos, I “befriended” a Nassau Grouper who seemed to be intrigued by my yellow REEF slate and pencil. We dived several times at the same dive site and it was always in the same spot near the mooring. My husband and I would find it almost as if it was waiting for us and it would follow us for the entire dive until we returned to the mooring to ascend. It was especially magical for me because our trip to T&C was the first return to the ocean after the pandemic and I was very emotional and touched by this fish who was acting like a cat and connecting with me. Almost like it was saying ‘welcome back” .
Do you have any surveying, fish watching, or identification tips for REEF members?
Start with a handful of families at first and get to know and differentiate the different species before expanding to other families. When I started, I would do angelfish and butterflyfish only dives, then surgeonfish and parrotfish dives otherwise it became too overwhelming. Once I was comfortable with one family, I would add a new family to my list. Another thing that I emphasize when I teach fish ID courses is also to use the habitat and behavior of specific families to help narrow down the species.
What is your most memorable fish find and why?
The first time I saw an oceanic manta ray was magical. In 2015, I was diving in Kona and encountered a male juvenile manta ray. It was not only my first manta but it also played with us for 15 minutes. I got a picture of its belly and submitted it to the Manta Ray Identification project in Hawaii. Since it had never been identified, I got to name it in memory of my grandmother who had just passed away the previous month. His name is Yvet and he’s still being sited to this day in the same area that he was first identified. On a totally different scale, the first time I saw a Regal Angelfish in Indonesia was very exciting as it is one of the most beautiful fish I have ever seen.
Author: Sierra Barkdoll, Operations Manager
Our online programs are free and open to all! Check out what's coming up, and view the entire schedule of Fishinars (marine life ID webinars) and other online programs here.
Fishinar: Central Indo-Pacific Shrimpgobies
Tuesday, September 24, 8pm ET
Click here to register.
Hang out in the sand with these burrow-dwelling gobies and their shrimp friends! Join us to learn about some of the common shrimpgobies of the Indo-Pacific and how to identify them.
Gorgeous Shrimpgoby photo by Amy Lee.
Author: Stacey Henderson, Field Survey Trips Program Manager
Looking for a fun getaway? Join us on a REEF Field Survey Trip to Villa on Dunbar Rock, in Guanaja, Honduras on March 22-29, 2025! Part of a volcanic and coral mountain range, Guanaja is within the world's second-largest barrier reef, the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef. Just steps from the sandy beach, the rocks, and flats surrounding the island, this location is perfect for those who love shore diving and searching for all of the unique fish species that inhabit the shallows. The 15,000-square-foot property spans four floors, with plenty of space for fun group gatherings to discuss the day's fish sightings!
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. Join us in the Guanaja, or check out other upcoming trips with open space below. To book your space on a REEF Trip, email trips@REEF.org. 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: The REEF Team
Our September Fish of the Month is the Yellowtail Surgeonfish, Prionurus punctatus!
Survey Regions: Yellowtail Surgeonfish are common in the Gulf of California, and occasionally seen throughout the Pacific coast of Mexico and Central America, as well as the Revillagigedo Islands. Click here to see a distribution for this species in the REEF database.
Size: They are usually about 8-14 inches, and can reach a maximum size of 2 feet.
Identifying Features: Yellowtail Surgeonfish are gray with black spots coverings the head and body, and a bright yellow tail. They have a dark band running through their eye and another around their gill cover. They also have three sharp, dark spines on each side of their tail base.
Fun Facts: Yellowtail Surgeonfish live in rocky reef areas along shorelines and usually form schools. A similar species called the Razor Surgeonfish, which lacks the uniform black spots covering its body, is more common along the Pacific coast of Costa Rica to Panama and south to Ecuador and offshore islands. The Razor Surgeonfish occurs rarely in the southern part of the Gulf of California, and in areas of overlap, the two species may be seen together.
Thanks for reading, and stay tuned for our next Fish of the Month.
Photo by Robert Cox.
