Name: Reef Relief Annual Meeting
Start: 2026-01-07T17:00:00-05:00
End: 2026-01-07T21:00:00-05:00
Location: 2001 S Roosevelt Blvd, Key West, FL 33040-5243, United States

Reef Relief invites the community to attend its Annual Meeting on January 7, 2026, from 5:00-8:00 PM at the Margaritaville Beach House Resort, located at 2001 South Roosevelt Boulevard, Key West. This special evening will bring together Reef Relief supporters, scientists, and community members to celebrate the organization’s work and learn about ongoing marine conservation efforts in the Florida Keys.
The event will feature a cash bar, light hors d’oeuvres, opportunities to mingle, and a presentation of Reef Relief’s annual report, highlighting recent accomplishments and future priorities. The program will also include presentations from two distinguished guest speakers whose research and outreach play a critical role in protecting Florida Keys ecosystems.
Shelly Krueger, Monroe County Sea Grant Extension Agent with the University of Florida, will present on sponge restoration in the Florida Keys. Sponges are essential to healthy nearshore habitats, where they filter large volumes of water, cycle nutrients, and provide vital nursery habitat for species such as spiny lobster, stone crab, and bonefish. The loss of sponges in hardbottom habitats has prompted increasing calls for restoration, making this work especially timely.
The meeting will also feature Dr. Kristen Hart, a Research Ecologist with the U.S. Geological Survey’s Wetland and Aquatic Research Center. Dr. Hart will share findings from her long-term research on sea turtle ecology in the Florida Keys and Dry Tortugas National Park. Dr. Hart’s field team has conducted annual research in these areas since 2006, using both in-water and nesting beach captures. Her presentation will highlight key trends from thousands of turtle captures over the past two decades and showcase satellite-tracked “hotspots” where hundreds of sea turtles reside.
Reef Relief’s Annual Meeting is open to members and the public. Community members are encouraged to attend, learn from leading experts, and connect with others committed to protecting the Florida Keys’ unique marine environment.