Top Row:
Newly hired Baja California Regional Manager Jessica Pantoja during a survey trip of the Coronado Islands (Photo: Anahi Bermudez)

Reef Check Australia EcoDivers survey The Wall at Mudjimba Island (Photo: Jodi Salmond) 

Middle Row:
Reef Check diver during a survey at McAbee in Monterey, CA (Photo: Sage Ono)

Aspiring marine conservationists in Mozambique participate in a training program with Maputo Dive Center (Photo: Maputo Dive Center) 

Bottom Row:
Participants of Coastal Chumash and Tongva Community Dive into Science Cohort #2 showing off their NAUI Open Water certificates (Photo: RCF)

Big Sur kelp restoration site progress from urchin barren in 2022 to kelp forest in 2024 (Photo: RCF)

As the year draws to a close, I am reflecting on the incredible accomplishments we’ve achieved together over the last 12 months. On behalf of the entire Reef Check team, I want to extend my sincere gratitude to our global community of volunteers, donors, and partners. Your steadfast support has been instrumental in making these achievements possible.

This year, Reef Check volunteers all over the world have dedicated countless hours to monitoring coral reefs and kelp forests. From restoring kelp along the Big Sur coast in California, to removing ghost nets in Malaysia, to training youth for careers in ocean conservation in Mozambique and starting a new program in Hawai’i, Reef Check teams around the world have achieved so much in 2024. I am immensely proud of what we’ve accomplished together. Personally, a highlight was getting to know our partners at the Tolowa Dee-ni’ Nation and being part of teaching their scuba class in the Smith River in Northern California. 

I invite you to take a moment to explore some of our key achievements from 2024, which you can find below. I hope you’ll be inspired and encouraged by the positive impact we’ve made on our precious marine ecosystems.

As we look ahead to the new year, I respectfully ask you to consider supporting Reef Check with a donation, if you’re able. Your generous contributions are essential in helping us meet the increasing demand for our work at a time when government resources for our work have expired due to budget cuts. Every donation, no matter the size, is deeply appreciated and strengthens our mission to protect and preserve our oceans. Next year marks the 20-year anniversary of our kelp forest program, so we have big plans and hope you will be with us to celebrate this significant milestone.

As we enter this holiday season, I send my warmest wishes to you and your loved ones. May this time bring you joy, peace, and renewed hope. Here’s to a new year filled with even greater achievements and continued collaboration for the future of marine conservation.

With heartfelt gratitude,

Jan Freiwald
Executive Director
Reef Check Foundation

2024 Successes

Organizational

Kelp Forest Program

  • A record number of surveys completed along the West Coast – a total of 193
  • Expanded surveys further into Baja California, British Columbia, and along the open coast of Washington
  • Hired new regional manager in Baja California

Coral Reef Program

Education Program

  • Five Dive into Science programs in California from Del Norte to Los Angeles County
  • 10 Dive into Science scuba courses with participants from Tribal communities and foster youth
  • Two Dive into Science graduates from Kashia Band of Pomo now work as scientific divers for their tribe

Restoration Program

By Jan Freiwald, Reef Check Foundation Executive Director

The restoration site from the air. In 2022, a three-acre urchin barren is clearly visible as missing kelp canopy, where the boat is anchored, surrounded by healthy forest. In the fall of the following year, the kelp is back and persistent throughout 2024.

Kelp forests are one of the ocean’s most vibrant ecosystems, providing food, shelter, and protection for countless marine species. But along the West Coast of North America, these undersea forests are in trouble. Between 2013 and 2015, extreme warm-water events devastated canopy kelp species like bull kelp (Nereocystis luetkeana) and giant kelp (Macrocystis pyrifera). The loss was particularly severe in Northern California, where efforts to restore these vital habitats have ramped up in recent years.

Central California’s kelp forests, including those along the iconic Big Sur coastline, have fared better, maintaining healthy kelp longer than other regions. But recent monitoring along the Big Sur coast suggests even these strongholds are now under threat. From 2015 to 2023, data collected by Reef Check’s subtidal surveys at eight long-term monitoring sites showed a sharp increase in purple urchin densities. These herbivores, which feed on kelp, saw their densities increase nearly tenfold at monitored sites, from less than 1 per square meter in 2015 to over 8 per square meter on average by 2023. Some areas reached densities as high as 20 urchins per square meter—a level that can decimate kelp forests. At the same time, at five of the eight monitored sites, giant kelp densities plummeted by more than 75%, dropping from 1.52 stipes per square meter in 2015 to just 0.35 in 2023. Urchin barrens, reefs denuded of kelp and covered in sea urchins, started to form in many places.

Big Sur kelp restoration team

Faced with these alarming trends, Reef Check teamed up with local community members and commercial fishers to implement a restoration strategy of early intervention of targeted urchin removal. The idea was to remove urchins from an area that is still close to healthy kelp forest nearby in order to reverse the trend before it becomes widespread. At a site in Big Sur where urchin densities had reached over 26 per square meter, commercial urchin divers removed urchins over two years. By 2024, urchin density had dropped and stayed at just about 4 to 5 urchins per square meter. 

The results were immediate and encouraging. By the fall of 2023, canopy kelp, mostly bull kelp, had rebounded dramatically. Densities at this site went from near zero in 2022 to 2.71 per square meter—rivaling those of nearby healthy kelp forests. Even more promising, this recovery persisted through 2024, with kelp densities stabilizing at levels similar to surrounding healthy forests.

This success story shows that early intervention can work, even if urchin populations aren’t reduced to the theoretical level of 2 per square meter, which has been cited in much of the restoration work as needed for the reversal of urchin barrens to kelp forests. The findings suggest that early action can make a big difference, offering hope for the future of California’s kelp forests and the marine life that depends on them.

With continued restoration efforts, it is our expectation to protect some of the kelp forests that are still strong and bring back some of the ones lost to urchin barrens. For now, scientists, divers and supporters are racing against time to protect these essential habitats and the intricate web of life they support.

Purple urchin and kelp densities at Big Sur restoration site before and after commercial urchin divers removed overly abundant urchins to restore the kelp forests
Trends of purple sea urchins and kelp at Reef Check’s eight long-term monitoring sites in Big Sur

We have lined up some amazing talks for you to get your Reef Check fix over these winter months. The following is what is ahead for our Winter Webinar Series with more dates to come. Use the links below to register and add them to your calendar!

January 8th 7-8p PST: Reef Check Hawai’i with Brad Giles

Ever wanted to bring your Reef Check skills to warmer waters? Join Brad to hear about the relaunch of the Reef Check Hawai’i program and how to get involved! 

January 29th 6-7p PST: Washington Kelp Farming with Mike Spranger

The mission of Pacific Sea Farms  is to be a commercially viable farm and to educate and inspire people about the benefits of wild and cultivated seaweed in the Pacific Northwest. Mike Spranger with Pacific Sea Farm will be speaking to us about what is kelp farming, what its like to launch a kelp farm operation in the state of Washington and the business and social aspects involved. 

March 12th 6-7p PST: 2024 Season Summary with Reef Check Staff

Join us to hear all about the successes of the Kelp Forest Monitoring program 2024 season. We will also be sharing some data analysis from the last few years and highlighting the ways the data you collected has been used by other organizations to help inform the status of kelp up and down the west coast. 

Submitted by Reef Check Malaysia

COMMUNITY MARINE CONSERVATION GROUPS (CMCGs) IN MALAYSIA

Recently, a 7th Community Marine Conservation Group (CMCG) joined the six previously established groups. This new group in Mersing consists of youths. Most youth in Mersing tend to leave their town to look for opportunities elsewhere, but this amazing group has stayed and is now making an impact in their own area!

1. Tioman Marine Conservation Group (TMCG)

2. Redang Marine Conservation Group (RMCG)

3. Larapan Marine Conservation Group (LMCG)

4. Selakan Marine Conservation Group (SMCG)

5. Kulapuan Marine Conservation Group (KMCG)

6. Pemimpin IKLIM Mabul 

7. Mersing Marine Conservation Group (MMCG)

The members of these CMCG groups are trained with various skills to handle day-to-day marine conservation tasks, including buoy installations, reef rehabilitation and monitoring, ghost net and predator removals, coral bleaching and reef biodiversity monitoring as well as Reef Check surveys. The members of these teams are passionate about conserving the marine environment, and it is visible in their determination and dedication as they tackle their tasks.

Here are some of their achievements:

  • Nine members of our Selakan Marine Conservation Group were recently elected as Honorary Park Rangers by Sabah Parks, the state legislative body that manages state parks in Sabah, Malaysia
  • The Redang Marine Conservation Group, together with RCM, piloted a Reef Rehabilitation Toolkit, now available on our website  
  • The success of the Tioman Marine Conservation Group (TMCG), the first group to be established, has become the blueprint for the other CMCGs. 

Read more about RCM’s community-based conservation efforts here, as penned by RCM’s CEO, Julian Hyde.

Removing ghost nets from a reef area
Cleaning and monitoring at a reef rehabilitation site

COMMUNITY-BASED WASTE MANAGEMENT PROGRAM

Our Community-Based Waste Management Program on Larapan Island, Sabah, which ran from March 2022 to September 2024, has now wrapped up. We have officially passed the baton onto WWF-Malaysia (Semporna, Sabah) as part of their No Plastic in Nature (NPIN) initiative.

A total of 105 households, representing nearly 1,000 residents, participated in the program. Together, we prevented 22,896.4kg of waste from being directly disposed into the marine ecosystem. Compliance levels, based on our monitoring system, reached a satisfactory 54%.

The program would not have run smoothly without the support from the local district council, village leaders, our partners, the waste management team on the island, as well as the local community members for their active involvement. 

Fauzi, from RCM, presenting a report to the villagers who participated in the program
Adzmin, from RCM, presenting a certificate of participation to a household representative
Julian (center) is joined by leaders from NRES, Malaysia’s Minister of Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability (blue shirt), and other esteemed representatives

COP 16 IN COLOMBIA

Our CEO, Julian Hyde, recently attended the COP 16 in Colombia. Julian joined Malaysia’s Minister of Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability (NRES), Nik Azmi Nik Ahmad to address key funding priorities for Malaysia’s biodiversity conservation initiatives. Julian had the opportunity to meet with esteemed representatives from Pew Charitable Trusts, Pacific Environment, and the Zoological Society of London (ZSL) during this trip. Read Julian’s takeaways from COP16 here.

2024 STAR GOLDEN HEARTS AWARDS

RCM’s team at the award ceremony, including our CEO, CPO, colleagues, trustee member and ambassadors

Recently, Reef Check Malaysia was honored to be one of 10 organizations and individuals out of over 500 nominees to receive a 2024 Star Golden Hearts Award, given to those who have sparked changes and created impact nationwide through their noble efforts. RCM’s team attended the award ceremony, and our Chief Program Officer (CPO) Alvin Chelliah, gave a speech on behalf of RCM. The award ceremony, themed “Power of One, the Strength of Many”, was a significant one as SGHA 2024 celebrated its 10th year anniversary since its inception in 2015.

By Reef Check’s Baja California Regional Manager Jessica Pantoja
Photos: Anahi Bermudez

Did you know we have been working on a bi-national Kelp Forest Monitoring Program between Mexico and the US? This month, Reef Check and our key partners in Mexico, such as the MexCal team from UABC (Universidad Autónoma de Baja California) and the NGO ECOCIMATI, took another step in enhancing a long-term, large-scale program to monitor and evaluate our shared coastal ecosystems. Newly hired Baja California Regional Manager Jessica Pantoja from Reef Check and Alex Castillo (MexCal) will coordinate this new adventure by bringing together volunteers from both sides of the border to dive with purpose along the beautiful northwest coast. 

A recap of October’s surveys: 

2024’s surveys began in Ensenada with a mix of volunteers from the United States and Mexico, and staff from MexCal and Reef Check. The group of 10 divers set out from Ensenada to survey Todos Santos Bay and areas further along the coast. In three days the team surveyed the sites of Salsipuedes, San Miguel, Todos Santos Island, and Punta Banda- the southern tip of the bay. This Bi-national team completed four survey sites and has trained three Ensenada locals in Reef Check and MexCal-adapted protocols. 

On the second weekend the team moved north to the Coronado Islands, located off the coast of Tijuana, where four more sites were surveyed. By the end of the second weekend, our newly hired regional managers were running surveys and taking charge in English, Spanish and bubbles! 

These underwater ecological surveys are already documenting critical insights. For example, data show an increase in urchin density and invasive algae species like hornweed (Sargassum horneri) and a decrease in kelp species like giant kelp (Macrocystis pyrifera) and California sea palm (Eisenia arborea). However, some areas like the islands of Todos Santos were still thriving and seemingly recovering from past years. 

Looking ahead, we are hoping to expand our survey range throughout the coastline and bring in a variety of volunteer divers from Baja and beyond. With dedicated staff focusing on the Baja region, we also hope to conduct a much longer season throughout the summer of 2025! This program was made possible thanks to grant support from the Binational Resilience Initiative at San Diego Foundation, as well as the support of our local collaborators (MexCal, ECOCIMATI, UABC, and all the local eager divers), who have had a key role in creating one of the long-term kelp forest monitoring programs in Baja California.

We look forward to continuing our local collaboration as we continue the program! 

Monitoring these ecosystems is essential for understanding their health and vulnerabilities, and providing key data to support decision-making that drives management and conservation efforts. Additionally, given that Baja California’s kelp forests are thought to be oracles for the future of kelp forests in California and along the Northwest coast, these collaborations are an opportunity to enhance our understanding of these systems at larger scales with the hands and eyes of local divers up and down the coast!

By Julian Hyde, Reef Check Malaysia CEO

I’ve been in Hawai’i for two weeks now, helping a fledgling Reef Check Hawai’i to get established. I haven’t actually done much training recently – or diving, come to that! But it’s been reassuring that it comes back quickly!

Diving here is interesting. The reefs are not as diverse as in Malaysia—not surprisingly, given that Malaysia is part of the Coral Triangle. But the water quality is great, and there are ample opportunities to spot megafauna. Two days ago, a manta ray slid slowly past our team while we were doing surveys; today, a 4-meter tiger shark came to visit the team on a training dive!

The Goal of the EcoDiver Training in Hawai’i

Our primary goal is to get a team of divers certified up to EcoDiver Trainer, so they can build a bigger team. That is going amazingly well, and the local team – Brad Giles, Rachel Yoder and Adam Florea, have been very passionate and committed to the training – which we are somehow doing around their regular working shifts in the dive center that is supporting this effort. So early starts and long days all around!

They have an ambitious goal to set up a survey program covering some 90 sites by the middle of next year, focusing on the main island (which is often referred to as “The Big Island” but is actually called Hawai’i) but also expanding to some of the other islands.

Marine Conservation in Hawai’i

Hawai’i is home to the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument, the largest Marine Protected Area (MPA) in Hawai’i and one of the largest in the world. It covers the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. There is some monitoring going on at the other islands, mainly conducted by the Division of Aquatic Resources, which manages the state’s Marine Life Conservation Districts, which are the state’s MPAs. What RC Hawai’i hopes to do is similar to what we are doing in Malaysia – getting volunteers involved as “citizen scientists” to provide more data on what is happening to the reefs around all the islands.

What is most interesting is the parallels between Hawai’i and Malaysia. The threats to the reefs are the same – local threats such as pollution, overfishing and impacts from tourism, and global threats such as climate change. There has historically been little involvement of local stakeholders in monitoring and management and the local indigenous population in Hawai’i seems to be somewhat marginalized – sound familiar? But from what I have been told, they are keen to participate where possible – just as in our own islands in Malaysia.

Hopefully, this will be the start of a great partnership! I’m hopeful that I will be able to keep in touch with the team here, and share what we have learned about setting up a Reef Check operation in Malaysia – if nothing else, so they can avoid the mistakes we made!

Our gratitude to the Reef Check Foundation

Finally a quick word of thanks to Reef Check Foundation who helped to set this up, and who have done fundraising for it; and to Jack’s Diving Locker here in Kona, Hawai’i, who have provided all the diving logistics for the training.

Good luck to the newest RC chapter – Reef Check Hawai’i!

Next stop on my trip – to meet RC Dominican Republic and learn about their experience actually managing MPAs. After that – Cali, Colombia, to attend COP 16, the UN’s conference on biodiversity. As mentioned previously, it’s going to be a very interesting conference; COP 15 two years ago agreed on biodiversity conservation targets; this time it’s about setting up the mechanisms and funding to make those targets real.