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Japans announcement that it is withdrawing from the International Whaling Commission and will resume commercial whale hunting next year, have sparked swift condemnation from other governments and conservation groups. For many years Japan has hunted whales for what it calls "scientific research" and to sell the meat, a programme widely criticised by conservationists.

So as the Year of the Shark in 2019 begins, here is a review of how their actions reveal some of their mental states.

Alan was a friendly colleague who loved being outside and talking to anyone. As a child, he developed the skill of always finding something of common interest to discuss with anyone he met, and he carried this through into his adult life. Alan was able to strike up a conversation about anything with anyone. Alan learned to scuba dive in 1970 when he joined the Leicester Underwater Exploration Club. Two years later, he became a commercial diver—a high-risk career in the early '70s—with his "office" primarily being the North Sea exploration rigs.

He was awarded the MBE medal by fellow scuba diver, HRH Prince Charles in recognition of his award-winning underwater photography. Mustard later remarked on social media that HRH Prince Charles had told him to keep taking pictures of plastic in the ocean so we can beat the problem.

Prior to this meeting the Rebreather Education and Safety Association (RESA) and the Rebreather Training Council (RTC) had been having a robust active discussion about industry-wide rebreather training standards. It seemed sensible therefore to take the opportunity for the two organisations to find a common path forward.

Mark Caney from PADI and the RTC stated "The key item to come out of this meeting was an agreement for a joint committee to look at standards issued by both organisations, and work objectively towards harmonisation of standards.