Matava Resort's 'Mad Fish Dive Centre' offers guests a full range of PADI Dive Certifications.
During the Christmas to New Years Eve week, Mad Fish Dive Centre qualified seven guests to full PADI Open Water Certification , a dive qualification that they will have for life.
“Vinaka vaka levu to all of you! Thanks for an awesome time guys - beautiful relaxed wedding we'll never forget, delicious food we will be dreaming about for ages & such warm and friendly hospitality. Special thanks to Simon for introducing us to the world of diving; to Maggie, for planning all the details of our wedding that we didn't really think about; and to Richard for some fun evenings- and sore heads! Our stay here has been inspiring – Kadavu sa rei talei.
Vinaka!”
Bronwen and Michael McGee
USA
Congratulations first of all to Michael and Bronwin McGee who got married at Matava on Xmas day. They just about made the wedding on time, after an uber 3 hr session of confined skills for their PADI Openwater course in the morning, we got back to the dive shop at 12.20, the wedding was at 1 on a nearby beach. While Richard was pacing the shores, the pastor was getting restless and Maggie was stressing out, the couple to be were more chilled out than anyone, slowly meandering back to their bure to get changed.
We all had a day off on the 26th, after wedding/xmas celebrations, then on the 27th 2 became 5 – Sally Cobb, Allison Walker and Thomas Castets joined the newlyweds, Richard made a rare appearance in the water and we had one of those amazing moments underwater, whilst surrounded by an uncountable number of fish, I watched my 5 new PADI students do a perfect free ascent. Awesome!
The next day was the start of a new PADI Openwater course, Caitlin Kelly, Chris Johnson, Jill Boag and Emma Richardson stepped up. Emma (scared of fish), completed her PADI DSD and the others went on to do the full open water course. The first dive can only be described as mayhem - divers everywhere, surrounded by a cloud of sand. I couldn’t have done it without the help of Mr Tevita Baivou – our resident Divemaster. However, after some serious skill sessions and lot of hard work, it was incredible to see the difference by the end of the course. All 3 put in a massive effort to get through the course and at the end, it was like looking at 3 different divers.
Matava is actively involved in helping collect data for this project. Come a long and have a dive and help us record the large number of sharks we see in Kadavu!
Divers: You have very valuable experience and information that can be put to good use in scientific surveys- I know I do and I have only 500 dives. Many of you may know that the number of Marine Protected Areas and no-take zones have increased dramatically in recent years, so we need new methods (alternatives to fishing) to determine how species are responding to protection.
I am part of a working group that is conducting a Global Shark Assessment to evaluate how shark populations have changed since the beginning of industrial scale fishing, and to make predictions about how these populations will respond to global climate change and to different methods of fishing and protection.
Specifically, I am using scuba diver's observations to census shark populations at different spatial and temporal scales via two surveys: Historical Sightings Survey (HSS) and Current Sightings Survey (CSS).
HSS gets divers to report sightings and diving effort for an area by decade. Ideal candidates for the HSS are dive professionals or recreational divers. Although the HSS asks divers to fill out their observations from memory, divers that do have logbooks are encouraged to fill out the survey from memory and then with the logbook to get an estimate of error.
CSS gets divers to report sightings for each dive. This survey is more specific and detailed than the HSS. All ocean going divers (professionals, recreational, and tourists) are candidates for this survey.
Results of the HSS will be used to show where sharks are abundant and where they have been lost over the past 3-4 decades. These findings will be compared with global databases of human population, fishing pressure, protection status, and coastal development to gain understanding of what factors best contribute to the protection of sharks.
The study will not only provide valuable information about where sharks are surviving, but it will also show that scuba divers can provide valuable information that is comparable to that provided by fishermen or volunteers in the Breeding Bird Survey.
With overwhelming evidence that shark populations have declined dramatically over the last 50 years, there are still places where some shark species are persisting and even thought to be thriving. Identification of these species and areas is an important step in determining the best method for recovery. In a time when the number of no-take zones and fishing restrictions are increasing, there is a need for acquiring data through alternative, non-extractive methods. All scuba divers/snorkelers that have been in the ocean can help with this effort.
ANYONE that has ever dived/snorkeled in the ocean! There are two surveys: Historical Sightings Survey (HSS) and the Current Sightings Survey (CSS). Ideal candidates for the HSS are dive professionals or recreational divers. Since preliminary interviews suggested that most dive professionals do not keep logbooks, the survey asks divers to report their sightings and effort from memory. Preliminary research suggested that divers could recall the level of detail being asked in the HSS with reasonable accuracy; however, divers that do have logbooks are being encouraged to fill out the survey from memory and then with the logbook to get an estimate of error.
CSS gets divers to report sightings (or no sightings) for each dive. This survey is more specific and detailed than the HSS. All ocean going divers (professionals, recreational, and tourists) are candidates for this survey. CSS is not to be filled out from memory, it is for dives that you have environmental and sightings information for (either you have just done this dive or it is recorded in a logbook)- again it must include dives where you did and did not see sharks.
1) Fill out the online survey- it should ONLY take a few minutes (1-2 minutes per area), OR 2) Send me an email (globalshark@gmail.com) and I'll send you an excel survey, OR 3) If you prefer the phone then I can call you (please note your timezone). THEN forward this survey (or my contact info.) to as many divers or dive shops that you can- the more people that fill out this survey the more we will know about the sharks people see.
As you know, every year thousands of whales and dolphins are slaughtered senselessly in the name of so-called 'scientific research'. The countries that still practice whaling cite traditions and customs. In my neck of the woods rape and pillage used to be customary and in my adopted home, cannibalism! Draw your own conclusions as to the comparisons however if your are disgusted, upset or just concerned about what is going on, why not click on the link, play the game to beat the whalers and sign the petition against commercial whaling. It really only takes a moment… and who knows…maybe even help towards the eventual banning of this barbaric practice.
http://www.whalesrevenge.com
Just recieved this from the Coral list email, quite encouraging that Google's "Don't be evil" extends to the oceans of our world as well.
Stuart
====================================================
From: Pete Faulkner
Sent: Thursday, December 13, 2007 9:53 PM
Subject: [Coral-List] Shark Fin Ads on Google
Dear Listers
Following on from my post some time ago regarding Google Adwords for a shark fin supplier....
Having had numerous email conversations with Google (not an easy task in itself!) I have finally had a response from them suggesting that the posting of advertising for shark fins violates their advertising standards. We can therefore expect the removal of the offending advertisement in the near future.
I know that many of you also wrote to Google to express your concerns so I thought you would like to know that we have collectively had some success.
Cheers
Pete Faulkner
--
Pete Faulkner
Conus Dive Training Partner
Mission : awareness Presenter
Coral Cay Conservation Chairman
PADI Master Instructor #615745
Reef Check Australia Trainer
www.conusdivetcs.com.au
www.coralcay.org
_______________________________________________
Coral-List mailing list
Coral-List@coral.aoml.noaa.gov
http://coral.aoml.noaa.gov/mailman/listinfo/coral-list
"Status of Coral Reefs in the South West Pacific: 2004"
This book is based on the reef survey data contributed to the Fiji GCRMN between 2000 and 2004, as well as presenting a picture of reef health in Nauru, New Caledonia, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tuvalu and Vanuatu.
It should be relevant to everyone working in reef ecology and management, as
it allows you to view your own projects in the larger country and region-wide scale. Contributing organisations are acknowledged and so may wish to cite it in references.
It is on sale for the cost of publication - I believe F$34.00, available from IPS Publications, University of the South Pacific, Tel (679) 323 2248 Email editorips@usp.ac.fj
On line catalogue and books sales www.ipsbooks.usp.ac.fj
Many of the sites listed above also have anti-whaling petitions and projects to support and protect whales.
I urge you to help these organisations with all their endeavours. While we may not directly agree with the tactics used by some groups we understand and respect the resolve they show in the campign to save the whales. One thing we all have in common is a love of these amazing marine mammals.
Ocean Presence Technologies (OPT) offers a family of continuous underwater video monitoring systems that can be controlled over the Internet. Developed for manta ray research for The Manta Network, the camera systems are now being offered for a wide range of other applications.
OPT's Underwater IP Camera (UWIPCam®, OceanCam®, AquariCam®) is the first video camera system that can be controlled over the Internet from anywhere in the world. Four models are available: OPT-02 AquariCam, OPT-03 Shallow Ocean model rated to 60 feet, OPT-04 is a Deep Ocean model rated to 150 feet and coming soon, the Ultra-deep Ocean system (OPT-05/06) that will go to depths of 250-400 feet.
The underwater video camera system can be used in a wide range of situations. The applications for housed PTZ camera systems whether for marine and aquatic or terrestrial placement include:
Research -- Manta ray and other animal/plant applications (marine, freshwater, land)
Telepresence & Education -- live educational experiences delivered to computer screens anywhere on the planet including classrooms. Applications include: Aquariums, zoos, commercial exhibits, conservation oriented educational organizations and virtual entertainment.
Monitoring/surveillance/security applications (private, commercial or government) -- any company that operates in an underwater, high-humidity, low-light or corrosive environment. These include: water treatment, oil drilling, nuclear, corrosive material transporting, manufacturing and other security applications.
Promotion and advertising -- using real-time video to market and sell resorts, cruise ships or cause-related marketing organizations directly to prospective buyers.
Each camera sold benefits manta research!
Fiji’s reefs show high coral health after recovering from a coral bleaching event.
Coral reefs have frequently been in the news over the past few years, usually for all the wrong reasons, in articles about dying corals across the globe. However, Fiji has had reason to celebrate, with recent scientific reports suggesting that the reefs here are remarkably resilient, and currently in the best condition recorded. (this millennium!)
Fiji is a large archipelago with a great variety of reef types, spread across the country. While not denying that reefs have their ups and downs, the Fiji branches of the Global Coral Reef Network (GCRMN) and Reef Check have just published the results of eight years of study, where reefs have been seen to recover from events such as Cyclones, Crown of Thorns Starfish and High-temperature Coral Bleaching, within five years.
Dive operators around the Fiji Islands have supported and carried out scientific reef surveys on their dive sites, which have shown reefs affected by coral bleaching in 2000 were back to normal amounts of coral cover by 2005, and even better than normal by 2007.
Many reefs are currently showing a spectacular array of hard corals, with more than 80% coral cover, and 40% Acropora branching and table corals, the most attractive to fish, marine animals, and divers. This suggests that corals in Fiji can survive quite catastrophic events as long as they do not occur too often, a nice cause for optimism for the South Pacific reefs.
Detailed reef health reports can be found at:
www.reefcheck.org
Director Marine Ecology Fiji
Thursday November 08, 2007
Here is an idea that I thought should have hit the market a long time back. I use a calculator whose battery is charged by the sun. There are solar cookers, heaters & what not. It seems ironic that more companies have not thought of making use of this source of energy in case of cell phones or PMP’s. Zhejiang Sorbo has stepped in to change all that with its solar powered PMP.
I understand that is a product has a surface area that is too small such a technology is hard to integrate. But with most of these devices their back panel seems to be a perfect place to put a solar panel. The Chinese company has employed just that technique for its new light powered SB-5007 PMP. It contains a solar panel at the back which charges the internal battery of the device using the energy of the sun. if you are thinking that the product is confined to only that one uniqueness then think again. It is a gadget loaded with features & acts as a mass storage device.
It looks cool, stylish & functions brilliantly. To top it all off, you need not plug in he charger every time. I love the idea & think it should be incorporated on all small gadgets. Running out of charge in your cell is annoying when you are outdoors. Especially for someone like me who always seems to forget to charge his cell before a holiday trip. With this, now you can just go out & get recharged.
Buy one here:Functions:
1) Solar-energy MP4 media player and USB Mass Storage function.
2) 262K colors and high speed 2.0 inches TFT display which support high-definition JPEG pictures.
3) It supports electronic book reading function, you can listen to the music while reading the electronic book. It also has bookmark function.
4) FM radio function.
5) Digital recording,A-B repetition function.
6) Supporting many languages.
7) Interesting game function.
8) High-efficiency PV function, its charged by solar-energy through the solar panel, the power stored is used to charge the built-in 650mAh/3.7V chargeable lithium battery.
Features:
1) Energy saving. Conventional ray,candela and sunlight irradiate directly on the solar panel, the power can be converted and charge the inside chargeable lithium battery. Charging by solar power is the most efficient one, It makes use of the natural energy effectively.
2) The card extended function which support 128 M to 2G MINI SD card extended.
3) Powerful function and perfect compatibility which can support many different file formats. Inside built a chargeable lithium battery, so never need to change battery.
4) It can play for a long time with low power consumption ; it can download files in a short time and support USB2.0 high-speed PC connecting port.
5) Playing by built-in speaker in high quality which can let you share your music with your friends at any time.
6) 262K colors and high speed 2.0 inches TFT display which make it clear and fluid to see video documents and read electronic book.
7)Safe to use, novel ,fashion and exquisite; convenient to carry; long lifespan; high cost performance.
Whether you are shooting film or digital, you're probably very familiar with the need for POWER! With more and more shooters on every dive trip, even the best dive boats may fall short of space and plugs to fill the demand.
This is an actual unretouched photo of the makeshift charging station being utilized over its capacity on a recent dive trip.
If you're just getting into digital photography, you might want to consider some of these details.
Always bring along your own power strip and/or extension cord and write your name on it.
If you are traveling internationally, check with the boat or resort ahead of time to see what power requirements are. Most battery chargers today are 110 and 220 compatible, but might need a special cord. In the worst case, you might need to carry a transformer with you, but they are very, very heavy and not much fun to lug around and will likely be unnecessary unless you are going someplace really remote.
If you find that you need to carry many power cords for all these chargers, think about cutting down the cords so they are only 12" long. You can purchase new plugs at most hardware stores and they install in a snap. Make sure you pay attention to whether or not your plug is grounded or not and purchase the appropriate plug. This also cuts down on the space they take to pack.
Don't be a power hog. In most cases everyone ends up tapping into each other's power strips, but if everyone is courteous there will be plenty to go around for everyone.We know its hard enough to take good photos, even on dry land, that's why our Underwater Cameras are so simple to use. All our camera hire packs come with simple instructions and help sheets to make sure you get the best underwater photos possible. We carefully select our underwater cameras and waterproof cases to ensure they are the highest quality and easiest to use around. Check out our underwater cameras available to rent
Our Cameras
DIGITAL - Vivitar - 6 Megapixels 
35mm- Sealife Reef Master - 50 Meters Waterproof 
DIGITAL - Sea and Sea 3.2 - Megapixels -60 Meters Waterproof 
35 mm - Nikonos - 50 Meters Waterproof 
Ultra compact, lightweight body
The Seatool D200 underwater housing for the Nikon D200 is machined from pure, solid blocks of aluminum to produce a light weight yet rugged package that will offer many years of service, yet keep weight to a minimum. Small and light enough to hand carry on aircraft, it's the perfect tool for the traveling diver faced with strict airline weight restrictions.
Because the housing body conforms so closely to the camera, the housing attains nearly neutral buoyancy (slightly negative) for effortless underwater handling handling. It also means that all camera controls are placed within easy reach, even for divers with small hands.
The end result of this meticulous attention to detail is the smallest, lightest underwater housing available for the Nikon D200.
Seatool - The Housing for the Next Generation
The Seatool D200 represents the state of the art in high performance underwater housings, and does so in the smallest D200 housing ever offered. Contact one of our friendly Seatool dealers today to reserve yours!
To find out more, click here: http://www.seatoolusa.com/d200/
About Reef Photo & Video
PADI eLearning Logs 1000th Participant “During DEMA Show 2006, the PADI message was loud and clear: Embrace the internet and succeed. It was a risky, and honestly, a highly controversial topic that inspired industry-wide debate and discussion,” shared PADI President and Chief Operating Operator, Drew Richardson. “But now, less than one year later, I’m seeing retail and resort operators take this message to heart. PADI Members are adapting and changing the way they do business and using the internet as a key strategy for growth. And it’s working. At the end of July 2007, PADI Open Water Diver certifications in the PADI Americas territory are up more than 17 percent over July 2006 - an overall increase of 2.35 percent year to date. This increase in PADI Member Retail and Resort business isn’t a coincidence. There is a direct correlation between increased new diver certifications and business growth for PADI Dive Centers and Resorts. The July 2007 numbers indicate that PADI eLearning is playing a key role in this growth.
One retailer seeing an increase in business from PADI eLearning is Colonel Echols from Landshark Scuba in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, USA. This progressive retailer has promoted PADI eLearning from the start and he’s thrilled with the results. “PADI eLearning has been great for us. Because of PADI eLearning, we have 20 percent more open water students walking through our doors and buying equipment - and we’re getting $55 US more for this premium privilege.”
“Just today,” Echols continued, “I was ecstatic to learn we had six new customers call in and tell us they want to sign up for eLearning because it fits into their schedule better – and it’s only Tuesday!” According to Echols, PADI eLearning student divers come to his store better prepared, too. “My observation is that eLearners pay attention and follow directions better.”
“Colonel Echol’s enthusiasm is contagious and I applaud it,” closed Richardson. “I’m tired of reading propaganda about industry doom and gloom ... how the industry is dying, how it’s not the same as it once was. Well, the business environment is not the same as it once was, but that doesn’t mean it’s bad news. For many PADI Members, business is up in all areas. Their success is our success and we’re all growing together. It’s exciting and rewarding to know that we’re taking the right steps to support our lifeblood as a membership organization, PADI Members. PADI remains committed to the continued development of innovative and progressive programs for member success, which helps the industry as a whole to grow.”
There’s no quick fix for increasing business. Growth and success are directly tied to effective strategies and winning programs such as PADI eLearning. Align your business with PADI - the acknowledged market leader in scuba training and education - and tap into proven strategies to grow your business. Contact the PADI International Resort and Retailer Associations today at 800 729 7234 (US and Canada) or +1 949 858 7234, ext. 2260.
Update: 10.44am
ENVIRONMENTAL group Greenpeace has accused Pacific nations of continuing to treat tuna stocks as limitless and says the level of fishing in the region has to be cut back.
Greenpeace Oceans Team Leader Nilesh Goundar who is attending this year's Tuna Forum in Papua New Guinea, says the industry still considers Pacific ocean tuna stocks as a lucrative all-you-can-take region.
He says the level of catch must be set to a sustainable precautionary level and the Pacific region must resist the push to fish more.
He says over-fishing will lead to an unsustainable harvest with huge socio-economic and environmental costs as has happened elsewhere in the world, reports Radio Australia.
Greenpeace says it will push for 50 percent less fishing across Pacific tuna fisheries at the Tuna commission meeting in December.
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Interested in something else? Scuba.com offers a wide selection of contests, quizzes, and polls updated regularly on topics such as extreme diver pictures, trivia, and log book entries. Check out the full list of scuba diving contests to show off your knowledge about many different topics, learn something new, and get a chance to win some cash towards scuba gear at the same time. You don’t even have to be a scuba diver; there is something for everyone. Go to Scuba.com and click View All Contests at the bottom of the page to check it out.
Perhaps you are the world’s biggest Harry Potter fan and know exactly which schools participated in the Tri-Wizard Tournament, the exact names of the unforgivable curses, which spell can be used to unlock doors, and the color of the basilisk’s eyes. Or maybe you just love the movies. Either way, you will enjoy the extensive Harry Potter trivia quiz at scuba.com. Enter for your chance to win a $100 scuba.com gift certificate.
For all you divers out there with cameras, submit your funniest pictures to the extreme diver contest showing your scuba spirit and wackiness in all sorts of places. Upload any and all of your pictures whether it’s under the water, in the snow, or even right after your first open water dive. For the enthusiastic photographers, you can submit your paramount pictures to the photo contest and get voted on from hundreds of other divers. You can even take one of the pictures and send it to your scuba buddy as an e-card.
Perhaps you had one of the craziest dives of your life this weekend and want to share it with the world. We have just the place for you: our online scuba log book. Anyone can share their own experiences, vote on their favorites, or just browse through the hundreds of stories submitted by other divers just like you. There are big fish stories in
In addition to the contests and quizzes, you can participate in our online diver polls. See what others think about such topics as the best dive location, best type of fins, and solo diving.
No one ever complains about winning free gear, so check out the contest page, upload some photos and play around. Who knows, maybe you could be a winner. There are winners every month. You could be next.
Impressive new accessory for popular SeaLife product to be available in dive stores shortly. July 3, 2007 - SeaLife will begin shipping its new Mini Wide Angle lens (item SL973) this week. The Mini Wide Angle Lens is specially designed to fit the hot-selling line of mini series cameras - the ReefMaster Mini (SL320) and ECOshot (SL321)
Advanced photographers know how important it is to get close to your subject “The closer the better”, says Joe Wysocki, Owner of Optiquatics which runs underwater photography trips out of
The new Mini Wide Angle lens increases the camera’s viewing angle by 43%. It also allows close-up picture from 12” to infinity. This is a must-have lens for taking great underwater pictures with the SeaLife mini series of cameras.
The lens also completes the expandable system for the mini series of cameras. With a retail of only $79.95, the lens will make the ReefMaster and ECOshot the most affordable 6mp Dive camera system that can be expanded.
For under $600, consumers can get the ReefMaster Mini ProSet (SL325) and the Mini Wide Angle Lens (SL973) and have a fantastic underwater system which includes SeaLife’s Land & Sea Exposure modes with True Color correction in both Sea mode and Video for more vivid, realistic colors.
In anticipation of the arrival of the new lens, we are running a special promotion that allows the dealer to receive a FREE Mini Wide Angle Lens whenever they purchase two of the mini series of cameras.
For more information on the Mini Wide Angle Lens and the SeaLife 2 for 1 Promotion, contact your territory sales rep or SeaLife customer service @ 856 866-9191.
Mini Wide Angle Lens Specifications
· 0.45X conversion lens increases shooting angle by 43% (from 35º to 50º)
· Easily snaps on and off underwater
· Sharp focus from 12” (30cm) to infinity
· Fully-multi coated optical glass
· Waterproof to 200’ (60m)
· Includes neoprene lens covers, storage case and safety lanyard
· Super compact lens for SeaLife ReefMaster Mini (SL320) and ECOshot (SL321) digital cameras
corals reversed by secret ballot Over the past several years, the popularity of precious corals for jewelry, fashion, and décor has permeated markets from Asia and Europe to the United States. Such strong consumer interest threatens coral reefs, yet offers a unique opportunity for us to play a role in saving them.
SeaWeb’s Too Precious To Wear campaign aims to create a demand for coral conservation. We are working with leaders in the fashion and design world to spread the word about the value of these beautiful ocean animals and to promote products that celebrate the beauty of corals without harming the ocean.
