EVENT: CORALS IN AND LIONFISH OUT! Sept 10-13, 2014

[REEF HQ]

Contact:
Jessica Levy Jessica@coralrestoration.org (305) 453-7030
Martha Klitzkie Martha@REEF.org (305) 852-0030


For immediate release with 6 photos August 12, 2014

CORALS IN AND LIONFISH OUT!
Coral Restoration Foundation and REEF Pair Up to Restore the Native and Remove the Invasive​

August 12, 2014- Coral Restoration Foundation (CRF) and Reef Environmental Education Foundation (REEF), are working together to raise awareness about coral reef conservation in the Florida Keys. For the first time ever, the marine conservation groups will host a special event, “Coral In and Lionfish Out,” to engage the public and raise funds for coral restoration and lionfish removal efforts in the Florida Keys.

THE MISSION - Within the past three decades the Florida Keys barrier reef system has experienced a great loss of biodiversity. This loss of biodiversity includes the population decline of staghorn and elkhorn corals- two important reef building species- and the introduction of the invasive lionfish- a fish that feeds heavily on native reef fish with no natural predators. CRF and REEF are dedicated nonprofit organizations that have been working to conserve and restore our coral reefs back to their previous state. With great progress over the years, CRF and REEF are excited to team up with the public this September.

HOW YOU CAN HELP–
1-You can support this exciting week of events by attending free presentations, participating in the REEF lionfish derby, or
2- Pledging your support to CRF and REEF for the combined number of corals planted and lionfish removed during the event. You can pledge any amount from one penny up.
For example, let’s say 500 lionfish are removed and 500 corals are planted, if you pledged a nickel, your total donation amount would be $50.

All donations are tax deductible and proceeds will fund the marine conservation programs of CRF and REEF. Events begin September 10^th, mark your calendars and make your pledge today! For more complete details on all of the events or to make your pledge visit Corals In & Lionfish Out | Reef Environmental Education Foundation (REEF).

DATE	SEPTEMBER 10	SEPTEMBER 11	SEPTEMBER 12	SEPTEMBER 13
EVENT	Free Coral Restoration Presentation	Coral Plant-a-thon	REEF Derby Captain’s Meeting and Free Lionfish Presentation	REEF Lionfish Derby
LOCATION	CRF Education Center (5 Seagate Blvd. Key Largo)	Key Largo Coral Reef	John Pennekamp State Park	John Pennekamp State Park
TIME	6:30PM	All Day	6:30	Derby begins at sunup Scoring begins at 3:00PM

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Coral Restoration Foundation (CRF) is a 501 (c) (3) nonprofit conservation organization headquartered in Key Largo, Florida created to develop offshore coral nurseries and restoration strategies for critically endangered coral reefs at local, national, and international levels. To learn more about the restoration efforts of CRF, visit www.coralrestoration.org.

Reef Environmental Education Foundation (REEF) is a grass-roots organization that seeks to conserve marine ecosystems by educating, enlisting, and enabling divers and other marine enthusiasts to become active ocean stewards and citizen scientists. The Invasive Lionfish Research program aims to educate and enlist the public in the removal of this invasive species. To learn more about REEF and their conservation programs, visit www.REEF.org.

 

[The Chairman]

I love it! The best part is that it's in my backyard!

 

[REEF HQ]

REEF is really looking forward to the events we have this week! Corals In & Lionfish Out kicks off tomorrow with Fish & Friends Social at 6:30pm and Seminar at 7:00pm at REEF headquarters, with the presentation by two of our own, Lad Akins and Elizabeth Underwood. Stop by to learn about the Lionfish science we are conducting here at REEF, what we are doing and how we are doing it!

 

[The Chairman]

I certainly hope to be there tomorrow night!

 

[REEF HQ]

Thank you to everyone who came out to support REEF's own researchers, Liz Underwood and Lad Akins, at Fish and Friends last night, it was a hit! Come out tonight and support the Coral Restoration Foundation by attending their presentation at 6:30pm at CRF headquarters. Learn about what they are doing to restore native coral populations here in the keys!

 

[REEF HQ]

The Coral Plant-A-Thon was a HUGE success yesterday! The Coral Restoration Foundation broke the record for the most corals planted in one day in the Upper Keys, with 765 newly planted corals! Hopefully REEF's derby has that much success removing invasive lionfish!

If you are in a registered team, make sure one of your members attends the Captain's Meeting tonight at 6:30 at the John Pennekamp Visitor Center, where we will go over the rules for the derby as well as safe lionfish handling processes. If you are interested in joining a team or still need to register one, come out at 5:30 tonight for late registration.

While teams are out in the water for a day of lionfish removal, the public can join REEF for a fun day of scoring, demonstrations, raffles, and lionfish tasting at the Pennekamp Visitor Center from 3:00pm-7:00pm! Good luck to our teams tomorrow, let's go catch some lionfish!

 

[REEF HQ]

REEF would like to thank everyone who visited Key Largo's 5th Annual Lionfish Derby on Saturday! Twenty two teams of snorkelers and divers came out to participate, catching a total of 573 lionfish, with the smallest lionfish at 2 inches and the largest at 17 inches! Stay tuned to learn more about the next Upper Keys derby in February 2015!