Reef Check News

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Get the latest news and information about how we’re contributing to the global effort to save and preserve our coral reefs.

Brighter Prospects for the World’s Coral Reefs? (Science Magazine, July 1997)

July 25, 1997

Just a few years ago, scientists sounded the alarm that coral reefs around the world were seriously ailing. Some were bleaching a ghostly white as warmer than usual sea temperatures…

Scientists Launch Survey of Reef Health (Science Magazine, June 1997)

June 6, 1997

Starting on 14 June, about 500 recreational scuba divers will become scientists for a day. Armed with measuring tapes and underwater writing slates, they will take to the shallow waters…

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May 11

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In March, Reef Check Baja teamed up with COBI (Comunidad y Biodiversidad, A.C.) to train two fishing cooperatives in kelp forest monitoring across Bahía Asunción and Bahía Tortugas. Together, 30 participants, including divers and snorkelers, learned how to collect critical data on fish, algae, invertebrates, and habitat health.⁠
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What makes this work powerful?⁠
Local fishers are already stewards of these ecosystems. By combining their generational knowledge with Reef Check’s scientific methods, we’re building a monitoring network that is both deeply rooted and future-focused.⁠
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Highlights from the training:⁠
• Youth engagement, with participants as young as 14 stepping into conservation leadership⁠
• Hands-on training in species ID, survey techniques, and safety protocols⁠
• Collaboration across organizations, scientists, and fishing communities⁠
• A growing network of community scientists generating real data to guide sustainable fisheries⁠
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This is what community-based conservation looks like: science + local knowledge + shared responsibility.⁠
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👉 Follow @reefcheck_baja to stay connected with their team and get the latest news from the area.⁠
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#KelpForest #OceanConservation #CitizenScience #BajaCalifornia #ScubaDiving⁠ ...

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May 8

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Across the globe, we celebrate the GOAT, @davidattenborough for his impactful 100 years on this planet.⁠
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📸: @azul.unlimited
We are forever inspired by the leaders in ocean conservation. Their messages got us started in this work, and we will continue to carry the torch into the future.⁠
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#ScubaDiving #OceanConservation #DavidAttenborough #ClimateAction #ReefRestoration⁠

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May 6

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Hidden corners of the ocean still exist… and historical Reef Check data has revealed one: North Halmahera.⁠
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Tucked within the heart of the Coral Triangle, this remote region of Indonesia is emerging as a true underwater frontier. With vibrant coral reefs, thriving fish populations, and very little dive traffic, it offers something that’s becoming increasingly rare: a sense of pure discovery.⁠
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What makes this even more exciting? Recent explorations suggest the reefs are still remarkably healthy and diverse, as represented by the old Reef Check data, which showed it had some of the highest coral cover in Indonesia. ⁠
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This is exactly why long-term monitoring matters. Without consistent data collection, we wouldn’t know how reefs have changed over time, which ecosystems are thriving, or where conservation efforts are working.⁠
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Reef Check’s global network of trained citizen scientists helps provide that critical baseline, allowing researchers, communities, and conservationists to better understand and protect these ecosystems before it’s too late.⁠
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Once the data are collected, the next steps are to engage local efforts to create protections for these remote and vulnerable ecosystems.⁠
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#ReefCheck #CoralTriangle #MarineConservation #CitizenScience #ScubaDiving ...