Archive for December, 2009
Posted by DiveBuddy.com on
December 31, 2009
The Buddy Pre-Dive Safety check is an important safety check that should be performed by every diver no matter what level of diving proficiency. This check is performed by a Scuba Diver with his/her buddy before descending on a dive as a final inspection of the dive equipment before diving. The Pre-Dive safety check ensures [...] [ This is an external blog. Read complete blog here... ]...
Posted by DiveBuddy.com on
December 30, 2009
I have been focusing on ocean issues for a while, so for a change of pace, let’s take a look at some dry, four-footed (or should I say paws and hoof) concerns. In some parts of the world, endangered animals like tigers and lions are at risk because of demand on the black market for hides and other parts as either trophies/souvenirs or homeopathic "medicines" (as in the case of tigers) or because of competition with subsistence level cattlemen and farmers in developing African nations (lions). Plains Bison At Yellowstone Park In the United States, one of the great but unfortunate icons of the Old West, the plains bison, or buffalo, is still teetering on the edge, following the slaughter in the 1800s that brought the bison to the edge of extinction. Today, there are actually around 500,000 bison across North America, but many are the result of cross-breeding with cattle. The challenge has been in the proper management of bison. Conservation groups and federal or state agencies differ as to the methods for keeping a healthy breeding population within a defined area. A prime example are the 4,000 or so free-roaming bison in Yellowstone National Park. During harsh winter weather, bison will forage at lower elevations outside the park, and to insure that the bison do not transmit a particular bovine disease (although transmission of such has never been proven), wandering bison are killed - in the winter of 2007-2008, 1,600 bison were killed, the greatest number since the 1800s. Several conservation organizations and other concerned groups banded together to issue The Citizen’s Plan to Save Yellowstone’s Buffalo. The plan was not considered by state and federal agencies and this has pushed several conservation groups to file an intent to sue the Department of the Interior for failing to act on the status of the bison as an endangered species (it has been "under review" for some time). An endangered status would require both designated protected habitat and effective (ie: non-life threatening) management. Here’s some additional info from Defenders of Wildlife and The Center for Biological Diversity (CBD). Development Threatens Florida Panther In Florida, urban development has continued to encroach upon the habitat of the endangered Florida panther. Only 117 panthers remain approximately, but 21 have been lost so far in 2009, with 15 in each of the preceding two years. Most are killed by cars but one was recently found decapitated. With the Florida panther listed as an endangered species since 1967, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is required to insure a safe habitat but, apparently, the political pressure from developers has pushed Florida officials to drag their feet. It’s a dilemma I can relate to. Having grown up in sunny Southern California, I witnessed firsthand the expansion of my hometown, with housing moving more and more up into the base of the San Gabriel Mountains and forcing many coyotes and the occasional mountain lion to forage right within a suburban neighborhood. You could be walking the dog and find a coyote following fifty paces behind you, sizing up little Fido as a possible meal. Caught in cages or t...
Posted by DiveBuddy.com on
December 30, 2009
Most people think of Fiji as an island paradise, but there are many children in villages in tremendous need of medical and dental care. Mark Fischer, owner of Keizer’s Hydrosports Dive and Travel, wants to put together a team of "underwater ambassadors" and medical professionals to help those children. Learn how you can combine your profession, passion and also receive tax benefits as a result of
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Posted by DiveBuddy.com on
December 30, 2009
Going back to Sabang for more diving......Whoo Hoo!!!...
Posted by DiveBuddy.com on
December 30, 2009
2009 was a great year for shark conservation and Shark Diver initiatives (click image). Back in 2007/8 I became aware of several Tiger sharks that had been killed for their jaws and images in the Bahamas. The animals were harvested near a shark site we operate at both commercially and with film and television productions. We blogged about it here. The animals taken were significant to the region and as a shark diving operator I felt a moral obligation to act. The million dollar question was, "how do you tackle the entire sport take shark fishing industry?" Welcome to the Shark Free Marinas Initiative. What started as a conservation idea, brought about by commercial shark diving, became much more in the hands of a skilled conservationist like Luke Tipple who ultimately became the Director and public face of the initiative. Launched in the summer of 2009 the initiative exploded on to the conservation scene with the help of regional leaders in the Bahamas like Oceanic Allstars and Staurt Gow in Fiji who, thanks to his efforts, have become 70% Shark Free - a stunning achievement. Leaders within the sport fishing community and shark diving community adopted the SFMI in an endless summer series of television interviews, Op Eds, magazine articles and online posts. In short, a titanic media management effort that delivered conservation messaging and action in a nice little package. Our proudest moment in 2009. If there was one thing I was most appreciative of in 2009 it was the folks who saw the Shark Free Marinas Initiative and pushed it regionally, and internationally. They are the true shark conservationists, the ones who took the tools we provided to effect real conservation change in their region. The stakes could not be higher. Hundreds of thousands of sport caught sharks land at marinas in the USA alone every single year. The Shark Free Marinas Initiative could, in just a few short years, actually reduce that number dramatically, while at the same time educating fishermen to the plight of sharks. The Shark Free Marinas Initiative website concept, providing conservation tools to regional associates, was quickly carbon copied by at least three new shark conservation groups. Further good news, as this effort stands as a leadership example to others within the shark conservation community. This is how you do shark conservation. Unique conservation ideas, solid tools, and media that moves people to act. Metrics for conservation success. I have been a strong proponent of leadership within the shark diving community by "doing" and "effecting change." 2009 was another example of that burning desire to give back substantially to the very animals we make our living with. I am looking forward to 2010. We have arrived at the "Decade of Action" for sharks. Cheers, Patric Douglas CEO www.sharkdiver.com www.sharkdivers.com www.sharkdivers.blogspot.com www.guadalupefund.org www.sharkfreemarinas.com 415.235.9410 [ This is an external blog. Read complete blog here... ]...
Posted by DiveBuddy.com on
December 29, 2009
A viable solution to shark nets and drumlines is being tested in Australia this year by the West Australian Department of Fisheries. The good folks over at the Dorsal Fin Blog have the complete story. Suffice to say what is being tested in Perth might just save 10,000 breeding aged sharks off coasts from Australia to South Africa in the coming years. Here’s a link to the program with full spec shark geek info. Naturally, we read the whole thing. Saying farewell to a decade of "shark awareness" and hello to a new decade of "shark action." Let the conservation science begin! [ This is an external blog. Read complete blog here... ]...
Posted by DiveBuddy.com on
December 29, 2009
As we round the corner into 2010 and a new decade, I look back on 2009 with a sense of accomplishment and excitement. We did some cool things in 2009. In fact, if was not for my iPhone and all the images I took this year I might not believe the year we had. It started with a 10 day shoot in the Bahamas and Tiger Beach. The idea was to recreate a disaster at sea and provide real world solutions for surviving the disaster. Part of it involved sharks, small rafts, an overturned 32’ sportfisher plus a helicopter airlift by the Coast Guard. Fun stuff. The rest was managing the disaster which included "almost losing" our primary film vessel twice in 16 foot seas on the way over the the Bahamas. Note to self, next time we go with Spectra. I have to say the entire crew were perhaps the most dedicated bunch of industry guys and gals I have worked with. They managed to pull off the incredible with an ever shrinking budget, which was no mean feat as this was a tough series to shoot. But that is also today’s television world, shrinking budgets, and clip shows. The days of big budget productions are fast becoming a rare thing. To make this shoot work I enlisted two of the top watermen in the business right now, Scott Cassell and Luke Tipple. Their job was to ensure no one got hurt while vessels were flipped, sharks came stalking, and the chum went flying. One of the highlights was a big female Tiger who "nibbled" on our raft - and that was prior to chumming the water. The bite was sufficient to put a hole in the raft so we had to keep pumping it up every 15 minutes. I quickly came to the realization if we ever have a disaster at sea on a commercial level I will be first to jump into the floating shark cages and not the life rafts. We did a few additional shoots this year and we’ll unveil the details of those productions as they pop. One of them was with some frankly amazing folks this fall at Isla Guadalupe, a remote and beautiful place where the white sharks still never cease to amaze. Looking forward to 2010 we have "Oceania" on tap, a new white shark site that will, in a few years from now, become the premier white shark hot spot in the Southern Hemisphere. As Mike over in Fiji might put it: "Prorsum Pro tiburon et patria!" Farewell 2009 and hello to the new decade. Cheers, Patric Douglas CEO www.sharkdiver.com www.sharkdivers.com www.sharkdivers.blogspot.com www.guadalupefund.org www.sharkfreemarinas.com 415.235.9410 [ This is an external blog. Read complete blog here... ]...
Posted by DiveBuddy.com on
December 29, 2009
Imagine zipping around not on but underwater on a cool scooter, the Scuba bike from Scuba-Doo allows you to do just that and more. Unlike other Diver Propulsion Vehicles (DPV’s) where divers are required to be trained and wear heavy Scuba gear and equipment while using the contraptions, the Scuba-Doo doesn’t even need a [...] [ This is an external blog. Read complete blog here... ]...
Posted by DiveBuddy.com on
December 28, 2009
Wicked Diving offers specially guided overnight tours to the Surin Islands. Many of our guests request the Similan Islands for snorkeling, but we always recommend the Surin Islands...why? The Surin Islands are less crowded, there are more beaches and the islands are more remote. The shallow reefs are in better condition and offer more life than the Similan Islands. This is partly due to the remote location, the fewer visitors but also due in large part to the geology. The reefs tend to slope more gently and are more shallow. Located on a shallow plain that is also in the runoff from a large river - the waters here are more plankton rich. This feeds the Coral, but also makes the water a bit murkier than on the Similans. They have a great recycling program! Much of the information below is from the Surin Islands Website As the only places you area allowed to eat and stay on the Surin Islands is Koh Surin Nua , much of the snorkeling takes place near these areas. You may go on self-guided snorkeling if you are staying overnight at either of the camp sites. Then you are free to go along the beaches and shoreline as you wish. If you go on a guided tour, you will be taken to 2 or three snorkeling sites with lunch taking place on Koh Surin Nua. These areas are also great for the beginner, or timid snorkeler. We also find this to be the best place for small children. If you go by diving daytrip, most likely you will have a guide with you to help point out interesting fish or corals. You will also be at places that might not have a beach, so consider that when with children or inexperienced snorkelers! The Surin Islands are also home to the Moken people. Also referred to as Sea Gypsies - They have lead a nomadic life for thousands of years. these days strict international borders make things more difficult. Here is a traditional Moken Boat cruising by one of the beaches -Similan Islands Diving
Posted by DiveBuddy.com on
December 28, 2009
I have mentioned in several past posts, my enthusiasm for the development of responsible aquafarming, also called aquaculture. It comes from a simple realization that man has learned to raise cattle and poultry to feed its population through the understanding that the continued taking of wild animals would not suffice. Unfortunately, centuries ago, man did not make that same intellectual leap when it came to seafood. And we have, as Dr. Sylvia Earle describes it, have been eating ocean "bushmeat" ever since, all to the ultimate detriment of the ocean’s ecology. But there are some very serious challenges that aquafarming must overcome for it to be truly commercially successful without harming the environment. This requires the cautious and well-thought out use of science and technology to insure maximum yield will also protecting the environment within which the aquafarm exists. Once you determine just how it is to be done right, then there must be regulations and enforcement to insure it is done properly. This requires government oversight and this is where it can get a bit tricky. The Ocean Conservancy has an excellent article explaining the problems in developing national standards for aquafarming. Currently, there are several issues of concern regarding aquafarming: ocean pollution due to feed waste, fish waste, and medications; keeping farmed fished contained and not entering a wild fish population accidentally; responsibility for the maintenance and/or dismantling of an aquafarm (dismantling due perhaps to severe ocean weather or storms); and impacts on other fish populations that are required to act as feed sources for the farms. Many of these issues could be regulated by several different agencies but, without a unifying national policy of standards, we’re only setting ourselves up for a bureaucratic nightmare with overlapping agencies, jurisdictions, criteria, and responsibilities. According to the Ocean Conservancy, one of the last acts of the Bush Administration was to put forward a U.S. plan to increase aquafarming from $900 million to $5 billion by 2025. This plan provided for the National Marine Fisheries Service to issue permits to meet the goal but did not specifically or clearly address how it was to be done responsibly, ie: regulation and enforcement. Pollution or water quality issues would be handled by one agency, often using terrestrial standards in place of a non-existent marine standard; environmental impacts would be handled by another, and so on. It was basically putting the cart before the horse, and many scientific, conservation, public advocacy and even commercial fishing groups objected. This stalled the roll out of the plan, halting it on several occasions, but it was eventually put into place in September of 2009 - flaws and all. Earlier this month, California Representative Lois Capps introduced The National Sustainable Offshore Aquaculture Act of 2009 (H.R. 4363). According to Representative Capps’ office, the submitted piece of legislation will, "Establish an overarching, federal regulatory system for offshore aquaculture that includes standardized, precaut...
