The Transect Line - July/August 2024

Reef Check Hawai’i to Relaunch this September

Did you know the first ever Reef Check survey was conducted in Kaua’i, Hawai’i, USA? Reef Check is happy to announce that we are coming back to the place it all started! Reef Check Hawai’i is relaunching next month! We need your help to raise start-up funds to get this program off the ground. Our goal is to raise $10,000 to fully launch this program:

Go here to donate to the launch of the Reef Check Hawai’i Program!

Reef Check to Develop Apprenticeship Program for a More Diverse Workforce in Marine Science

Reef Check Foundation was recently awarded a $200,000 grant from the California Department of Industrial Relations (DIR). This grant is part of an investment announced by Governor Gavin Newsom in July to increase apprenticeship opportunities that will help break career barriers for opportunity youth across California, helping them launch into their future careers. Reef Check will develop a first-of-its-kind apprenticeship program to create a pathway into marine science through scuba diving.

Dive into Science Program Updates and Successes

Reef Check’s Dive into Science Program is gaining momentum with a string of great successes taking place this season! Several cohorts have completed their Open Water and Advanced dive courses, earning their respective certifications and expanding their marine science knowledge along the way. Click below for updates on the Northern California Tribal program and those involving the Coastal Chumash and Tongva communities, the Tolowa Dee-ni’ Nation, and Los Angeles and Antelope Valley foster youth.

Video Spotlight: Kelp in The Northwest

Made by Anna Lueck, this short film was her grad school final project. “Kelp in the Northwest” examines a habitat in danger and the people working to save it, including Reef Check programs and partners in Oregon and Washington.

Watch Video

Reef Check Baja: A Story of Binational Collaboration for Kelp Forest Conservation

In the coastal regions of San Diego and Ensenada, Reef Check and our partners at EcoCiMaTi and UABC (Universidad Autónoma de Baja California) piloted an initiative to better understand threats facing kelp forests in our shared oceans. Driven by a shared commitment to safeguarding the vital kelp ecosystems surrounding the Coronado Islands, the team worked over the course of a year to recruit and train a binational group of citizen scientists, conduct Reef Check surveys, and engage communities on both sides of the U.S.-Mexico border in our efforts.

“Ti Moun”: Reef Check for Kids in Martinique

The conservation of natural heritage for future generations is an important motivation for preserving coral reefs in the long term. In Martinique, an island of the French Caribbean, the local Reef Check chapter coordinator at L’Asso-Mer dedicates efforts to introduce schoolchildren to marine ecosystems. The NGO thus created an entire program adapted for youth called “Reef Check Ti Moun” (“kids” in Martinican Creole). Click below to review the curriculum and tools created.

The Latest Happenings with Reef Check Malaysia

Reef Check Malaysia shares all their latest news- a positive update on coral bleaching, their recent attendance at the UN Ocean Decade Conference, a new project in Mersing, the search for a more cost-effective solution to handle waste management, outreach efforts on Redang Island, and corporate sponsor conservation programs on Tioman.