REEF CHECK
REEF CHECK’S BID FOR THE OCEANS KICKS OFF IN SEPTEMBER Sign in as early as September 9 to peruse the offers! Reef Check Foundation is a non-profit organisation that works to protect our oceans through conservation, research and education. Every year, Reef Check trains hundreds of volunteer SCUBA divers to become citizen scientists to monitor tropical coral reefs, California rocky reefs, and Mediterranean reefs. The data collected is freely available to anyone, and is used worldwide to improve the health and protection of our oceans. Reef Check empowers people everywhere to take care of our reefs and oceans. Reef Check’s network spans 90 countries and territories, with more than 7,000 EcoDivers who have completed over 10,000 surveys since 1997, creating the largest and longest running database on coral reef health on the planet. Mark your calendars! Reef Check’s online auction fundraiser, “Bid for the Oceans”, will happen September 16-26, 2019. From dive trips, beach resort stays, unique experiences
and cool gear, there will be something for everyone. When you bid on exclusive and exciting deals you will be supporting Reef Check’s work around the world.
Join us with Bid for the Oceans, and help Reef Check protect our seas! Bid for the Oceans: https://bit.ly/2OvYLuV
A BIG WELCOME TO THE NEWEST ECODIVERS AND TRAINERS
ON THE BIG ISLAND OF HAWAII UNDERWATER PHOTOGRAPHY SARAH LEE
Aloha! After almost a 10 year dormancy in Hawaii, Reef Check is very happy to welcome the newest Trainers, as well as EcoDivers, on the Big Island. Reef Check Foundation’s Dania Trespalacios and Jan Freiwald teamed up with Reef Check Malaysia’s Julian Hyde to conduct two Reef Check Trainings and to mentor the new teams as they begin to develop monitoring and education programmes and to collaborate with local management authorities. Four EcoDivers from the Coral Reef Education Institute successfully completed their Training of Trainers: Heather Howard, Paul Badgley, Tara Brooks and Nick Pacheco. Trained as EcoDivers by Gregor Hodgson in October of last year, these newly minted Trainers worked very hard to complete their required surveys in time for the Training, and had many good suggestions to improve future Trainings and Training Materials. Six divers from Aquatic Life Divers successfully completed the EcoDiver Course: Neil Forsberg, Bayli Payne, Manny Katz, Cody Roth, Zain Hicks and Olivia O’Neil. Both teams from the Big Island have big plans to contribute to Hawaii’s coral reef monitoring and management efforts, and to play a significant role in diver education and 22
DIVERS FOR THE ENVIRONMENT | SEPTEMBER 2019
New Trainers, Tara, Nick, Heather and Paul.
Olivia and Manny show off their new slates and prepare for a survey.
Julian gives Cody the OK during a practice survey.
community outreach. In particular, the Coral Reef Education Institute plans to collect data to support Hawaii’s 30 by 30 initiative, which is committed to effectively manage 30% of
Hawaii’s nearshore ocean waters by 2030. Congratulations to our Reef Check teams in Hawaii! Mahalo!
