Reef.org

REEF (www.reef.org) provides an easy, free and fun way of getting your fins wet AND collecting meaningful data which is then provided to a variety of groups such as REEF members, the general public, and several conservation groups and management agencies like the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the National Park Service, and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWCC) to mention a few.

Citizen science in diving has become more important in the last years. Government and private researchers are increasingly engaging volunteers to collect data on their behalf due to ongoing budget cuts. The scope, requirements and costs vary widely from project to project.

On July 14, 2015, Gerald Winkel will present a way to make your dives count. He is an avid local diver and has conducted over 350 dives in California alone and is part of REEF’s West Coast Advanced Assessment Team. Besides REEF, he is an active volunteer for the Catalina Marine Society, Reef Check, Disabled Veterans Scuba Project, Diveheart, and the Laguna Ocean Foundation and assists local universities and researchers with data collection.