New fish species found by divers in Fiji

A new species of fish has been discovered on Fiji's Great Sea Reef. The new species of damselfish (Pomacentrus sp.) was found during a 12-day expedition of the reefs by World Wildlife Fund (WWF) divers.

Read the article at DIVE UK magazine...

Download the whole pdf science report from WWF Fiji...

Sea Creatures to Be Tracked Electronically

By Randolph E. Schmid, Associated Press

In a modern update of "fish and chips," researchers are planning a worldwide effort to track the movement of sea creatures tagged with tiny electronic devices.

Following pilot testing in the north Pacific, the Ocean Tracking Network will expand to the Atlantic, Arctic, Mediterranean and Gulf of Mexico.

Details of the expansion were scheduled to be announced Monday at Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.

Sea life ranging from salmon to whales, turtles to sharks, will be tagged so they can then be tracked as they swim past arrays of sensors placed at critical locations in the oceans.

Read more at Environmental News Network

We Love Japan, But Whaling Breaks Our Hearts

14 February 2007:

On Valentine's Day, Greenpeace protests during the second day of the "International Whaling Commission Normalisation Meeting." The meeting was called by Japan and supported by pro-whaling nations. Outside the venue, Greenpeace Japan tries to present Valentine's Day whale-shaped chocolates to the pro-whaling delegates attending the meeting.

Tokyo, Japan — Greenpeace activists took to the streets across the globe on Valentine’s Day to send a message of love to Japan from twenty-eight different countries, while at the same time demanding the government end high seas whaling in the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary.

In Tokyo, Greenpeace volunteers carried a giant Valentine’s card, addressed to pro-whaling members of the International Whaling Commission (IWC), currently meeting to discuss "normalising" the Commission, which read: "Normalization Means Protection, Not Whaling"

A fax was also sent to the Nisshin Maru – the factory ship of the whaling fleet, which read:

“We Love Japan, but Whaling Breaks Our Hearts! 69 % of your fellow Japanese do not support what you are doing in the Sanctuary and there is virtually no market for what you are producing. The "research" you have been ordered to carry out is not wanted by scientists and the meat is not wanted by the Japanese people. On this Valentine's Day, a day for spreading love, we ask once again that you leave the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary and return to port.”

Elsewhere, flowers, hearts, chocolates, kisses and romantic gondola trips were delivered by Greenpeace activists to embassies and tourists in Argentina, Australia, Denmark, Chile, Costa Rica, Ecuador, France, Germany, Fiji, Greece, Guatemala, Ireland, Italy, Mexico, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, the Philippines, Poland, Paraguay, Portugal, Russia, Sweden, Spain, Thailand, Uruguay and the USA.

“This is not just frivolous fun. We want to send a clear message that we are not anti-Japanese, we simply oppose whaling,” said Junichi Sato, whales campaign leader in Greenpeace Japan. “We know that 69% of Japanese do not support what their government is doing in the Southern Ocean and 95% never or rarely eat whale meat. Whaling does not belong in the 21^st Century and the only way forward for the IWC is to start working for the whales and not the whalers.” Sato added.

The Greenpeace ship Esperanza is in the Southern Ocean, tracking the whaling fleet. The expedition is the last leg of the Defending Our Oceans campaign (1), to expose all threats to the oceans, which began in November 2005 by sailing to the Southern Ocean, where activists prevented 82 whales from being killed, and also forced out the companies funding the hunt, by taking peaceful direct action.

Handy Hints for Photographers

Adobe Photoshop for Underwater Photographers A new handbook for underwater photographers explains how to edit, fine-tune, retouch and enhance underwater images with Adobe Photoshop.

Read more here...

Adobe Photoshop for Underwater Photographers

SPTO Website

The SPTO website covers all of the South Pacific, and has a great wealth of info on properties and activities.

"Dive the world renown Great Astrolabe Reef from the secluded hideaway resort of Matava on the rugged island of Kadavu. Accommodation is in traditional style Fijian bures ranging from a 4-bed dorm to ocean view bures with private facilities and magnificent views of the ocean and Great Astrolabe reef."

Read more...

underwater.com.au Forum

Cool forum from down-under.

"Matava specialises in water sports such as diving and fishing by it's wonderful location with abundant reefs and large marine life. Swam with Manta Rays, Sharks, Turtles, Barracuda (2 types) and so much more..." MarieB

Go see more of this forum...

DIVE magazine "The Great Astrolabe Reef "

by Simon Rogerson

Some of the most spectacular hard-coral formations in the world can be found along the Great Astrolabe, an immense barrier reef that protects the southern and eastern shores of the Kadavu island group. Diving here can be challenging, as the channels between the reefs and the outer sea can be subject to fast currents and heavy swell. Still, the reef diving is of the highest standard, and there is still scope for discovery.

Read the complete article here...