The Transect Line – October 2008 | |
2008 Photo Contest Winners Announced! | |
Reef Check’s International Photography Contest 2008 “What Do Reefs Mean To You?” has concluded! Enthusiasts from over 33 countries and territories around the world submitted close to 300 photos. We would like to thank all of you who helped us promote the contest, submitted photos, voted for favorites, or simply took the time to visit the contest site to check out the photo entries. We would also like to thank contest sponsors Body Glove, Chapman Walters Intercoastal Corporation, Manthiri Maldives, Oceanic Worldwide, and PROMATE for their support, as well as pros David Fleetham, Dan Gotshall and Bonnie Pelnar, who readily volunteered their precious time to be part of our judging panel. All of your efforts combined made Reef Check’s 1st International Photography Contest such a great success that we have decided to hold the Contest again in 2009! The Winners and Honorable Mentions are listed below, congratulations! People and the Reef Winner: “Traveling Circus” by Barb Makohin People and the Reef Honorable Mention: “Honu Drift” by Erin Pfuntner To view all winners and entries, please visit the Contest Website. |
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Steal A Deal At The Online Auction For Reef Rescue 2008 | |
Reef Rescue 2008 will take place on November 15th at the beautiful Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach, California. Following a silent auction among the exotic fish in the Tropical Tanks, guests will dine at international food stations and interact with fun exhibits celebrating the cultural diversity of reef nations from around the world. Then, hold onto your tank! It’s a live auction featuring thrilling auctioneer, Tere Morris! A celebration follows for 2008’s Spirit of the Reef Award honoree Greg MacGillivray, creator of films such as “Five Summer Stories” and “IMAX Coral Reef Adventure”. There are just a few days left to purchase tickets- don't be left out! Please RSVP today! Congratulations to Ms. Teh Soo Sze of Malaysia, winner of the Reef Check/AliveNotDead.com contest! As the gr |
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New Reef Check/Biosphere Expeditions EcoExpedition: Musandam, Oman | |
Expedition members will arrive at the bustling airport of neighboring Dubai, one of the six “emirates” of the United Arab Emirates. The contrast between metropolitan Dubai and the Musandam peninsula could not be greater. Dubai resembles Hong Kong on steroids, with a building boom that puts Shanghai to shame. Wealthy, local entrepreneurs are competing to build the biggest, tallest, most outrageous office buildings, hotels and mosques in the world. The latest entrant is the 2,313 foot (818 m) high Burj Dubai- a building double the height of the Empire State Building. The Palm Jumeirah development actually looks like a giant palm tree floating in the waters fronting the city. After arriving in Dubai, expedition members will travel by car on new roads three hours up the coast to Khasab, a small historic town, where they will board the MV Khalad, a live-aboard boat. The MV Khalad is a 23 m long, air conditioned “dhow” with an experienced crew, a skiff and an imaginative cook. The expedition leader is Jon Shrives, a jovial British doctoral candidate in coral reef ecology at Oxford University. Jon has led Biosphere/Reef Check expeditions |
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Reef Check California Update | |
![]() October has been an incredible month of both challenging and stellar ocean conditions. Reef Checkers across the state have been able to make the final push and complete the bulk of surveys for the 2008 season. We are wrapping up the final surveys now and are on track to complete 60 sites this year. This is a 25% increase in the number of survey sites from 2007! Reef Check California is able to continue the expansion of our monitoring network because of the dedication of our divers and the support of our members. Your donations directly contribute to our ability to continue expanding our monitoring network. From our humble beginnings in 2006, with 18 sites surveyed statewide, our monitoring network has grown by an incredible 230%! This ensures we are getting the critical data needed by marine resource managers for them to make informed decisions. To that end, RCCA has begun working closely with a newly created position within the California Department of Fish & Game (CDFG), the Research and Data Partnership Coordinator. This partnership will ensure that we continue to provide RCCA data in the most useable format to the CDFG and that the data is applied in all necessary areas of marine management. We also continue to interact with the MPA Monitoring Enterprise, participating in meetings in the North Central Region, discussing the monitoring plan for the soon-to-be-enacted MPAs, and in Southern California as the MLPA process gets underway in that region. You can visit the links below from our discussion forum to see some of the amazing things our divers have been up to this past month: Nor/Cen Cal – 10/10 – 12 Ocean Cove Survey Camp Out! (click here for pictures) We continue to be on the front lines of improving marine management in California, and we need your continued help! Your donations to RCCA go directly to supporting the collection of critical data needed to keep the management of California’s marine resources sustainable. If you aren’t already a Reef Check member, join us, and if you are a diver, sign up for a 2009 training! |
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International Year of the Reef Update | |
It is only two months until the end of the International Year of the Reef and the festivities continue! For those who are not involved yet, there is still time to sign the International Declaration of Reef Rights, enter Reef Check’s Youth Singing Contest, or participate in any reef conservation activity that adds momentum to the already unstoppable IYOR. Living away from the ocean or a coral reef is no excuse! Marine biologists and underwater photographers Wayne and Karen Brown from The Ocean Adventure are raising coral reef awareness during the IYOR through their national school assembly, The Australia Great Barrier Reef Expedition. This exciting K-8th grade program ties in with the popular movie “Finding Nemo” and takes the audience on a virtual expedition using props, biological models, modern SCUBA diving equipment and breathtaking underwater photography! READ MORE In November, the Village of Tequesta Parks & Recreation Department in Florida will be taking steps towards saving the Earth for Tequesta’s future. Their annual Harvest Festival will include the usual fun rides, great entertainment, yummy food, and games. This year, however, they will also incorporate environmental components. As a contribution to the IYOR they have invited Reef Check to be part of the Festival. READ MORE Many contests are being held around the world to raise awareness of reef ecosystems. The Horizon International Magic Porthole's First Environment Achievement Contest, for example, asks people to talk about their efforts to help save coral reefs, no matter how far they live from the ocean. Individuals of all ages and organizations are invited to participate, and the deadline has been extended to December 31, 2008. Aquariums, museums and coral reef organizations, including Reef Check, are offering prizes for this contest. It is very easy to enter, so do it today! Contest details are posted on the Magic Porthole website. USVI’s tireless efforts to engage residents in marine conservation continue! During the 7th and last movie of their FREE Family Movie Night series, they will show “Shark Tale” on Friday, November 21st from 7:00 to 8:30 pm at the University of the Virgin Islands Great Hall- there will be free popcorn! In addition, St. Croix’s IYOR Committee and St. Croix’s Environmental Association have teamed up for IYOR to offer free snorkel clinics to St. Croix community members. READ MORE The Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s Coral Reef Conservation Program is celebrating the IYOR by offering free
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Have you signed the International Declaration of Reef Rights? Join the 12,676 ocean lovers from 146 countries who already have! Click here to sign the International Declaration of Reef Rights Reef Check and Body Glove have teamed up with Surfline for a special contest– sign the Declaration and you can win an Eco Prize Pack consisting of a Body Glove Eco Fullsuit, Eco PFD, and a pair of Castaway sandals! |
Reef Check Teams in Action | |
Turks & Caicos Team Completes First Reef Check Survey
We plan to add sites and to complete our surveys at least once a year. Aside from the data that we collect, the most important value of this project comes from its emphasis on education and raising awareness. I am still shocked when I |
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Dominican Republic Students Get To Know Their Marine Resources
The camp took place over two days filled with activities designed to bring the ocean to the feet of the boys and girls. The children learned about the ocean, its fundamental importance to their community and the planet Earth, and the interesting creatures that inhabit its coasts and depths, as well as the greatest threats to its health and actions they can take to ensure all of us have a better future by taking care of our natural resources. All this was accomplished through talks, videos, experiments, and hands on experiences with nature herself. The kids increased their ecological awareness through incredible experiences that they will never forget. At the end of the camp, the kids created a mural on the school wall illustrating their newly acquired knowledge, which will serve to raise awareness among fellow classmates. This camp was made possible thanks to the support of the following: Hotel Association La Romana-Bayahibe (Asociación de Hoteles La Romana-Bayahibe), La Romana: Distinctively Dominican, United States Peace Corps, Lila Shop, Santo Domingo National Aquarium (Acuario Nacional de Santo Domingo), Dominican Foundation Pro-Investigation and Conservation of Marine Resources (Fundación Dominicana Pro-Investigación y Conservación de los Recursos Marinos – MAMMA), Friends of Bayahibe’s Dolphins Foundation (Fundación Amigos de los Delfines de Bayahibe), and Hotel Oasis Canoa. In addition, we would like to thank all the volunteers who donated their time to ensure the camp’s success! For more pictures from camp, visit http://forum.reefcheck.org/gallery/main.php?g2_itemId=17527 |
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Coral Cay Conservation and Reef Check Team Up To Save Tobago's Threatened Reefs
If you are interested in helping us save Tobago’s stunning coastal ecosystems, then please visit us at www.coralcay.org and sign up for the experience of a lifetime! CCC would like to thank Reef Check for their dedicated support throughout the project and, in |
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Reef Check Maldives Releases Survey Report
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Mark Your Calendars | |
Orange County Coast Wine Bar Tour With Reef Check and Las Olas Wine!
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