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Expansion of US marine protected zone could double world reserves

  By Matt McGrath Environment correspondent, BBC News The US plans to create the world’s biggest marine protected area (MPA) in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. The White House will extend an existing protected area, known as the Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument. Fishing and drilling would be banned from an area that could eventually cover two million sq km. The extended zone would double the world’s fully protected marine reserves. Rare species The Pacific Remote Islands Area is controlled by the US and consists of seven scattered islands, atolls and reefs that lie between Hawaii and American Samoa. Essentially uninhabited, the waters that surround these remote islands are home to a wide range of species including corals, seabirds, sharks and vegetation not found anywhere else in the world. In 2009, President Bush declared … Read entire article »

Filed under: Alert, Artificial Reefs, Conservation, Divetalking, Earth, Education, extinction, Featured, Fish, ocean, Preservation, Recognition, Reefs, Reference, Report

Florida Turns to Smartphone App in Battle Against Invasive Lionfish

Florida Turns to Smartphone App in Battle Against Invasive Lionfish

ORLANDO Fla. – Florida has a new phone app to help cull the invasion of its waters by the spiked lionfish, a venomous species that is devouring other fish and harming reef ecosystems. The state is home to more than 500 non-native species, but few as rampant in the wild as the marauding lionfish, which is fast-reproducing and has a voracious appetite. It preys on native fish such as yellowtail snapper, Nassau grouper and banded coral … Read entire article »

Filed under: Artificial Reefs, Conservation, Diver, Earth, Education, Featured, Lionfish, ocean, Preservation, Reefs, Reference, Report

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, FWC

  April, 2014 Commission Meeting Time: 8:30am each day Dates: April 15 – 17, 2014 Place: Florida Public Safety Institute 85 Academy Drive Havana, FL 32333 https://www.tcc.fl.edu/Current/Academics/FPSI/Pages/Directions.aspx This meeting is open to the public   8:30 a.m., Wednesday, April 16, there will be a presentation on the subject of LIonfsh Lionfish – Lionfish are invasive marine species that pose a threat to native  marine species and ecosystems.  Three draft rules will be proposed to prevent further lionfish introductions and facilitate efforts to remove these non-native predators.  Harvest by divers using either spearing gear or hand held nets is currently the primary means of lionfish population control. Persons diving by means of a rebreather are currently prohibited from harvesting any marine species in state waters.  A proposed draft rule would create an exception to allow persons using rebreathers to harvest lionfish.  In addition, there are several … Read entire article »

Filed under: Artificial Reefs, Divetalking, Earth, Education, extinction, Featured, Fish, Lionfish, ocean, Preservation, Rebreather, Reefs, Reference, Report

REEF Webinars / Fishinars

REEF Webinars / Fishinars

Some call them webinars. We call ’em Fishinars! Fishie fun in the comfort of your own home. Great for first-timers or those wanting a review. These short, free webinars will teach you the finer points of identifying fish and invertebrates underwater. We use common names, not scientific names, and focus on how to ID each critter. Fishinars help divers learn how to become citizen scientists and help monitor marine life on their recreational dives. Data gathered goes into … Read entire article »

Filed under: Artificial Reefs, Dive Planner, Diver, Divetalking, Earth, Education, Featured, Fish, Grouper, ocean, Preservation, Quiz, Reefs, Reference, Sharks, Training, Tuna, Turtles

Lionfish Facts

Lionfish Facts

Pterois volitans Pterois miles The genus name, Pterois, pronounced (tare-oh-eese) is defined as “lionfish.” The word Pterois comes from the Greek word “pteroeis” meaning “feathered” or “winged” The species name, volitans, pronounced (vole-ee-tahnz), is Latin for “flying” or “hovering,” the complement of the Latin word “volitō,” which means “to fly” or “to hover.” The species name, miles, pronounced (mee-layz), is Latin for “soldiering,” the complement of the Latin word “mīlitō,” which means “to soldier.” They are so beautiful. I want … Read entire article »

Filed under: Artificial Reefs, Conservation, Diver, Divetalking, Earth, Education, extinction, Featured, Fish, Lionfish, ocean, Preservation, Recognition, Reefs, Report, Training

New artificial reef dropped 15 miles off Marineland

By LORRAINE THOMPSON Special to The Record St. Augustine Beach resident Amy Kennedy spent more than a year planning her recent “cruises.” Kennedy, a project engineer for the Flagler County Engineering Department, spent two days on the Atlantic on commercial barges, where she oversaw the dumping of more than 800 tons of concrete at designated areas 15 miles offshore east of Marineland. Late Wednesday, the dumping site became the area’s newest artificial reef as the second and final load was dumped. The new Flagler reef coordinates are … Read the rest by clicking HERE … Read entire article »

Filed under: Artificial Reefs, Divetalking, Events, ocean, Recognition, Reefs, Reference, Report

NE Florida Lionfish Derby, 2013

NE Florida Lionfish Derby, 2013

[singlepic id=965 w=320 h=240 float=center] It was Friday August 23, 2013 and we met at Nippers for the required Captains Meeting. The room was filled with guest speakers and participants from all across Florida and part of Georgia. It would be the last opportunity to signup and participate in the Derby with awards as high as $1500.00 going to the team with the most lionfish. During the evening, speakers Walt Quinn (2013 Derby Director and proprietor), … Read entire article »

Filed under: Artificial Reefs, Boats, Contest, Diver, Divetalking, Donation, Earth, Education, Events, extinction, Featured, Fish, Games, Grouper, Lionfish, ocean, Open Water, Promotions, Recognition, Reefs, Reference, Report

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission 2013 Lionfish Summit

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission 2013 Lionfish Summit

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission announces the FREE 2013 Lionfish Summit. [singlepic id=949 w=320 h=240 float=center link=https://fwclionfish.eventbrite.com/] Click on the logo to register and for more information Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission Tuesday, October 22, 2013 at 1:30 PM – Thursday, October 24, 2013 at 12:30 PM (EDT) Cocoa Beach, FL … Read entire article »

Filed under: Artificial Reefs, Divetalking, Earth, Education, Events, Featured, Fish, Lionfish, ocean, Preservation, Reefs, Reference, Summit

Jacksonvilles Newest Artificial Reef placed August 2, 2013

On Friday August 2, 2013 A new Artificial Reef was placed in 73 feet of water off Ponte Vedra Florida. Ponte Vedra is approximately 20 miles south of the jetties in Mayport, where the mouth of the St. Johns River meets the Atlantic Ocean. The Reef makes up the third artifical reef in the area creating a triangle of reefs coined "The Triad." The name of this specific reef is Fred Morrow reef and is with recreational limits for divers.   Watch a small clip of that days event, below   … Read entire article »

Filed under: Artificial Reefs, Divetalking, Earth, Events, Featured, ocean, Open Water, Preservation, Reefs, Reference, Report

NE Florida’s Newest Artificial Reef

The day began at 3AM for the crew of Anger Management, Salonen Marine’s tug. Leaving from Moody’s shipyard Jacksonville Florida, their destination was the NE Corner of a permitted area known as Floyd’s Folly. Floyd’s Folly sits about 20nm SE of Jacksonville’s jetties (The mouth of the St. Johns river) and 12 miles from the shore of Ponte Vedra. The tug is pushing a barge with approximately 800+ tons of concrete culverts, and pilings which will be used for NE Florida’s newest artificial reef. The new reef will join two others in the near vicinity placed in 2009 and 2011 respectively creating a triangle of artificial reefs, convenient in location to divers, fishermen and fisherwomen. We are calling the area of the three reefs, “The Triad.” The Action News 30 film crew, … Read entire article »

Filed under: Artificial Reefs, Boats, Divetalking, Dolphin, Education, Events, Featured, ocean, Photography, Preservation, Promotions, Recognition, Reefs, Reference, Report, Video, Volunteer, Wrecks

Lionfish prove to be formidable component to sharks

Jeanna Bryner, Managing Editor Live Sciences The invasive lionfish is native to the Indo-Pacific region, though has been eating its way through reefs of the Caribbean Sea and Atlantic Ocean, scientists are finding. With no effective predators, fishing by humans may be the only way to control the population, say scientists. CREDIT: Abel Valdivia [singlepic id=743 w=320 h=240 float=left] The eye-catching red lionfish is eating its way through Caribbean reefs, and nothing, not even a toothy shark, seems able to stop the voracious fish, a new study finds. “Lionfish are here to stay, and it appears that the only way to control them is by fishing them,” said researcher John Bruno, professor of biology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. The research, detailed online July 11 in the journal PLOS ONE, focused on … Read entire article »

Filed under: Artificial Reefs, Divetalking, Education, Featured, Fish, Lionfish, ocean, Open Water, Reefs, Reference

Belize to export invasive species, lionfish

9th July 2013, Placencia, Belize – Along Belize’s world heritage site-listed barrier reef, coastal communities are making waves in fight against a rapacious predator. At 11am on Tuesday, 2 July, the first box of filleted invasive lionfish left Belize international airport bound for Minneapolis, Minnesota. Its contents: 5.2 kg of the invasive lionfish, Pterois volitans, a species that poses one of the greatest threats to the sustainability of coral reefs and fisheries throughout the Caribbean region. [singlepic id=941 w=320 h=240 float=left] First released accidentally into the Caribbean near Florida by aquarists in the 1980s, the predatory fish from the Indo-Pacific has no natural predators in the Atlantic, and an exploding population is steadily eating its way across the entire Caribbean Sea. From the Bahamas to Barbados, coral reefs – and the traditional fisheries they … Read entire article »

Filed under: Adv. Open Water, Artificial Reefs, Conservation, Divemaster, Diver, Divetalking, Earth, Education, extinction, Featured, Fish, Lionfish, ocean, Open Water, Preservation, Products, Reefs, Reference

Federal rule could upend states’ shark fin bans

[singlepic id=939 w=320 h=240 float=center] SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Several members of Congress representing coastal states are voicing concern about a proposed federal regulation that could pre-empt state bans on buying or selling shark fins. Democratic Rep. Jared Huffman of California is being joined by representatives of New York, Florida and Guam in seeking changes to a proposal they say would take away a state tool to protect shark populations. California, Hawaii, New York and several other states have passed regulations on the sale and trade of shark fins, which are used in a soup considered an Asian delicacy. California’s ban on the sale, trade and possession of shark fins will go into effect Monday after a compromise allowed time for restaurants and businesses to use up their existing supplies. A letter from the … Read entire article »

Filed under: Adv. Open Water, Artificial Reefs, Conservation, Divetalking, Earth, Education, extinction, Featured, ocean, Open Water, Preservation, Products, Recognition, Reference, Report, Sharks, Stories

SS Ozama Discovered off South Carolina

Larry, The shipwreck that we’ve found and identified is the SS Ozama, which was lost in 1894 off Cape Romain, South Carolina. The lead story is now out, so there is no more hold. It was on Discovery News at http://news.discovery.com/history/archaeology/smugglers-shipwrecked-steamer-found-130602.htm [singlepic id=936 w=320 h=240 float=center] [singlepic id=934 w=320 h=240 float=left][singlepic id=935 w=320 h=240 float=center] An associate has started a Wikipedia page on the wreck giving a lot of my source material. That page is http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SS_Ozama_(1881). Thank you so much for your interest in this. Lee … Read entire article »

Filed under: 3D, Adv. Open Water, Artificial Reefs, Boats, Conservation, Diver, Divetalking, Featured, ocean, Preservation, Reefs, Report, Wrecks

Goliath Grouper conservation survey

Please consider taking the time to complete this survey. It’s rather long but only took me about 15 minutes to complete. It was sent to saltwater fishing license holders in Florida. I’m disturbed by the sample of stakeholders for the survey. I hope that divers will participate to get a more diverse sample of opinions. Commercial fisherman are of the opinion that there are now too many goliath groupers and want to open the season to kill them. They complain that Goliath steal their catch. Scientific evidence has shown that although goliath grouper have made a miraculous recovery, the breeders are still rather young and cannot handle the pressure of a harvest. Click here to take the SURVEY     … Read entire article »

Filed under: Artificial Reefs, Conservation, Divetalking, Earth, Education, extinction, Featured, Fish, Grouper, ocean, Open Water, Preservation, Promotions, Reefs, Reference, Report

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