Airlines Might Just Hold the Secret to Ending Dolphin Captures at the Cove
By David Kirby If a dolphin were captured by Japanese fishermen and sold at great profit to a faraway amusement park, but no one was willing to fly the animal there, would the fishermen want to capture more dolphins? Probably not. That thinking has fueled a growing international effort to convince the world’s airlines and airfreight companies not to fly marine mammals captured from the wild to theme parks and aquariums. Citing the severe stress placed on … Read entire article »
Filed under: Conservation, Divetalking, Dolphin, Donation, Earth, Education, extinction, Featured, ocean, Open Water, Preservation, Recognition, Reference, Report
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
MIDWAY – Can you answer: Why?
Divetalking has posted on this subject before but we thought the importance of its message should be shared as a reminder, once again. Please spend a moment of your time to watch this short video of the impact we have on this planet. Can you, will you step forward to speak up? Will anything you say or do matter? MIDWAY a Message from the Gyre : a short film by Chris Jordan from Midway on Vimeo. … Read entire article »
Filed under: Conservation, Divetalking, Earth, Education, extinction, Featured, ocean, Photography, Preservation, Recognition, Reference, Report
Hong Kong Taking Steps to protect Sharks and Blue Fin Tuna
[singlepic id=973 w=320 h=240 float=none] The Govt has taken steps to reduce consumption of shark fin soup and other goods which promote the harvesting of species such as Shark and Tuna. [singlepic id=939 w=220 h=140 float=none] [singlepic id=917 w=220 h=140 float=none] Through the sustainability-conscious food consumption guidelines, “commitment to the promotion of green living and sustainability, the Government pledges to adopt sustainability-conscious food consumption during official entertainment functions, which includes no consumption of shark fins.” Also stated “The Government … Read entire article »
Filed under: Divetalking, Earth, Education, extinction, Featured, Fish, ocean, Preservation, Reefs, Reference, Report, Sharks, Tuna
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
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
Turn Shark Week into Shark Weak
Please help us. Every day that passes, I wonder if I will be next. I am afraid. I am scared, I am alone. Can we live together, on this one world? Before it is too late, please help me.. Please save my life. … Read entire article »
Filed under: Conservation, Divetalking, Earth, Education, extinction, Featured, ocean, Preservation, Recognition, Reefs, Reference, Sharks
Shark Weak
Filed under: Divetalking, Earth, Education, extinction, Featured, Fish, ocean, Preservation, Promotions, Recognition, Reefs, Reference, Sharks, Training
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 Found at Disturbing Depths
by Megan Gannon, News Editor Live Science The relentless scourge of lionfish has crept to unexpected depths: Off the coast of Florida, researchers say they found the venomous invader thriving around a sunken ship at 300 feet (91 meters) below the water’s surface. [singlepic id=945 w=320 h=240 float=right] “We expected some populations of lionfish at that depth, but their numbers and size were a surprise,” researcher Stephanie Green, of Oregon State University, said in a statement. Last month, Green and colleagues investigated the seafloor near Fort Lauderdale, Fla., in a deep-diving Antipodes sub. At 300 feet (91 m) deep, the team witnessed a large number of the spiny fish near the intentionally sunken Bill Boyd cargo ship, an artificial reef created in 1986. [See Photos of Lionfish & Other Freaky Fish] While lionfish are typically … Read entire article »
Filed under: Conservation, Diver, Divetalking, Earth, Education, extinction, Featured, Fish, Lionfish, Preservation, Reefs, Reference, Report
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
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