Table of contents for 2/2018 in Scuba Diver/Asian Diver

The British Government has announced an end to the sale of plastic straws, drink stirrers and plastic-stemmed cotton buds at the start of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Summit. Subject to the consultation, which the Environment Secretary Michael Gove will launch later this year, UK authorities are prepared to ban the sale of these items in Britain under plans to protect their rivers and seas and meet their 25 Year Environment Plan ambition to eliminate avoidable plastic waste. The announcement comes as the Prime Minister Theresa May urged all Commonwealth countries to sign up to the newly-formed Commonwealth Clean Oceans Alliance and take action, be this through a ban on microbeads, a commitment to cutting down on single-use plastic bags, or other steps to eliminate plastic pollution. Single-use plastic items…

Brazil will soon have four vast marine protected areas (MPAs) in the Atlantic Ocean, covering an area of more than 920,000 square kilometres. This will increase the coverage of Brazilian MPAs from 1.5 percent to 24.5 percent of the country’s waters, exceeding the international target of 10 percent by 2020. All four MPAs, created hundreds of kilometres from the Brazilian coast, will protect remote sets of islands. Two will cover the archipelago of Trindade, Martin Vaz and Mount Columbia, with one allowing some sustainable use of fishing resources and the other prohibiting all human activity. The remaining two will be located around the São Pedro and São Paulo archipelagos, with one allowing some human activity and the other remaining closed off to human use. The remote archipelagos are home to…

The annual ADEX Voice of the Ocean Photo/Video/Art Competition celebrates visual representations of the ocean and its many creatures. The best works by underwater photographers and videographers are presented and judged live by a celebrated panel of distinguished experts. Here are the winners of this year’s competition. Congratulations to all! To submit pictures for next year’s competition, visit www.adex.asia…

WHEN 1982 WHERE Seychelles WHAT UNESCO World Heritage Site The remote wilderness of Aldabra Atoll, one of the Seychelles’ southernmost islands, is approximately 1,000 kilometres southwest of the main island of Mahé. The Aldabra group is comprised of a distinct and isolated collection of coral islands. Aldabra itself is the world’s largest raised coral atoll – some 35 kilometres long by 14 kilometres wide, with a total land area of around 140 square kilometres. Its geographical isolation, rough terrain and scarcity of fresh water have deterred large human populations from settling. As a result, Aldabra is significantly less disturbed than other atolls around the world. It is a refuge for many endangered and unique species and remaining as one of the world’s natural wonders. Few people have ever been there,…

Italy is well-known worldwide for the Renaissance, the arts, food, the Pope, its lifestyle and many other things. However, not many people know that diving in Italy is as beautiful as the rest of its attractions. Considered one of Europe’s most beautiful tourist destinations, Sardinia ranks as the second largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, and has over 1,700 kilometres of gorgeous coastline to discover. TAVOLARA-PUNTA CODA CAVALLO MARINE PROTECTED AREA Tavolara-Punta Coda Cavallo MPA is located in the northeast, south of the world-famous Costa Smeralda. Only authorised diving operations, such as Blu Infinito Diving Center, can operate in this area. PAPA BANKS – Papa Bank 1 and Papa Bank 2 are divided by a sand channel on the east side of the small island of Tavolara. Huge schools of…

WHEN 1986 WHERE Egypt WHAT Shark Sanctuary The El Ikhwa Islands, commonly known as the Brothers Islands, form one of the most famous marine parks in Egypt. After the first divers visited the two islands at the beginning of the 1980s, the area became a protected marine park in 1986. The region became very popular in the years after and it is now one of the most well-regarded dive spots in the Red Sea. About 50 nautical miles east of El Quesir, the two islands, Big Brother and Little Brother, are located in the open ocean where there is great visibility and lots of life, though not forgetting the strong current that can be a challenge for inexperienced divers. Though the islands are only a five-minute boat ride apart, they…

WHEN 2011 WHERE Maldives WHAT UNESCO Biosphere Reserve Situated in the Baa Atoll of the Maldives, northwest of Malé, Hanifaru Bay is no more than a bank of sand with some small reef blocks in the middle of it. Yet up to 200 manta rays have been reported harmoniously feeding in the bay, where it is assumed that the concentration of plankton is very high. There, they perform an ingenious act: They swim short distances to each other so that the unfiltered plankton of one animal streams into the mouth of the next – at the same time forming a huge cyclone. Scenes like this are what made the bay famous, but at the same time it became its biggest tragedy: Hanifaru Bay has attracted hordes of tourists that want…

WHEN 1988 WHERE Philippines WHAT Natural Park and UNESCO World Heritage Site Located in the middle of the Sulu Sea, Tubbataha Reefs is made up of three atolls and is home to 360 coral species, 600 species of fish, and 19 species of rays and sharks. Far from civilisation, the protected area can only be accessed by liveaboards and is open four months a year, from mid-March to mid-June. Far-reaching 100-metre walls are covered with life – sea fans, giant gorgonians, barrel sponges and soft coral thrive in abundance, while sharks and rays cruise by. Schools of hammerheads, silky sharks, whale sharks, and even tiger sharks are common visitors of the reefs, while cleaning stations are often host to manta rays and silvertips. Stunning soft and hard coral gardens can…

The Revillagigedo Archipelago is a group of four volcanic islands – Socorro, San Benedicto, Roca Partida, and Clarión – about 850 kilometres west of Manzanillo, Mexico. It was first discovered in the 1500s by Spanish explorers, and subsequently declared a biosphere reserve by the Mexican government in 1994 to protect its endemic species. After marine research revealed that the archipelago hosts one of the world’s largest aggregations of sharks, manta rays, whales and turtles, authorities expanded it to a full marine reserve in 2017. At almost 150,000 square kilometres, it is the largest marine protected area in North America. MUST-SEE THE BOILER – Although it is one of the region’s most famous dive sites, this spot off San Benedicto is recommended only for more experienced divers. The Boiler is a…

By closing off areas of the ocean to fishing and other extractive activities, MPAs, especially marine reserves that ban all or most such activities, are expected to help species recover. A great deal of research has looked into whether they do, although much of it is not of the highest quality: Many studies do not have rigorous designs and cannot definitively attribute observed changes to the MPA itself. When considering the studies Mongabay reviewed, though, most studies suggest that MPAs can be good for marine life. In a meta-analysis published in 2003, for example, Benjamin Halpern of the University of California, Santa Barbara combined survey data from 89 studies and found that population densities, biomass, diversity and size of fish were generally considerably higher inside marine reserves than outside. Halpern…

Immersion of the face alone can lead to slowing of the heart rate via the so-called diving reflex A team of four researchers from DAN travelled to the Florida Keys to meet with dive club members who had just arrived on vacation at a dive resort. Prior to the trip, many of the divers had consented to take part in an ongoing DAN study to record the heart rates of divers over age 40 while they dived. We recorded electrocardiograms (EKGs) before, during and after dives. For continuous underwater recording of EKGs we used Holter monitoring devices that we waterproofed in collaboration with a technician at the Duke Center for Hyperbaric Medicine and Environmental Physiology. Unlike the chest-strap-type heart-rate monitors, which record just the heartbeat, EKGs record electrical events that…

An inadvertently-engineered creation discovered by US Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and the UK’s University of Portsmouth may offer a vital solution to the problem of plastic pollution. The PET-digesting enzyme Ideonella sakaiensis, also known as PETase, was first discovered in 2016 by Yoshida et al., who found the bacterium living in the soil at a recycling plant in Japan that was piled with used bottles. This bacterium was unique as it could use polyethylene terephthalate (PET) as its major carbon and energy source. In other words, these bacteria can simply feed on plastic used to make disposable beverage bottles for survival and growth. With this discovery, NREL and the University of Portsmouth dedicated a research team to determine the enzyme’s structure. While conducting the research, the…

A study published in PLOS Genetics recently discovered that there may be an extra 50 years for us to save the corals of Australia’s Great Barrier Reef. Researchers from the University of Texas at Austin, the University of Melbourne, and the Australian Institute of Marine Science have found that corals in the Great Barrier Reef have enough genetic diversity to survive rising ocean temperatures for another century, double the previous estimate. The scientists obtained their results through a mix of genetic sampling and computer simulations, focusing on the staghorn coral Acropora millepora, a significant species in building the Great Barrier Reef. Corals within this species have been found to be more heat resistant than others. When the coral colonies reproduce, they release millions of larvae that float on ocean currents…

THE RIGHT GEAR Weights Choosing the right dive gear is important in minimising back pain, particularly lower back pain. Whilst most divers learn with a weight belt around the waist, and weights distributed around the waistline, there are other options for those prone to back pain. Weights placed in buoyancy control device (BCD) pockets and a weight strapped to the tank can help to take weight off the lower back when diving. Positioning weights on a belt at the front of the waistline, instead of towards the back, also helps to take pressure off the lower spine and can be more comfortable. It is important to have a buddy check a diver’s body position and trim when making changes to dive weight configurations, to ensure the diver is going to…

According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), a protected area is a marine landscape with legally defined boundaries where human activity is restricted by explicitly outlined policies. These policies have to be implemented and enforced by local, regional, or international authorities to conserve ecosystems for their natural or cultural value. The level of restriction can vary depending on how ecologically sensitive and important the area is, and the benefits to conservation that come from relaxing restrictions for purposes such as education. Restrictions range from catch limits on certain species or the type of activities allowed, to complete bans on any human activity that does not aid conservation efforts or serve a culturally significant purpose. TYPES OF MPAS IUCN CATEGORY IA Strict Nature Reserve: A marine reserve where…

WHEN 1980 WHERE Portugal WHAT Strict Nature Reserve, Wilderness Area, Habitat/ Species Management Area, Protected Area with Sustainable Use of Natural Resources The most isolated archipelago in the North Atlantic, the islands of the Azores are some 2,500 kilometres east of New York and 1,600 kilometres west of the Portuguese capital of Lisbon. Discovered and settled by the Portuguese in the 15th century, these remote islands, perched atop the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, boast spectacular volcanic landscapes with extraordinary biodiversity. The Azores’ first marine protected area, at Faial, was declared in 1980. There are now more than 60 such protected areas throughout the archipelago, and offshore. With these areas ensuring that marine biodiversity and geological hot spots such as seamounts and geothermal vents are protected, many species of whales and dolphins continue…

WHEN 1995 WHERE Spain WHAT Marine Reserve with a No-Take Zone Situated off the beautiful fishing port of Cabo de Palos, Murcia, Spain, is the marine reserve of Cabo de Palos-Islas Hormigas. It was declared a Specially Protected Area of Mediterranean Importance with the key objective of ensuring the reproduction of commercial species. The inner reserve of Islas Hormigas is also classified as a special protection area for birds on the island and requires a special licence to visit. The total area of the reserve is some 19 square kilometres, with a beautiful seascape of rock pinnacles, drop-offs, caves and seagrass prairies of oceanic Posidonia. There is a great variety of fauna and sponges, which are home to the urchins and starfish that provide the hunting grounds for the sea…

WHEN 1975 WHERE Australia WHAT UNESCO World Heritage Site The Great Barrier Reef is the largest living structure on the planet, stretching 2,300 kilometres – large enough to be seen from space. Known for its breathtaking array of marine creatures, the marine park is home to 600 types of soft and hard corals, more than 100 species of jellyfish, 3,000 varieties of molluscs, 500 species of worms, 1,625 types of fish, 133 varieties of sharks and rays, and more than 30 species of whales and dolphins. Sadly, with the recent coral bleaching event and crown-of-thorns infestation, the great reef has become the poster boy for climate change – far from the marine paradise it was once heralded as. It is the pace at which the climate is changing that makes…

WHEN 1981 WHERE New Zealand WHAT Marine Reserve Since the release of The Lord of the Rings, New Zealand has been synonymous with Middle Earth; a South Pacific wonderland of forests, mountains, volcanoes and geysers. Although revered for its topside beauty, the country remains obscure as a diving destination. Yet, the North Island is home to a place Jacques Cousteau rated one of the world’s top 10 diving locations: The Poor Knights Islands. Balanced on the edge of the continental shelf, the archipelago consists of two primary islands, Aorangi and Tawhiti Rahi, along with many smaller islets. Cliffs plunge up to 100 metres below sea level, creating an aquatic wonderland of caverns, sea caves and arches. Sixty dive sites play host to over 125 fish species. Cool water merges with…

If we conservationists and biologists do not think of the planet as one – earth and water – then I ask, who will? If we do not press for marine as well as terrestrial sanctuaries and for regulations over our marine activities, then I ask again, who will? Carleton Ray Countries are now frenziedly creating more marine protected areas, increasingly very large ones, either out of genuine concern for marine life or to meet international targets. In the midst of it all, the efficacy of this conservation tool remains heavily debated. Is establishing marine parks better for species and habitats than leaving areas unprotected? Do marine parks improve fisheries and the well-being of fisheries-dependent communities? This lack of baseline data, long-time-scale information and good control sites can be a…

Proponents argue that MPAs can have a slew of positive effects on fishing and coastal communities, including improved livelihoods from fisheries, political empowerment and new governance and job opportunities. Critics counter that MPAs restrict local communities’ access to their ancestral fishing grounds, make them poorer and often increase conflict between them and people involved in park management or tourism. But much of the research that exists on this consists of case reports that depend on interviews with local people. “Such studies aren’t experimental and their results are subjective, but they are important because it matters whether the people think the marine protected areas have been effective or not,” said Natalie Ban, a marine biologist at the University of Victoria, Canada. However, these studies don’t tell us much about whether the…

A comment we sometimes hear, particularly at dive shows, is that “DAN is just an insurance company”. This assessment is not correct, as it fails to factor in the many and varied contributions DAN makes within the diving community that are the driving forces for our existence. Unlike our competitors who are simply for-profit insurance sellers, DAN is a non-profit diving safety organisation. Our mission is “to be the most recognised and trusted organisation worldwide in the fields of diver safety and emergency services, health, research and education of its members, instructors, supporters and the recreational diving community at large”. To raise revenue to enable DAN to fund this mission, we offer divers Membership and Dive Injury Treatment cover. The primary role of DAN is to make diving safer. As…

Q: I was diagnosed with leukaemia and underwent treatment. I am in remission and was recently cleared by my doctors for exercise without restriction. I feel well and need only scheduled follow-ups. I have always wanted to scuba dive but am unsure given my condition and subsequent treatment. Can I dive, and are there any restrictions or precautions I should be aware of? A: Symptoms associated with leukaemia include dizziness, fatigue, fever, weakness, weight loss, anaemia, easy bruising and bleeding, shortness of breath and infections. Clearly, these all have the potential to affect one’s well-being while diving. You and your doctor should consider two important criteria. First, diving should be considered only for patients who are in remission – as you are. It’s important that all divers be free from…

On April 12, 2018, an Indonesian luxury private charter vessel partnered with Conservation International (CI) for a high-tech scientific voyage across Raja Ampat to raise awareness for the protection of manta rays. Ichthyologist, Dr. Gerry Allen, and Vice President of CI’s Asia Pacific Marine Programme, Dr. Mark Erdmann, were at the helm of the mission, with the aim of conducting research on the manta population and their migration patterns, while also surveying coral reef fish biodiversity. The trip made scientific headway with the discovery of a new manta ray cleaning station in Dayang and confirmation of another suspected cleaning station in Ayau , identifying at least 25 new manta individuals and two species of goby – the Grallenia goby and the Silhouettea goby, the names of which are yet to…

The Asia Dive Expo (ADEX) has become a familiar name to many dive enthusiasts around the world. Run for the past nine years by the Underwater360 group (UW360), ADEX 2018 broke attendance records yet again, with 62,079 visitors over the three days. The biggest and longest-running dive expo in Asia is, unsurprisingly, a mandatory event for the most avid divers. The dive expo serves as one of the best platforms for divers to catch up and share their latest dive exploits, but more importantly, it provides a conducive environment for ocean lovers to learn about how they can best protect the ocean and its species. Additionally, ADEX is a platform for businesses and organisations – dive operators, equipment manufacturers, and national tourism boards – to spread the message of responsible…

Earth is a blue planet, with the ocean accounting for 70 percent of the Earth’s surface. The ocean is a treasure trove of resources, and is crucial to the survival of mankind. Over the years, our liquid planet has been subjected to various degrees of pollution, including – but not limited to – the reckless dumping of sewage and garbage, and overfishing. In the face of such adversity, people around the world have increasingly mobilised to help implement measures in protection of the ocean. To encourage and publicise such movements, we will be holding an awards ceremony at ADEX Beijing. We hope to raise awareness of the importance of conservation by presenting success stories, and introducing role models. OCEAN360 Awards Categories: • Support for marine welfare • Advancement for marine…

Consuming less plastic, supporting sustainable fishing, recycling, buying tuna from a dolphin safe fishery – we ocean lovers do what we can to protect the big blue. But when safeguarding something so vast, with so many variables, one’s efforts may feel like a drop in the ocean. Even so, small efforts can make a huge difference, and such is the story of Apo Island, one of the first marine protected areas in the Philippines. The aquatic nation of the Philippines, a global hotspot for marine diversity, is situated in the northwestern corner of the Coral Triangle – the world’s most biodiverse marine area and home to 75 percent of the world’s coral species and 40 percent of the world’s fish species. Over 100 million people in the Philippines rely on…

Presumably killed by a deep-diving predator, such as a sperm whale or a beaked whale, that took out the head and a large chunk of internal organs, this bottom-dwelling female Atlantic giant octopus (Haliphron atlanticus) was observed floating off the Azores in about a thousand metres of water. But why was it partially eaten? Some think that with an abundance of food, predators can be selective and only take the choice cuts from their prey. Perhaps the energy yield from the head and internal organs is higher than from the remainder of the mantle and tentacles. Another theory is simply that an event interrupted the meal, after the fatal bite had been delivered. As with so many mysteries of the deep, the photograph raises more questions than it alone can…

WHEN 1963 WHERE France WHAT National Park with a No-Take Zone Port-Cros National Park covers 17 square kilometres of land and 29 square kilometres of water, the first national park in Europe to include both land and water. The park is home to 600 species of flora and 500 species of marine algae.›Life abounds, with 144 species of birds, including 40 endangered species, 180 species of fish and some endemic land creatures such as geckos and frogs. The park is also home to 30 permanent human residents, who must adhere to regulations put in place by the park administration. These restrictions also apply to the inhabitants of the protected area on Porquerolles as well as visiting tourists. The geographical location of the islands of Hyères has given the park immunity…

WHEN 2011 WHERE Marshall Islands WHAT Shark Sanctuary The Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI) is home to one of the world’s largest shark sanctuaries. It covers almost two million square kilometres, an area about the size of Mexico, with only a land mass of 181 square kilometres. The rest of that remote area in the Western Pacific, just north of the equator and west of the International Date Line, is a healthy marine ecosystem teeming with sharks and other marine life. The sanctuary was created in 2011, following the lead of Palau, which who established the first shark sanctuary in 2009, the largest of its kind up to that point. Since then, other countries have joined in and created larger sanctuaries, including Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas…

WHEN 2007 WHERE Indonesia WHAT A Network of Seven Marine Protected Areas Famous for its rich biodiversity, Raja Ampat is located on the northwest tip of the island of West Papua, in the heart of the Coral Triangle. The Nature Conservancy and Conservation International have claimed that 75 percent of the world’s marine species live in the waters off Raja Ampat, making it one of the most biodiverse sites on Earth. In 2002, a political unit called the Raja Ampat Regency was formed and aided in creating the Raja Ampat Marine Protected Area, a network of seven protected areas. To protect the sites from high-traffic tourism, a decision was reached to introduce marine park permits. Raja Ampat has emerged as one of the must-visit destinations for recreational divers all over…

WHEN 1996 WHERE Indonesia WHAT National Park, UNESCO World Heritage Site Wakatobi National Park encompasses an expansive 13,900 square kilometres of the Tukang Besi island group. Thanks to the positive results of Wakatobi Resort’s Collaborative Reef Conservation Program, the Indonesian government expanded the area managed by the resort to what we see today. UNESCO has not only listed the park as a World Heritage Site, but also added it to the World Network of Biosphere Reserves. Over the past 20 years, observers have documented significant improvements in the quality of the reefs and seagrass beds surrounding Wakatobi Resort. Fish counts are up, and turtle populations have increased. Among the tiny treasures that hide in plain sight are pygmy seahorses. Four of the seven known species of pygmies can be found…

WHEN 1998 WHERE Ecuador WHAT Marine Reserve Flung out into the middle of the Pacific – off the coast of Ecuador – the Galápagos Islands are a beacon of life in an endless blue desert. Thousands of hammerheads school in the warm waters around Darwin Island; bus-sized whale sharks filter feed in the nutrient-dense deep ocean upwellings; penguins swim in the cooler waters to the south; and species found nowhere else thrive. The celebration of the Galápagos’ unique environment both above and below the waves dates back to the days of Darwin. But even after nearly 200 years of love from biologists and divers alike, the Galápagos Islands’ survival as a meticulously maintained memorial to evolution remains uncertain. DARWINIAN ORIGINS It’s a real shame Darwin didn’t have some scuba gear…

WHEN 1995 WHERE Colombia WHAT UNESCO World Heritage Site Three of the best shark spots in the world are located off the coast of Central and South America in the middle of the Eastern Pacific. The least known of these, the tiny Colombian island of Malpelo, together with the Galápagos and Cocos, form a “Golden Triangle” for all big fish fans. The archipelago of Malpelo is located about 650 kilometres southeast of Cocos and about 1,200 kilometres northeast of Galápagos in the Eastern Pacific. Malpelo is the only island of Malpelo Ridge, a large underwater mountain range, that breaks the surface. Its foothills drop to about 4,000 metres deep, where up to eight different ocean currents meet during the year. The nutrient-rich water attracts large numbers of ocean pelagics. Around…

Overall, I am satisfied with the research that is being done to see the ecological effectiveness of marine protected areas. I think it’s useful to keep studying that – how things change with time and protectionNatalie Ban In theory, MPAs, particularly those that are closed off to all or most fishing, can allow overfished species to mature undisturbed and produce more offspring. The offspring can then swim over the invisible boundaries to adjacent fished areas and provide bigger catches and more money for fishers. Indeed, as mentioned, a good body of research suggests that species targeted by fishers often do respond well to protection. But do more and larger fish inside a protected area really mean higher catches outside its boundaries? One systematic review published in 2016 found evidence of…

THE DIVER The diver was a 45-year-old male dive instructor with approximately 300 lifetime dives. He denied taking any medication and reported no history of medical conditions. THE DIVES The diver was teaching an Advanced Open Water course at a local lake popular with divers. He was accompanied by his wife, who was assisting the class as a divemaster, for a series of five dives over the weekend. They completed three dives on Saturday with long surface intervals between the dives followed by a 16.5-hour surface interval before the first dive on Sunday. The first dive on Sunday was 34 minutes long with an average depth of 16 metres and, to meet the depth requirement of the course, a maximum depth of 30 metres. After a 90-minute surface interval, the…