New Reef Check Program Launches in Ecuador

We are happy to announce there is a new Reef Check coordinator and training facility in Ecuador, led by Conservación Marina Ecuador (CONMAR). They share this introduction to their organization below:

One of CONMAR’s main objectives is to increase the efforts on scientific research and monitoring of coral reef ecosystems in continental Ecuador. Looking into how we could do this, we came across Reef Check. We really liked the standardized reef health survey methods they use and decided it was time to implement it here in Ecuador, while also creating EcoDiver teams at different local coastal communities. We invited marine biologist and Reef Check EcoDiver Course Director Andrew Taylor, from Blue Corner in Bali, Indonesia, to train us to become Reef Check EcoDiver Trainers. For about two weeks, we were diving every day conducting reef health surveys, while learning more about coral communities in Ecuador. We also updated indicator species for the East Pacific according to what we saw during our surveys. Now, we are only a team of four people, but we are hoping to grow more over the coming years, showing citizens the importance of coral reefs, ecosystem monitoring, and how each one can help to conserve our ocean backyard. 

Please visit the Reef Check Ecuador page for more information.