Researchers at the University of California, Santa Barbara have recorded and measured the effects of a massive blowout of methane from the ocean floor. Methane is 20 times more potent than carbon dioxide in warming the atmosphere, and may potentially be a major contributor to past and present global warming. Read more…
The proposed Toka Tindung gold mining project may pose a threat to marine environments in the North Sulawesi (Manado, Lembeh, Gangga, Bangka, etc.) that divers around the world treasure. Read more…
The United Nations Division for Ocean Affairs and Law of the Sea has issued a report calling for an international moratorium on destructive and wasteful fishing practices such as bottom trawling. Read more…
Avid photographer and Mac user Augustine Tan has spent a considerable amount of time getting to know Apple’s Aperture digital image management software, and has penned this article to share some of his insights. Read more…
Siam Adventure Divers in Thailand is offering two 4-day/ 4-night liveaboard trips on MV Jazz to the Similans for one lucky winner as part of a raffle to support the efforts of four adventurers (Alex Towns, Max Towns, Martin Pitwood and Max Smith) on an 18-month, 65,000-km, 26-country charity drive from the UK to New Zealand.
The purpose of this journey and fund-raising effort by the adventurous foursome (besides having fun and diving at every opportunity along the way) is to raise £25,000 for CARE International.
It’s just £10 per raffle ticket, and the raffle draw is scheduled for 30 September. See their website for more information.
The Philippine-Micronesia Alliance is proud to announce that their website now features six languages, and that important new links have been added to the site.
The site is available in English, German, and Russian, with Japanese, Chinese and Korean coming shortly.
If you need a great vacation or dive holiday, then this is the site for you! Top dive operators and travel agents from the Philippines and Micronesia are on hand to take care of all your diving needs.
Check out the Philippine-Micronesia Alliance website for more information.
The Fisheries Administration under the Council of Agriculture in Taiwan sets a limit on the number of whale sharks Taiwanese fishermen can hunt each year. This year’s quota of 60 has been reached, so no further hunting will be permitted. The annual quota is set to drop in future years. Read more…
Newly released results from a study on the cumulative effect of scuba diving exposure suggests that diving has no detrimental effect on lung capacity. Read more…
Check it out! Issue 5.4 of FiNS Magazine — a special issue featuring the joys of muck diving — is out already, but if you can’t wait to start reading, download one or all of these PDF previews:
Bali: Seraya Secrets by Matthew Oldfield of Scubazoo, and a look at Secret Bay by Marli Wakeling
Komodo: Experience Komodo’s muck mania with Tony Wu
Manado: Jez Tryner’s first muck diving adventure to Manado
Palau: Ethan Daniels reveals the relatively unknown macro muck delights of Palau
Philippines: Early Morning in Puerto Galera by Gunther Deichmann
PNG: Tony Wu’s look at critter-spotting in PNG
Sabah: Adi & Mala Gehri’s review of Mabul’s Marvellous Muck
Take a look at our featured Hotspots this issue too, with articles on Thalassa Dive Center in Manado by Jez Tryner, and a tales from a trip aboard M/V Scuba Adventure to the Sunny Similans by diving duo Stephen Wong and Takako Uno.
Airport law enforcers net valuable reef fish cargo
Kuala Lumpur, 11 July – Indonesian airport authorities seized 36 endangered Humphead Wrasse Cheilinus undulatus on 30 June in Manado, Indonesia, the third seizure of this species in Indonesia this year. Read more…
