Less than 60 vaquitas left in the world!
The Mexican government has now permanently banned gillnets and night fishing in the upper Gulf of California, which is the only place in the world where the critically endangered porpoise is found.
The Mexican government has now permanently banned gillnets and night fishing in the upper Gulf of California, which is the only place in the world where the critically endangered porpoise is found.
A study by researchers from University of Milano-Bicocca describes observations of adults carrying dead calves and juveniles in 7 toothed cetaceans (odontocetes). The observation was based on 14 events from 3 oceans. The seven species studied were Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins, killer whales, Australian humpback dolphins, sperm whales, Risso’s dolphins, short-finned pilot whales, and spinner dolphins.
Reed New Holland are publishing a new book in August entitled "World's Best Wildlife Dive Sites". This hardback coffee table book covers 32 underwater wildlife experiences from around the world and has been authored by a Brit husband and wife team.
Underwater photographers - Nick and Caroline Robertson-Brown - have degrees in biology. Handy knowledge when it comes to shooting marine life.
Be it equipment, technique, physiology, photography or biology, divers have the ability to study to their personal level and interest. One aspect that is often overlooked by most divers is the history of diving.
The UK has a rich resource when it comes to this subject. Indeed the Historical Diving Society (HDS) was formed in the UK in 1990, and has subsequently grown into an international organisation with members and offshoot societies around the world.
China claims almost all of the South China Sea, including reefs and islands also claimed by others. The Permanent Court of Arbitration said there was no evidence that China had historically exercised exclusive control over the waters or resources.
The SWT – which receives funding from the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation – has also confirmed that Scotland's first snorkel trail has been created in the north west Highlands. The idea is that the snorkel trail is self-led.
Tourism Secretary Fiona Hyslop stated “The snorkel trail is an innovative approach to marine and coastal planning that encourages use of existing infrastructure to help tourism diversification like this."
Paul Raymaekers, CEO of rEvo issued the following statement.
"After more than 10 years of creating, developing and growing rEvo, and knowing that none of my children will or can continue this business, I realised already some time ago that the only way to keep rEvo going, was to look for a partner that had common interests. A strong partner, that was already in the diving business, and had the strength and will to take this work further.
It took months of talking, negotiating, working out synergies, but in the end it became clear that we found the correct ‘modus vivendi’.
The competition will commence at 07:00 and close at 22:00. All images must be taken on the day.
All underwater photographers are welcome to join in the fun whilst diving the Anglesey or North Wales coastline. You can shore dive or boat dive. The choice is yours. It doesn't matter if you have just got your first compact camera and are starting to take photos, or you are a seasoned diver with a beautiful SLR, the NUPG would love to see your photos.
On 13th May 2016, we reported that film-maker David Diley had won two awards at this year's film festival for his documentary 'Of Shark and Man'.
It was seven in the morning and my coffee hadn’t kicked in yet. The dive guide was giving me a slightly more thorough dive briefing than normal. I wasn’t supposed to wear anything colorful or shiny, and black gloves and a hood were required. Also covered in black neoprene, he was putting on chainmail gloves and told me he’d have a pole with him. He said it was more for the potato cods though, not the sharks.
Today George Eustice - the Environment Minister - responded stating that the Government would support an initial ban on cosmetics containing polluting plastic microbeads.
There is however a worry that the UK Government's ban may not be as robust as it should be.
Mr Eustice indicated to Parliament’s Environmental Audit Committee that the ban could be widened in the future to include microbead use in other products, such washing powders.
The law in the US still prohibits tourist travel to Cuba, but a dozen other categories of travel are permitted, including family visits, official business, journalist visits, professional meetings and educational and religious activities. The Obama administration has eased rules to the point where travelers are now free to design their own “people-to-people” cultural exchanges with little oversight.