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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

Manatees Are Dying In Droves, Florida Says ‘Too Bad’

A record number of endangered manatees are dying in Florida’s algae-choked waterways. So far this year, 582 manatees have died, more year-to-date than any year on record, according to preliminary numbers from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC). Pat Rose is an aquatic biologist and the executive director of the Save the Manatee Club, an organization devoted to preserving the animal. In his interview with TakePart, Rose reports the estimated minimum population of these gentle beasts is only 3,100 adults. That means their population has decreased by more than 10 percent in just four months. A total of 247 of these have died in the southwest of the state due to an explosion of a red-hued algae called Karenia brevis, also known as a red tide. This pesky microorganism produces neurotoxins … Read entire article »

Filed under: Alert, Conservation, Divetalking, extinction, Featured, Manatee, Preservation, Reference, Report, Stories

Submit news worthy event for 1000’s to see

So you believe you have something that is publishable? Are you privileged to new that is currently happening or worthy event occurring in your area that you would like to share? Send your story or news to story@divetalking.com Our Master Editor will review your submission. Candidates submissions of events and news are reviewed my the Master Editor and any submission chosen is then sent to the Chief Editor. If the Editor in Chief likes your submission, we may contact you for further details and publish your story/news on divetalking.com Subjects submitted should be related to ocean awareness, conservation or local events yet can be any subject if related to water, fresh or salt. For example: Diver finds lost ship, or whales found offshore, turtles begin breeding, and so on. They can be a long time … Read entire article »

Filed under: 3D, Adv. Open Water, Artificial Reefs, Badge, Boats, Candidate, Cave, Cavern, Computers, Conservation, Convention, Dive Planner, Divemaster, Diver, Divetalking, Dolphin, Drift, Earth, Education, Emergency/FirstAid, Events, Expo, extinction, Featured, Fish, Grouper, Indonesia, Instructor, Insurance, Killer Whale, Lionfish, Manatee, Manta Rays, Master Diver, ocean, Open Water, ozone, Photography, Preservation, Products, Promotions, Quiz, RDP, Rebreather, Rebreathers, Recall, Recognition, Recreational Dive Planner, Reefs, Reference, Regulators, Report, Rescue, Rescue Diver, SeaLions, Sharks, Shrimp, Specialties, Springs, Stories, Summit, Training, Travel, Tuna, Turtles, Videography, Whales, Whaleshark, Wrecks

Blue Fin Tuna

[singlepic id=917 w=320 h=240 float=center] TOKYO (AP) — It is the king of sushi, one of the most expensive fish in the world — and dwindling so rapidly that some fear it could vanish from restaurant menus within a generation. Japanese Chefs Remain Calm Over Dwindling Tuna Supply   With the recent $1.76 million sale of a single bluefin tuna in Tokyo, bluefin tuna – the poster child for sustainable seafood – is front page news again. These apex predators fetch such high prices because their populations are too low to support the demand, primarily fueled by the sushi market. Sustainable Alternatives To Bluefin Tuna   Bluefin tuna just can’t catch a break. Weeks after it was reported that overfishing had reduced the Pacific population of the fish, which is popular in sushi bars, by over 96 … Read entire article »

Filed under: Alert, Conservation, Divetalking, Earth, Education, extinction, Fish, ocean, Preservation, Reference, Tuna

Leatherback Sea Turtle Could Be Extinct Within 20 Years at Last Stronghold in the Pacific Ocean

An international team led by the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) has documented a 78 percent decline in the number of nests of the critically endangered leatherback sea turtle (Dermochelys coriacea) at the turtle’s last stronghold in the Pacific Ocean. [singlepic id=916 w=320 h=240 float=center] The study, published online Feb. 26 in the Ecological Society of America’s scientific online journal Ecosphere, reveals leatherback nests at Jamursba Medi Beach in Papua Barat, Indonesia — which accounts for 75 percent of the total leatherback nesting in the western Pacific — have fallen from a peak of 14,455 in 1984 to a low of 1,532 in 2011. Less than 500 leatherbacks now nest at this site annually. Thane Wibbels, Ph.D., a professor of reproductive biology at UAB and member of a research team that includes … Read entire article »

Filed under: Artificial Reefs, Conservation, Divetalking, Earth, Education, extinction, Featured, Leatherback, ocean, Preservation, Reefs, Reference, Stories, Turtles

**** ALERT **** Must See and Comment

This is an island in the ocean about 2000 km from any other coast line. Nobody lives on it, only birds and yet ............... You will not believe your eyes!!!!!!! Post your comments below. What should we do? What should be done? … Read entire article »

Filed under: Adv. Open Water, Alert, Divetalking, Earth, Education, Emergency/FirstAid, Events, extinction, Featured, ocean, Preservation, Reference, Report, Training

Rep. Jo Bonner Calls for Action for Gulf Wildlife After Local 15 Investigation

MOBILE, Ala. (WPMI) Congressman Jo Bonner demands Interior Secretary Salazar immediately halt federal policy destroying large numbers of gulf red snapper. In a Local 15 investigation, we uncovered video, secretly taken aboard one of the vessels contracted to blow-up old gas wells in the gulf, killing millions of pounds of fish. Marine scientist Dr. Bob Shipp says this is happening so often, a million and a half pounds of dead snapper is floating to the surface each year. Now Congressman Bonner fired off a letter to Salazar demanding change. In the letter Bonner says, “In an undercover video released today from a rig explosion in the northern gulf, we finally have visual evidence of the devastation caused by this directive.” He goes on to say, “At the same time one federal agency is restricting fishing … Read entire article »

Filed under: Alert, Artificial Reefs, Conservation, Divetalking, Earth, Education, Events, Featured, ocean, Preservation, Reefs, Reference, Report, Stories

Explosive Fed. Mandate Killing Thousands of Red Snapper

MOBILE, Ala. (WPMI) A federal mandate to remove old, abandoned oil and gas rigs in the Gulf of Mexico is blowing up a lot more than just the rigs. Undercover video obtained by Local 15 shows thousands of pounds of dead fish, mostly red snapper, floating to the surface after one of the controversial demolitions in the Gulf. “Good Lord,” marine scientist Dr. Bob Shipp said, when Local 15 showed him the video. “As a scientist, I think it’s abominable.” Shipp said the demolitions are frequent, sometimes three a week in the Gulf, but are seldom video-taped. Shipp also sits on the Gulf Fisheries Management Council, and has been a strong opponent of the demolitions. “It’s a double whammy,” Shipp said, “Not only are we killing a lot of snapper, but we’re also destroying … Read entire article »

Filed under: Alert, Artificial Reefs, Conservation, Divetalking, Earth, Education, Featured, Grouper, ocean, Preservation, Reefs, Reference, Report, Stories

Registration Now Open for 2013 NW Florida Artificial Reef Workshop February 19 – 20, 2013 in Niceville, Florida

An exciting new event is coming to our area. Northwest Florida’s first Artificial Reef Workshop since 2006 will be held February 19 – 20, 2013 at the Niceville Community Center. The community center is centrally located in the Panhandle and located at 204 N Partin Dr, Niceville, FL 32578. Sessions and guest speakers will provide the latest information regarding Reef Designs, Artificial Reefs and Fisheries Management, Monitoring Tools, Artificial Reef Construction Issues in Inshore and Nearshore State Waters, The Economic Benefits and Impacts of Artificial Reefs in NW Florida, and other artificial reef topics of local interest. The evening of February 19th there will be an Evening Expo.  At this Expo booths and information will be provided by the Mexico Beach Artificial Reef Association, Emerald Coast Reef Association, Florida Sea Grant, … Read entire article »

Filed under: Artificial Reefs, Conservation, Convention, Diver, Divetalking, Earth, Education, Events, Featured, ocean, Preservation, Reefs, Summit

Northeast Florida Lionfish Blast Tournament 2013

TISIRI is at it again! Leading  the Northeast Florida Lionfish Blast Tournament coming this March, through April 2013 to NE Florida. The invasive lionfish epidemic in the western Atlantic is an ever growing problem. Northeast Florida is no exception, and if you follow our efforts at TISIRI you know we routinely attempt to harvest lionfish from our local reefs. Unfortunately, lionfish populations are so prolific more effort is needed in hope to have an effect on the detriment the species is causing. In an effort to encourage as much manpower as possible to harvest lionfish, a tournament awarding attractive prizes will be held throughout the month of April 2013. The event is called the Northeast Florida Lionfish Blast and is open to lionfish hunters offshore the coast of Jacksonville and St. Augustine. … Read entire article »

Filed under: Artificial Reefs, Conservation, Contest, Diver, Divetalking, Earth, Education, Events, Featured, Fish, Lionfish, ocean, Open Water, Preservation, Promotions, Reefs, Reference, Report, Training

Save Manta Rays – Sign the Petition – Make 2013 The beginning to the end

[singlepic id=838 w=320 h=240 float=center] [singlepic id=836 w=320 h=240 float=center] Save Manta Rays World Leaders making 2013 the year for Manta Rays??? Posted by Greg Heighes (cause leader) Tell your friends about this Share this Note [singlepic id=837 w=320 h=240 float=center] Sir Richard Branson, Her Deepness Sylvia Earle and the Ocean Elders have joined the crusade to protect manta rays in 2013. The OceanElders are trying to get every country in the world to ban the wholesale slaughter of giant manta rays. Richard Branson does “The Manta” On Richard Branson’s personal blog, he explains that in 2013, “our attention will focus on the way we are destroying the ocean”. This is an important year for manta rays. Later this year countries around the world will vote whether to list mantas on the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species. This will be an … Read entire article »

Filed under: Conservation, Divetalking, Donation, Earth, Education, Events, extinction, Featured, Fish, Manta Rays, ocean, Preservation, Promotions, Rescue, Training

Reef Cleanup January 12, 2013 off Jacksonville Florida

Reef Cleanup January 12, 2013 off Jacksonville Florida Here is another rendition of the site. TISIRI … Read entire article »

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

Come learn about marine research from the scientists themselves

Filed under: Artificial Reefs, Conservation, Divetalking, Earth, Education, Events, Featured, ocean, Preservation, Reefs, Reference, Training

Killer whales trapped in Quebec sea ice

[singlepic id=834 w=320 h=240 float=center] MONTREAL (AP) — A community in Quebec’s Far North is calling for outside help to free about a dozen killer whales trapped under a vast stretch of sea ice. Locals in Inukjuak said Read and see more at the following link... Associated Press   … Read entire article »

Filed under: Dolphin, Earth, Education, Events, extinction, Featured, Fish, Killer Whale, ocean, Open Water, Preservation, Reference, Report

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, FWC – Lionfish

[singlepic id=819 w=320 h=240 float=left] [singlepic id=820 w=320 h=240 float=left] [singlepic id=821 w=320 h=240 float=left] [singlepic id=822 w=320 h=240 float=left] Above are pages from a recently published pamphlet by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, FWC. Stop by your local dive shop to pick up your copy. FWC References: Lionfish – Pterois volitans News Releases Lionfish (Pterois volitans, Pterois miles) Frequently Asked Questions Harvesting and Reporting Lionfish … Read entire article »

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

Debris from state project could be answer for City’s proposed reef in river

10/04/2012 by Max Marbut, Staff Writer A $50,000 project that’s $45,000 short of being funded could be a beneficiary of the Florida Department of Transportation’s Overland Bridge Project.   A proposed inland artificial reef in the St. Johns River near San Marco was on the Jacksonville Waterways Commission Artificial Reef Subcommittee’s agenda Wednesday at City Hall. The reef is proposed to be constructed in 16 feet of water west of Jim Rink Park and south of the Fuller Warren Bridge. City Planner Jody McDaniel said the process of obtaining permits to construct the artificial reef is proceeding with state and federal agencies. She said the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers have requested additional information. “They have 10 concerns,” including mapping the proposed site, details on how the reef will be deployed … Read entire article »

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

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