FKNMS Volunteer Program Goals

1. Provide a "hands-on" opportunity for the public to become involved in the protection and preservation of their Sanctuary;
2. Support public education and awareness efforts on how we all may be better stewards;
3. Increase community participation in research and monitoring, education, underwater projects, office and administrative tasks, and in representing the Sanctuary at certain events and functions.

FKNMS Volunteer Programs

Team O.C.E.A.N.: The Ocean Conservation Education Action Network is an on-water educational and information service of the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary in which volunteers are stationed at popular reefs providing information to visitors about enjoying our reefs without harming them.
For more information on Lower Keys Team O.C.E.A.N. contact: Todd Hitchins at (305) 292-0311 x230.
For more information on UPPER Keys Team O.C.E.A.N. contact: Rewa Maldonado at (305) 852-7717 x39

Florida Keys Eco-Discovery Center: Volunteer greeters/docents/activity assistants are needed to assist the staff for half or full day shifts. For more information on volunteering at the Florida Keys Eco-Discovery Center Key West, contact Craig Wanous at 305-809-4750.

Internships - FKNMS and Other

There are many different opportunities for internships in the Florida Keys. Each agency and organization has different qualifications, requirements, application process, stipends, and housing. If you are interested in any of the internships listed on this site please contact the person listed on the individual position description.

Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary
Education Staff Assistant
The Education Staff Assistant will assist in the organization and maintenance of the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary (FKNMS) upper region education resources as well as helping in the continuing efforts to educate the community and visitors to South Florida about our precious environments. The intern will also provide field assistance to FKNMS staff for both land- and water-based projects.

Island Dolphin Care
Marine Education Internships
Island Dolphin Care is a dolphin assisted therapy and marine education center in Key Largo. Marine Education Interns assist with the development and implementation of curriculum at the Center as well as in outreach settings. Internships are generally between 4-6 weeks in length. For detailed information, please visit the website at www.islanddolphincare.org or call Sara Hamilton at (305) 451-5884.

Marathon Wild Bird Center
This is a wild bird rehabilitation center located on the Crane Point Museum and Nature Center property in Marathon, within a 64-acre hardwood hammock. The Center has a full hospital that includes x-ray and surgical capabilities and partner with the Marathon Veterinary Hospital (Dr. Doug Mader, DVM). The Center rescues, rehabilitates and releases native sick, injured and orphaned wild birds. Established in 1995, the Center now has approximately 60 permanent birds on display for educational purposes and admits 800-1,000 birds on an annual basis. The Center has housing, but no stipend, available for an intern and would prefer a commitment of three or more months. Short-term volunteers with their own housing are also welcome. For detailed information, please visit the website at www.marathonwildbirdcenter.org or call Kelly Grinter at (305) 743-8382.

Marathon Wild Bird Center
c/o Crane Point (Museum and Nature Center -- MM 50)
P.O. Box 501328
5550 Overseas Highway
Marathon, FL 33050"

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
NOAA offers a few internship/scholarship/fellowship programs across the nation for qualified graduate and undergraduate students who are U.S. citizens. The locations of opportunities vary; some have been available in the Florida Keys. Please refer to the NOAA Office of Education website for more information on the Hollings Scholarship Program and the Educational Partnership Program at http://www.oesd.noaa.gov/index.html and for more information on Dr. Nancy Foster scholarships, please refer to the NOAA Dr. Nancy Foster Scholarship Program website at http://www.fosterscholars.noaa.gov/

Other Volunteer Opportunities

Adopt-A-Reef: Organized groups of volunteer divers may plan and run their own Adopt-A-Reef activities, removing submerged monofilament line or other trash from reefs and wrecks. Group leaders may arrange to borrow materials for removing debris and may obtain debris log sheets from the sanctuary, either from the Key Largo office or the Key West office. All types of marine debris are problematic, and depending on the type, it may entangle, damage or kill marine life. Adopt-A-Reef groups may help by removing hundreds or thousands of pounds of debris from reefs and wrecks. To inquire about borrowing materials for your group's event, contact Lilli Ferguson, Sanctuary Advisory Council and Volunteer Coordinator, at (305) 292-0311 ext. 245.

Bleach Watch: FKNMS and Mote Marine Laboratory are monitoring the corals in the sanctuary for mass coral bleaching. What is coral bleaching? Coral bleaching occurs when corals become stressed and expel the algae living within them. The coral tissue becomes transparent and the observer can see through the tissue to the white calcium carbonate skeleton. The corals appear to have been bleached, but in fact can remain alive and recover if the stressor abates. SCUBA divers and free divers can help by reporting if they observe or do not observe bleaching after they return home by fax, mail or on the internet. To learn how to recognize coral bleaching, to view coral bleaching current condition reports or to work with Mote as an observer, go to http://isurus.mote.org/Keys/bleaching.phtml

Reef Environmental Education Foundation (REEF): REEF is a non- profit organization that encourages recreational divers and snorkelers to conduct fish surveys during their normal dive activities. Surveying can be conducted year round. In addition, each year during the month of July REEF coordinates The Great Annual Fish Count, organizing training sessions and dive events so volunteers can collect information on fish observed while diving in any of REEF's survey regions (Caribbean, Florida, South Atlantic, Northeast, California, Pacific Northwest, Hawaii, and Gulf of California).
For more information on the fishcount event go to www.fishcount.org or for more information on REEF go to www.reef.org.