The Transect Line - November/December 2025

2025 Year in Review

As the year comes to a close, I want to extend my sincere gratitude for your support. Thanks to our global network of volunteers, donors, and partners, 2025 has been a milestone year for Reef Check.

We celebrated the 20th anniversary of our Kelp Forest Monitoring Program, completed our 2,000th kelp survey, and launched a new monitoring program in Chile. We also strengthened our team by hiring a Dive into Science Program Coordinator and new Volunteer Coordinators in Oregon and Washington, expanding our reach along the West Coast.

Across our coral reef programs, we welcomed Aqualink as an official Global Reef Tracker partner, contributed data to the GCRMN Pacific assessment of coral reefs, and held our first tropical EcoDiver/Kelp Forest crossover course in Hawai‘i.

Our education and community programs grew as well, with 53 new scuba certifications, expansion of Dive into Science into Oregon with ORKA and the Coquille Indian Tribe, and the completion of a Kelp Forest Monitoring course with the Coastal Chumash and Tongva Community program.

In restoration, we launched Oregon’s first Kelp Defenders training program and completed 33 surveys across ten restoration sites—important steps toward rebuilding resilient kelp forests.

If you are able, I respectfully ask you to consider making a year-end donation to help sustain and expand this vital work. To help amplify your impact, all donations—whether made as a one-time gift or as a new monthly contribution—will be matched dollar for dollar up to $7,500.

Thank you for being part of the Reef Check community. I wish you and your loved ones a joyful holiday season and look forward to what we will accomplish together in the year ahead.

With heartfelt gratitude,

Dr. Jan Freiwald

Executive Director

Reef Check Foundation

2025 Highlights

Kelp Forest Monitoring Program: A Massive Team Effort Results in a Record Year

On December 10th, Reef Check finished their 2025 kelp forest survey season. This was our 20th season surveying kelp forests, and for the first time, we completed over 200 surveys in a season, including our 2,000th survey! This was a monumental effort and we could not have done it without our 250+ amazing volunteer divers who completed roughly 3,000 dives to collect this vital data. They braved cold water, long swims, rough boat rides, difficult shore entries, poor visibility, and heavy surge and currents, to measure the health of these amazing ecosystems. Thank you all for your passion and dedication!

Dive into Science: Year of Growth, Leadership and Ocean Stewardship

This year has been one of our most impactful yet, with Dive into Science programs flourishing across the state of California. Through our programs with the Tribal communities of Tolowa Dee-ni’, Sherwood Valley Band of Pomo, Chumash and Tongva, and foster youth in Los Angeles and the Antelope Valley, emerging ocean leaders gained hands-on experience in diving, marine science and ocean stewardship. This season showcased the power of community, partnership and culturally-relevant science education and we look forward to making even greater strides in 2026!

Ready to “Freeze Off” for the Reefs?

Want an excuse to run into cold water and help protect reefs and kelp forests at the same time? We’ve got you. Reef Check and our friends at Surf-fur are teaming up for the Reef Check “Freeze Off” Challenge – a global plunge party to raise awareness (and funds!) for ocean conservation.

1. Grab your ticket

Each ticket supports Reef Check’s coral reef and kelp forest monitoring and gets you entered into a giveaway featuring prizes from awesome ocean-loving brands (think Surf-fur parkas, dive gear, underwater phone housings, reef-safe hair + skin care, and more!)

2. Recruit your plunge crew

Friends, family, dive buddies, surf pals, co-workers… anyone who’s up for a quick cold-water dash. Make it part of a holiday gathering or New Year tradition, then challenge 3 more people to plunge!

3. Pick your plunge spot

Ocean, lake, river, backyard kiddie pool – if it’s chilly and splashable, it counts.

4. Plunge + post for the planet

Take the plunge, snap a photo or video, and share it on social media with #reefcheck #surffur #freezeoff for an extra chance to win.

I’ll take the plunge!

Reef Check’s
Winter Webinar Series

We have lined up some amazing talks for you to get your Reef Check fix over the long winter months. The following is what’s ahead for our Winter Webinar Series. Click below to register and add them to your calendar!

Video Spotlight: Reef Check Washington

Want to know what motivates Reef Check volunteers to keep coming back to survey our kelp forests and contribute to citizen science? Hear from some of our Washington volunteers and check out what happens underwater as we splash with our survey team during the last Washington kelp survey of 2025. Video by Jordan Melograna

View Video

Remembering Josh Russo

In Baja California, the second annual Kelp Day was celebrated in Ensenada. Local organizations, universities, and community groups came together to honor the kelp forests that sustain life along the peninsula’s coast. What began as an initiative of the Ecosystem Management Group for the Californias (MexCal) at the Universidad Autónoma de Baja California (UABC)—in collaboration with Reef Check—has now evolved into a growing community effort that bridges science, education, and conservation. The Reef Check Baja team conducted its annual monitoring survey at Campo Kennedy, one of Ensenada’s most visited dive sites and home of a once-lush kelp forest.