This is one of many coral monitoring and data collection opportunities offered globally for divers. For more information on this type of opportunity, please check-out the NOAA Coral Reef Home Page at http://www.noaa.gov/public-affairs/coral-reef.html.
JOIN A REEF FIELD SURVEY: TAKE A DIVE VACATION THAT MAKES A DIFFERENCE. REEF's 1997 field surveys continue the tradition of fun, learning, and active involvement in the conservation of marine life.
For hundreds of years, scientists and amateur naturalists have studied birds, reptiles, insects and other terrestrial forms of life and their ecosystems. However, the underwater world and its marine life have been virtually hidden from view until the advent of SCUBA a little more than 50 years ago. Today the world's oceans remain one of the last natural mysteries to be extensively explored and studied. And yet, coral reefs are one of the world's most diverse ecosystems, supporting tens of thousands of species of invertebrates and fish.
Like rainforests, coral reefs are extremely valuable, yet largely understudied, natural resources at grave risk form human pressures. Marine scientists and resource managers have neither the funding nor staff to conduct continuous and broad geographic monitoring programs themselves.
There are, however, thousands of recreation divers roaming the reef of Florida and the Caribbean every day and the Reef Environmental Education Foundation (REEF) is working to enlist these divers to participate in monitoring and data collection programs.
For more information please contact:
John Pitcairn, Director of Administration
and Development, REEF
16057 Tampa Palms Boulevard, Suet 347
Tampa, FL 33647
phone 813-991-5903
fax 813-991-5803
e-mail:REEFFDN@aol.com
their web site at: www.reef.org
Laddie Akins
Exec. Dir., REEF
105950 Overseas Highway
Key Largo, FL 33037
305-451-0312
305-451-0028
e-mail: reef003@aol.com
James Bohnsack, Ph.D.
Research Fishery Biologist
Southeast Fisheries Science Center
National Marine Fisheries Service
75 Virginia Beach Drive
Miami, FL 33149
phone 305-361-4252
fax 305-361-4499
Kathleen Sullivan, Ph.D.
Marine Conservation Science Center
The Nature Conservancy
PO Box 249118
Coral Gables, FL 33124
phone 305-284-3013
fax 305-284-3039
Mary Enstrom
Marine Stewardship coordinator
Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary
PO Box 500368
Marathon, FL 33050
phone 305-743-2437
fax 305-743-2257
FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE INTERNATIONAL YEAR OF THE CORAL REEF OR THIS SUBJECT, PLEASE CONTACT MATT STOUT AT:
202-482-6090 OR coralreef@www.rdc.noaa.gov
OR CHECK-OUT THE NOAA CORAL REEF WEB SITE.
NOAA's Coral Reef Home Page
