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.