SCUBA News

Will Marine Reserve Protect Coral Sea Sharks?

SCUBA News — Thu, 17 May 2012 09:28:57 +0000

Shark fishing needs to be banned at Osprey and Shark Reef in the Coral Sea for a Marine Reserve to work, concludes a study published yesterday. It is estimated that each year, live-aboard dive boats are directly responsible for generating at least AU$16 M worth of income. Of all the Coral Sea reef systems, Osprey Reef has the highest visitation rate by tourism operators, primarily to conduct shark dives. So, the depletion of reef sharks at Osprey Reef would have serious financial ramifications for the area. To put this into perspective, in the Maldives, the removal of only 20 grey reef sharks, with a market value of only AU$1 000, caused an estimated loss of AU$500 000 annually in diving revenue.

How Healthy are Mediterranean Rocky Reefs?

SCUBA News — Wed, 16 May 2012 13:43:27 +0000

Intense exploitation over millennia has depleted Mediterranean Sea species from the large to the small. What would a ‘healthy’ Mediterranean rocky bottom look like? There are no pristine sites (i.e. undisturbed by humans) left in the Mediterranean against which to compare the health of current ecosystems. SCUBA divers surveyed the rocky reefs throughout the Med, from Morocco to Turkey.

Coral reef fish ‘help protect jobs’

SCUBA News — Wed, 09 May 2012 11:17:22 +0000

Jobs, ecotourism and diving industries can benefit from having a diverse supply of weed-eating fish on the world’s coral reefs, scientists say. Despite their small size, relative to the sharks and whales that often get more attention, herbivorous fish play a vital role in maintaining the health of coral reefs, which support the livelihoods of 500 million people worldwide, according to a study published this month in the journal Ecology.

Scientists say 90% Shark Loss at Populated Pacific Islands

SCUBA News — Wed, 02 May 2012 13:42:08 +0000

Pairs of SCUBA divers towed behind a small boat have been recording shark numbers at both heavily populated Pacific islands and islands away from humans. The numbers show the enormous detrimental effect that humans have on reef sharks, with 90% loss in places. In a study published in the journal Conservation Biology, a team of [...]

Tassled Scorpionfish is Creature of the Month

SCUBA News — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 13:26:44 +0000

The scorpionfish is one of the most venomous fish in the world. Its poison causes severe pain and paralysis. This scorpionfish is extermely well-camouflaged: it can change colour to match its background and has many "tassles" masking its outline.

Foreign Office Advises Against Travel to Southern Philippines

SCUBA News — Fri, 06 Apr 2012 10:23:25 +0000

After the bomb attacks at on Palawan yesterday , the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office reviewed and reissued its advice on travelling to the Philippines. They are advising against all travel to south-west Mindanao and the Sulu archipelago because of on-going terrorist activity and clashes between the military and insurgent groups. They are also recommending [...]

Mauve Stinger is Creature of the Month

SCUBA News — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 16:12:13 +0000

The Mauve Stinger, or Luminescent Jellyfish, is a beautiful jellyfish. Often coloured purple, you can find it around the world in warm and temperate waters from around 12 to 30 m. This jellyfish is the most venomous in the Mediterranean. However, its sting is usually limited to the skin surface with local pain which lasts [...]

Lawsuit Seeks Plan for Most Endangered Large Whale in World

SCUBA News — Wed, 21 Mar 2012 11:52:24 +0000

The Center for Biological Diversity yesterday filed a formal notice of intent to sue the National Marine Fisheries Service for failing to develop a recovery plan under the Endangered Species Act for the highly endangered North Pacific right whale. The North Pacific right whale is thought to be the most endangered large whale in the [...]

Catch Younger Fish says IUCN

SCUBA News — Fri, 09 Mar 2012 10:22:45 +0000

For centuries, it has been believed that selective fishing that avoids young, rare and charismatic species and focuses on older and larger individuals, is key to increased harvest and reduced impacts on the environment. But this has serious evolutionary side effects. A new approach proposed by IUCN, called ‘balanced harvesting’, involves targeting more species and sizes.

‘Electronic Eyes’ Watch Tuna Fishing

SCUBA News — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 11:42:00 +0000

New sensor system monitors fishing gear and can replace human observation of fishing activities. The system monitors key fishing gear and triggers a video cameras when it detects fishing activity.