FiNS Magazine » FiNS News

iDive Sharks iPhone App

FiNS — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 01:13:54 +0000

Shark divers take note!

FiNS friend Mark Thorpe, the man behind liquidmocean, has just released an iPhone app.

The app, called iDive Sharks, features twenty shark species, with overviews, images, distribution information and operators who provide interaction with each species being the main features of the app. It also incorporates a slideshow of 50 amazing images and an address book feature for the operators in question.

The app is priced at $1.99 in the iTunes store, and 20% of proceeds will be donated to shark conservation causes.

For the US iTunes store, click here to download the app. For all other iTunes stores, please search for “iDive Sharks” in your relevant iTunes store.

While you’re at it, visit the dedicated the site set up for discussion and support for this app at www.idivesharks.com.

Help Protect Goliath Groupers

FiNS — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 13:38:15 +0000

Goliath groupers, which were listed until 2006 as a critically endangered species by the World Conservation Union (IUCN), may soon lose their protection from fishing due to recovering population levels and pressure from fisherman. Divers have long enjoyed the company of these, huge, friendly fish, and if taking goliath groupers becomes legal once again, population levels may fall quickly.

Please help us to keep goliath groupers in the list of protected species by signing this petition organised by Wetpixel!

Expedition to Ambon and Raja Ampat

FiNS — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 23:52:28 +0000

ReefNet and New World Publications (Humann/DeLoach) are collaborating on the production of digital field guides for marine life in various regions of the world. Having already well documented the flora and fauna of the Caribbean, ReefNet has now shifted its focus to the Indo-Pacific.

To gather new content, ReefNet is launching a series of documentation expeditions open to the public (all previous expeditions have been limited to ReefNet staff). Not only will participants get to enjoy the beauty of Ambon and Raja Ampat, they will also have the opportunity to contribute photos/videos to upcoming field guides.

If you want a surefire way to get your images published, here’s your chance…

Overview
This 18-day expedition is a spectacular land- and sea-based diving adventure. It starts with eight days of muck diving in Ambon with Maluku Divers. Recently a new species of frogfish was discovered by Maluku Divers, proving the region’s reputation for biodiversity!

Transferring by air to Sorong, the spacious and photo-friendly Archipelago Adventurer II then takes you on a nine day trek through the undisputed heart of marine biodiversity: Raja Ampat. Visit the most vibrant reefs on the planet here, including those on which Dr. Gerald Allen made his record-setting fish counts…up to 284 species on a single dive!

Although you may elect to join just one part of the expedition, we’ve designed the two itineraries to complement one another. We hope you will take advantage of the opportunity to dive both regions with us!

Itinerary
The detailed itinerary for this expedition has not been finalized. However, the following is already prescribed:

* Dec 1 – Dec 9: Dive the world-renowned muck sites and bountiful reefs of Ambon from the Maluku Divers resort.
* Dec 9: Transfer to Sorong to board the Archipelago Adventurer II.
* Dec 9 – Dec 18: Dive throughout Raja Ampat, returning to Sorong for outgoing flights or other excursions.

Pricing & Reservations
This expedition has two parts which may be booked independently or as a combination:

* Dec 1 – Dec 9, 2009: Ambon (land-based with Maluku Divers)
- $1800 per person

* Dec 9 – Dec 18, 2009: Raja Ampat (aboard the Archipelago Adventurer II)
-$3150 per person (standard cabin)
-$3375 per person (premium cabin)

All prices are based on double occupancy, singles will be paired appropriately.

If you have any questions, or to reserve one or more spaces on this expedition, please contact us. Reservations are made on a first-come, first-served basis, and a deposit is required to secure your space(s). For more details, refer to our Terms & Conditions.

Inclusions & Exclusions
The price of this expedition includes:

* Diving (3 boat dives/day at Maluku, 4+/day on Archipelago)
* Unlimited unguided shore dives at Maluku
* FREE NITROX on Archipelago Adventurer
* Meals, snacks, and non-alcoholic drinks
* Accommodations (double-share)
* Scheduled land excursions
* Airport transfers

Not included:

* Connecting airfare and hotel stays (see below for our recommended travel booking agent)
* Dive gear rental (other than tanks & weights)
* Fuel surcharge(s) (e.g. optional sites beyond Ambon Bay)
* Nitrox at Maluku, if desired
* National park fee(s)
* Gratuities

Travel Arrangements
Although expedition participants are welcome to book connecting flights and hotels privately, ReefNet highly recommends the travel booking services of our dedicated partner Reef & Rainforest. To make your travel arrangements with Reef & Rainforest, contact them directly and tell them you’re joining one of ReefNet’s Dive Expeditions.

For More Information—
To learn more about this expedition, or to make a reservation, contact ReefNet:
Tel: 1-888-819-7333 (US/Canada) or 905-608-9373 (International)

E-mail: info@reefnet.ca

Web: www.reefnet.ca/travel

Public Forum On Shark Fins

FiNS — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 19:19:24 +0000

by Daniel Kway

The Nature Society Singapore (NSS) recently organised a debate and public forum on sharks and shark’s fin soup, held at one of the lecture rooms at Spring Singapore. There were about 150 people in attendance. The lecture room was packed, and they had to bring in additional chairs to accomodate late-comers.

The debaters included Dr Giam Choo Hoo, Regional Representative For Asia (Alternate) For CITES (Convention On International Trade In Endangered Species) Animal Comittee and Louis Ng, Executive Director of ACRES (Animal Concerns Research & Education Society). The debate and public forum was chaired by the NSS President, Dr Shawn Lum.

Dr Giam opened the debate by saying that the public has been misinformed about sharks and shark’s fin with pictures and video footage of sharks, with their fins removed, lying on the sea bed gasping for breath as they slowly die. Although live-finning has already been outlawed in many countries, this cruel practice still exists, albeit only making up a small percentage of the shark’s fin available for consumption.

Dr Giam claimed that live-finning occurs only when sharks are caught as by-catch by tuna fleets. Due to limited refrigeration space on the tuna fishing boat, shark fins are sliced off and bodies discarded to make space for more valuable tuna.

Dr Giam continued by mentioning that up to 80% of the sharks caught every year are a result of artisanal fishing, with fishermen fishing along the coastline for sustenance. He said that Europeans are responsible for catching a large percentage of the sharks for their meat, and that fins are removed and sold to Asia, implying that shark fins are a by-product of processing shark meat for consumption. Dr Giam said that the European Union is aware of the dwindling shark populations and are in the midst of imposing fishing quotas for member states.

He concluded by saying that of the over 400 known shark species, only three (great white sharks, basking sharks and whale sharks) are listed under CITES Appendix II, i.e., those species considered “not threatened with extinction but which trade must be controlled to avoid utilization incompatible for their survival”.

“There is a difference between commercial extinction and biological extinction.” Dr Giam opined, asserting that once a shark species reaches commercial extinction, it would no longer be commercially viable for fishing boats to go out to sea looking for sharks. This, he maintained, does not equate to biological extinction. Remaining sharks would multiply and recover.

Louis Ng began his address by saying that when you order a bowl of shark’s fin soup, the reality is that there is no way of telling if the fin was from a shark that was cruelly finned alive. However, the main issue is not only the manner in which the sharks are killed and the fins taken, but with the sustainability of the shark fin trade and continual survival of the species. Louis noted that sharks play a crucial role in our oceans, and that the disappearance of shark populations has serious consequences for marine ecosystems, including the possibility of collapsed fisheries.

He continued by noting that while not all shark species are endangered, the fact is that there are many shark species that we know very little about due to insufficient or incomplete scientific data. Based on IUCN (International Union For Conservation Of Nature And Natural Resources) statistics, up to 25% of shark species are considered threatened (critially endangered, endangered or vulnerable), while there is insufficient information to ascertain population health for 37% of shark species. When you order a bowl of shark’s fin soup, there is no way to tell what shark species the fin is from, and whether the fin you are about to consume belongs to one of the last sharks on earth.

Louis stated that sharks are slow growing and take many years to reach sexual maturity. Even when they are sexually mature, they are slow to reproduce, producing only one or two pups per year. A sudden drop in their numbers could adversely affect their survival as a species. If we were to wait until sharks are commercially extinct, it could be too late.

Louis Ng concluded by questioning the necessity of eating shark’s fin soup, as shark fins are tasteless, have little nutritional value and are not an essential part of the human diet. He noted that there are studies that have documented high levels of mercury in shark’s fin, which can affect the human nervous system and also reduce the sperm count in men.

Dr Shawn Lum subsequently opened the debate to comments from the floor. A student commented on how the “tradition” of serving shark’s fin is relatively new, being only a few decades old, and asked whether anything can be done to change the “tradition”. A lady remarked that restauranteurs would be reluctant to remove them from menus due to the high profit margins. A man lamented the lack of updated statistics on shark catch numbers and shark populations.

An underwater photographer recounted his experience on a recent trip to Ecuador, where unscrupulous Taiwanese businessmen had gotten the locals to catch and harvest fins from sharks, spreading hundreds of fins across the entire rooftop of their warehouse under the sun to dry. Dr Giam declined to comment.

The last word was from a soft-spoken 9 year-old girl, India, when egged on by her mother, shared with everybody how she managed to get The British Club to stop serving shark’s fin soup. When she found out that The British Club was serving shark’s fin soup, she went around her school and the club, managing to collect over 250 signatures over several weeks for her petition to the club to stop serving shark’s fin soup. When she finally presented her petition to the club manager, he immediately removed shark’s fin soup from the club menus. Truly inspiring!

My own feeling on this issue is that we should not have to wait around for organisations like CITES to tell us what to do, what to consume, and what to conserve. As individuals, we all have choices. We can choose to be kind instead of being cruel. We can choose to conserve instead of consume. We can choose not to consume shark’s fin. And like little 9-year old India has shown us, we can choose to make a difference…

Ambon Update

FiNS — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 19:28:23 +0000

A quick update from Maluku Divers in Ambon…their new resort is under construction and is on track for opening in October.

The new resort will be situated right next to some of Ambon’s top muck dive sites. Can’t get much more convenient than that!

The facilities were designed and are being constructed by Pak Yos, who also built Kasawari-Lembeh Resort, so we expect the same standard of luxury and excellence.

Maluku Divers is a FiNS Featured Merchant.

Exploring New Hanover

FiNS — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 04:02:45 +0000

Here’s an interesting report about an exploratory dive trip in the Kavieng area of Papua New Guinea from Ange Amon of Lissenung Island Resort:

Following the success of the last two years, we organized another exploratory trip for June this year. Bookings came in fast and early, but unfortunately, two people had to cancel later due to work commitments and our friend Jean-Luc couldn’t make it either, but not for want of trying. That left only three divers: Aussies Gail and Andrew, third-time repeat guests, and Larry from Chicago. They had all booked in to arrive a day before the official start of the trip, but due to circumstances beyond their control, they arrived a day after the start date and spent two lovely nights in Port Moresby.

The divers arrived at Lissenung on 7 June at 5.30am, having left POM at 4.15am. This didn’t deter them, though, so after some breakfast, they headed out on the boat for two dives around Lissenung Island. Our signature dive, Albatross Passage, lived up to its reputation, with stacks of barracudas, Spanish mackerel, grey reef sharks and even a silvertip shark. Danny’s Bommie, right next door, is also a very spectacular dive, with a bommie coming up to about seven meters from who-knows-where. There are always lots of fish around, and that day, the divers saw a school of trevally, the usual school of batfish and a Maori wrasse. The first day was already a success, and there was more to come!!

The next few days saw us diving at Helmut’s Reef, Matrix, Planet Channel & Judy’s Reef as well as our secret little spot where we can find lots of mandarinfish.

On Wednesday, we set off for the boat trip to New Hanover, with our first dive at Martha’s Shoals, approx. 25nm from Lissenung. We had dived the other end of this large reef before, but not this side, and we weren’t disappointed. The visibility here was incredible at more than 40m, and a slight current brought in a few black and white tip reef sharks as well as three turtles and lots of smaller stuff.

Back on the boat, we kept moving along and arrived at Tunnung Island, Three Islands Harbour, New Hanover, for a late lunch at Islands Escapades Guesthouse. This was going to be our home away from home away from home for the next two nights. After the long morning trip we were greeted by our hosts Clement and Sophie who showed us to our beautifully appointed bungalows. We didn’t spend too much time admiring the guest house, but scuffed our late lunch down and headed out for what we had been looking forward to for days: The “Sanko Maru”.

Time for a bit of history lesson, or you can skip the next bit, if you are not interested: The “Sanko Maru” is, or rather was, a 5461-ton Japanese tanker, which was anchored in shallow water with an unidentified submarine sitting partially submerged next to it on 16 February 1944 when it was hit repeatedly by 500-pound bombs set off by USAAF 38th and 345th Bomb Groups. The nearby “#39 Subchaser”, which was there to guard the “Sanko Maru” and the submarine, was also badly hit, went out of control and ran aground on a shallow reef, burning slightly from the bomb damage. Some of the Japanese sailors tried to get to shore, but were strafed repeatedly and none of them survived. The “Sanko Maru” and the subsequently identified Japanese Type C midget submarine sank on the spot and make awesome dive sites these days, with over 60 years of coral growth on the two wrecks.

The next day, the 500th Squadron returned to the area and found a 1500-ton freighter anchored in shallow water less than one kilometer from where the Subchaser had been sunk the previous day. They bombed this freighter, which may have been the “Kashi Maru”, in a quick attack, which split the vessel in half and sank it. Both the “#39 Subchaser” as well as the 1500-ton freighter sit in two adjourning bays off the mainland of New Hanover in two to 14m of water.

Okay, back to 2009 and our dive on the midget sub and the “Sanko Maru”. The tanker lies on its starboard side, is split in half and has the most amazing coral growth covering the entire wreck. Beautiful soft corals and large gorgonian fans cover every single bit of the wreck, and between them we found lots of nudibranchs and colorful flatworms.

Multitudes of little reef fish swam around everywhere and a massive school of trevally was hanging around the big gap where the Sanko Maru broke in half. The midget sub, similar to the ones that entered Sydney Harbour during the war, sits upright about 30 meters off the main wreck and is an interesting addition to the whole dive.

The front of the sub consists mainly of two torpedo tubes on top of each other which are home to a couple of coral trout. The hatch of the conning tower is open with the periscope visible next to the hatch cover. The long hull, which is covered in some hard corals and several whip corals leads to the stern of the sub where one can see the single shaft with the two counter-rotating propellers. Back on the main wreck, we finished our dive with a safety stop along the top of the wreck, which is also covered in soft corals. Larry, who has dived dozens of wrecks in his 30+ years diving, reckons that the Sanko is one of the most beautifully overgrown wrecks he has ever seen.

After a five-minute boat ride to Tunnung and a short stroll along the beach, we relaxed for a bit while we waited for the sun to go down. And guess what? It was straight back to the Sank Maru for a night dive. With all these soft corals and colorful fans, a night dive there is truly spectacular. Sleeping fish everywhere, from little butterflyfish and wrasses to huge bumphead parrotfish, it was all there. Flatworms and cowries, crabs and shrimps, the wreck was teeming with life.

The short trip back to Tunnung included an unexpected fresh water shower (read “rain”), and after getting cleaned up under the real shower at the guesthouse, we enjoyed a well deserved dinner. Sophie and her helping hands in the kitchen spoiled us with a mountain of crayfish, fresh fish and really tasty vegetables followed by a beautiful fruit platter. Another couple of cold beers and we were off to bed after an amazing day of diving.

The next morning was the typical South Pacific Island setting: Postcard style blue sky, flat seas, white-sand beach with palm trees and tropical flowers everywhere and a delicious breakfast waiting for us with everything from cereals to eggs and fruits. After breakfast we took off toward the western-most tip of New Hanover with Clement as our guide.

Apart from being a perfect host, Clement is also a certified Divemaster with several years experience on liveaboard dive boats such as FeBrina, Paradise Sport and Pelagian. One thing he definitely learned on these boats: telling stories to keep one’s expectations high. On the way to our dive he told us about a six-meter whale shark that he had seen twice in the last few weeks at Chapman’s Reef. After about an hour drive, we reached our first dive spot of the day, located just off Ao Island.

Chapman’s is a small pinnacle starting in about seven meters with the walls disappearing into the abyss. On the southern end is the spot that Clement calls ‘The Amphitheater’, which is home to probably the only known aggregation of Queensland groupers in this area. We saw six of these VW-sized fish hanging around the 30-meter mark, and occasionally one of them, surrounded by a cloud of yellow-and-black striped juvenile golden trevallies, would come a bit closer to check us out. Who needs a whale shark when you can see these guys close up?

With our no-deco time disappearing quickly, we had to swim back into the shallower part of the reef where we were greeted by a massive school of barracudas. Due to all these big fish, there wasn’t much time to admire the amazing coral growth, but during the safety stop I managed to find a nice little scorpionfish trying to blend in with the coral.

Decisions, decisions, decisions. Where was our next dive going to be? Could there be another spot that was better than what we’ve just seen? Should we stay here and hope for the whale shark? But since we were on an exploratory mission and none of us has ever been in this area before, we decided to move on and dive Taun Reef.

A 15-minute boat trip south brought us to Taun, which is similar in shape to Chapman’s, but lacks the strong current. Absolutely untouched with massive staghorn corals in the shallows and huge gorgonians a bit deeper, this reef also had schools of fish, but this time some smaller varieties. Fusiliers and redtooth triggerfish, clouds of Anthias and a big school of Moorish idols gave us plenty of opportunity for good photos.

We saw several species of nudibranchs and on a soft coral, Dietmar spotted a population of our very own Ovulid shell Archivolva lissenungensis, first discovered by Dietmar at Albatross Passage in 2004. Of course we also saw several grey reef sharks cruising in the distance, but they weren’t all too curious and didn’t come close enough for good pictures.

All the diving must have gone to Andrew’s head, as he kept asking if this was Chapman’s Reef! It became the joke of the trip, with someone asking at each new dive site “… and this dive site is called Chapman’s, right?”

Back on the boat we couldn’t believe our luck with the weather and the dives. However, we had to get moving and after a quick stop at Ao Island to say hello to the villagers, we took off for Tunnung. Sophie once again had prepared a gorgeous lunch for us and after the meal everybody disappeared to their bungalows for a Nanna nap. 6pm came faster than we thought and once again we took off for a night dive on the Sanko Maru.

This dive is just too good to do only once. Similar to the previous night, we saw lots of basket stars, decorator crabs and shrimps, sleeping fish and nudibranchs and even a sleeping turtle. Once back at the surface, it was also similar to the previous night with another big rain shower. But thanks to the invention of GPS we made it back safely to the island and could enjoy a beautiful dinner. More fresh fish, a delicious chicken dish and some excellent pastry filled with veggies were served followed by more fresh fruits.

Another glass of wine as a night cap, and everyone disappeared once again to their rooms.

Another day in paradise! A hearty breakfast with homemade scones and the usual tea and coffee filled us up for the morning and after our goodbye to Sophie and the crew, we took off once again with Clement on board. Just opposite Tunnung Island is the wide bay which is the resting place of the above-mentioned Japanese freighter and #39 Subchaser.

Our first dive of the day was the wreck of the freighter, resting now on a reef slope between one and 14 metres. The ship was definitely been hit hard by American bombs, with hardly a space left for penetration. Lots of artifacts can still be seen, including tiles from a former bathroom or galley as well as lots of ammunition. Around the stern of the wreck are several black coral trees and among the debris, hard and soft corals have settled. Within this multitude of growth are the usual reef fish mixed with interesting critters such as twinspot lionfish and a pair of pipefish.

Since the visibility on the freighter was quite good and it was a very shallow dive, we decided to move to the other side of the lagoon and dive the subchaser as well. A bit of driving around in circles and we found the remains of the Japanese ship.

We thought the freighter got hit hard, but the subchaser really got hammered. Stretched out over the reef and down a slope is a dense field of debris, with the only easy recognizable pieces being the sharp pointed bow and the 16-cylinder diesel engine block.

There wasn’t much happening in terms of fish and coral, but many artifacts were lying around which made it a very interesting dive. We found something that looked a bit like a camera, but it missed things like a shutter button and a view finder, so it was obviously something completely different, but no one in the group had any idea what it could be.

Back on board, we took off toward Lissenung with a quick stop at mainland New Hanover to drop Clement off who was visiting his children at a boarding school a few islands down from Tunnung. We continued driving south, and after about an hour, we stopped somewhere off the Tsoi Island group at a series of reefs.

The dive there wasn’t as spectacular as the ones we had the previous days, but there was still a lot to see. On the reef we found four different species of anemonefish, including the rare whitebonnet anemonefish endemic to PNG, some bright blue shrimp on starfish and a pink hairy sponge crab. While looking out into the blue, we saw a couple of blacktip reef sharks, some Spanish mackerels and a large Maori wrasse.

After three dives and a cruisy boat trip we arrived at Lissenung at about 3pm for a late lunch, early dinner and a good night’s sleep.

The last day was spent diving the “Der Yang”, a Korean fishing vessel that sank close to Echuca Patch near Kavieng town, “The Bottleshop”, the best muck dive in Kavieng, and a “Kate” Bomber from WWII. This is where Larry left us to move on to Vanuatu, but Gail and Andrew stayed on for some more diving.

This was my first time on one of our exploratory trips, as the previous times, I had to stay at the resort to look after things. This time, however, our Japanese instructor Nozaki and her partner Fraser offered to take over for two days, which meant I could join. What a fantastic trip it was! I cannot wait to get back up there and explore the area some more. We think there may be another mini sub up there, but we only found out about this after our return to Lissenung.

However, we have another trip lined-up for 3 to 11 December, so we will definitely have a closer look then! There are still six spots left, so if you would like to join us, get in touch soon.

A big Thank You goes to Sophie, Clement and their staff. We have stayed at other guesthouses previously, but none of them come close to the service, warm atmosphere and excellent food they offer. Thanks also to Gail, Andrew and Larry for being so much fun. Both Dietmar and I enjoyed their company immensely. Last but not least, a big thanks to our boat driver Silas and dive guide Igua, for always having our tanks set up for the next dive, for handing out tea and biscuits, and for driving us everywhere!

“Where are we diving today?” “CHAPMAN”S!!!!!!”

For enquiries and bookings, see our website, or contact us at info@lissenung.com or lissenungdiving on Skype

Hotels Going Green in Singapore

FiNS — Sun, 09 Aug 2009 21:09:41 +0000

by Daniel Kway.

After receiving a barrage of negative feedback regarding its offering of shark’s fin mooncakes, the Meritus Mandarin Singapore responded by withdrawing its promotion, certainly a step in the right direction, and proof that well-managed businesses can and do respond to consumer feedback.

Partially as a result of the discussion about the Meritus Mandarin hotel, we learned that one hotel in Singapore has taken the initiative of not promoting or listing shark’s fin in its restaurant and banquet menus. While this isn’t the same as not serving shark’s fin completely, it’s a courageous, proactive step by the hotel, and can serve as an example for other hotels and restaurants in the city state.

Mr Martin Sinclair, the General Manager of the Regent Singapore and the man behind many of the Regent Hotel’s green initiatives, recently took time off his busy schedule to answer some of our questions:

Q: Please tell us about your hotel’s commitment to go “Greener”.

A: The Regent Singapore has won three awards so far for its Green initiatives and adoption of Green building technologies. Last year, we were the first hotel in Singapore to win Building and Construction Authority (BCA)’s Green Mark Gold Plus award.

This year, we were certified a Water Efficient Building by PUB for our reduction of water usage, installation of water saving devices and the use of NEWater in our condenser system and fountains.

Examples of “green” moves include the replacement of a fuel guzzling diesel boiler with a heat recovery system, the installation of LED lighting and motion detector lighting in our corridors and public bathrooms.

Our hotel is also a pioneer in organic waste recycling. Up to 30 tonnes of food waste from the hotel is sent to a local waste management company and recycled into compost used as fertilizer and methane gas that converts to electricity to run the waste company.

Q: How did you come to the decision to take Shark’s Fin off all the hotel’s menus? This was a bold move as The Regent Singapore is currently the first major hotel in Singapore to do so.

A: There has been a lot of media attention on shark fin harvesting recently and we have learned from it. This is a first step whereby we have decided not to promote this product – therefore it does not appear on any menus.

This decision also comes in line with our hotel’s commitment to go “Greener” and be environmentally sensitive. At the same time we realize that although many Singaporeans support the reduction or elimination of fin harvesting there are still many in the community that feel it is essential to the wedding menu or special occasion menu therefore we will provide it upon special request. So we have taken the first step of not promoting or listing fins and in the future will have to consider a complete stop to providing this item.

Q: What alternatives does the hotel offer guests in the place of Shark’s fin?

A: We have a range of premium seafood soups and Bird’s Nest soup in place of Shark’s Fin.

Q: Have you had any feedback from guests so far regarding the removal of Shark’s fin dishes from your menus? How does your staff explain the absence of shark’s fin from your menus to guests?

A: Yes, we have had guests notice the absence of shark’s fin and they have commended us on this decision. Our staff’s response to guests is that management has taken shark’s fin away from all our menus in an effort to go “Greener”. However, as we are in the service industry, we have to serve shark’s fin to guests should they insist to have this in their meal or wedding dinner.

Q: Has the removal of Shark’s fin from your hotel menus affected business so far?

A: No, it hasn’t. We haven’t received any negative feedback from anyone asking why shark’s fin isn’t on the menus. We took out all shark’s fin items from our main menu at Summer Palace and a dim sum menu two months ago.

Q: What plans do you have going forward to extend your green initiative?

A: We are looking at replacing all plastic bags to biodegradable type bags. Second, we are looking into obtaining a plastic compressing machine to recycle all plastic bottles. Also, we are replacing all incandescent bulbs with energy saving ones in the guest rooms. Each energy saving lightbulb is 24 watts as opposed to 100 watts for an incandescent one. However, this will not compromise brightness and colour rendition. We will also use NEWater in our flushing system by the end of the year.

2010 Raja Ampat Entrance Tag Design Contest announcement

FiNS — Sat, 08 Aug 2009 09:44:16 +0000

Here’s a press release from our friends at Wetpixel.com:

SAN FRANCISCO, CA, USA. August 8, 2009. Wetpixel.com is proud to again host the annual Raja Ampat marine park tag design contest. If you have the perfect photo that captures the excitement and beauty of scuba diving in Raja Ampat, Indonesia, enter this contest for a chance to have your image printed on the 4,000 park tags that will be attached to BCDs of visiting divers. Three winners will be chosen to receive complimentary books on Raja Ampat (“Raja Ampat Through the Lens of…” and “The Dive Guide to Raja Ampat”). The grand prize winner will have his/her design printed on the 2010 park tag and will receive an all-inclusive 7-day dive trip to Raja Ampat!

The 2010 Raja Ampat Entrance Tag Design Contest is sponsored by Conservation International and The Nature Conservancy.

The deadline for submission is midnight (PST) August 28, 2009, and public voting will commence on August 30 and end on September 25, 2009. For information on how to submit to the contest, go to http://wetpixel.com/raja

Flickr Photo of the Month: July 09

FiNS — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 00:13:59 +0000

Our dedicated team of Flickr group moderators have selected this unique image of an intimate moment shared between two seahorses contributed by David Henshaw as the photo of the month for July.

Tony also selected this photo for special commentary, explaining how and why this image is special. If you’re an underwater photography enthusiast, it’s worth taking a few moments to study this image and read Tony’s comments…to see why the photo is special.

The moderators’ second selection for July was Jason Heller’s captivating half-half photo of a gannet with a boat in the background, taken during the renowned Sardine Run in South Africa.

Congratulations to David and Jason for their excellent images!

If you haven’t taken a look at the FiNS Flickr group photo stream yet, check it out! There are beautiful images from around the world contributed daily.

Announcing Liquidmocean

FiNS — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 04:55:16 +0000

FiNS friends Mark Thorpe and Matthew Oldfield have announced the launch of their new marine-imaging venture, called Liquidmocean.

In addition to creating first-rate video and still images, Liquid Motion will arrange unique expeditions and also be promoting conservation messages through a new line of dive-related clothing.

Read their press release for more details:

After weeks of late nights, frenetic writing and copious amounts of coffee, directors and underwater imaging specialists Mark Thorpe and Matthew Oldfield are proud to announce the official launch of liquidmocean.

The company, based out of Bali in Indonesia, will focus on three main areas of business. One of the integral activities of the company will be the running of imaging expeditions – liquidtrips – ranging from standard 7 day accompanied trips to locations such as Palau and Lembeh Straits, to a ten week super-expedition currently in planning for the 3rd quarter of 2011 entitled ‘Sharks of the Forgotten Islands.’

These trips will be led by either Mark or Matt, or both, as well as a select group of imaging professionals – the so called liquidnetwork. As an underwater imaging organisation, photography and videography will also play a prominent role in the company – liquidpix will feature stock footage and photographs, with an emphasis on the tropical marine world.

In addition liquidmocean will offer production services that include video and full HD feature shoots along with their own productions, and a comprehensive logistics and support service. With an acute eye for detail and unquestionable loyalty to their clients they look forward to developing professional relationships within the global imaging and production world.

For the cinematic realm, the company owns a fully-rigged and ready-to-go RED One Digital Cinema Camera with a custom designed and built underwater housing. The RED One Camera offers an image of incredible quality and is currently taking the movie business by storm. Liquidmocean is one of only three commercial companies in SE Asia offering this remarkable camera for underwater use and the company will be developing the first, comprehensive 4K archive of underwater subjects from the SE Asia region.

Conservation also figures highly on the company agenda and liquidmocean will be directing 20% of profits realized from the sale of its fledgling line of diving-related clothing – liquidstyle – to various charities and causes throughout south East Asia.

“We both look forward to the future with optimism, hoping that we can help develop and nurture a deep respect for all things marine with our clients. We are proud that we have developed a product in ‘liquidstyle’ which allows us the opportunity to give back something by supporting conservation projects that help protect the oceans. Our expeditions will be out of the ordinary, focusing on adventures and events that very few people could ever have hoped to witness. Above all we strive to educate non-diving folks about the complexities of the marine environment and also to highlight the struggles it faces in our editorials.”

For more information, see www.liquidmocean.com