Environment: Sam's Tours a Pioneer in the protection of Sharks in Palau Micronesia
Palau pioneers 'shark sanctuary'

For the latest news on Palau's Shark Sanctuary, a World first, go
to:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/8272508.stm
We are proud that Dermot Keane the GM from Sam's Tours is the
Founder and driving force behing the
Shark Sanctuary in Palau.
Sam's Tours very strong supporter of Palau's environment and the
protection of Sharks world wide.
Sam's Tours
is also a founding member of the Philippine - Micronesia
Alliance
www.alliancediving.com
Our oceans are more than fish and ships...United Nations this month celebrated the first ever World Ocean Day
Our oceans are more than
fish and ships...
The oceans are suffering.
The main source of food for two billion people, a key element in
climate control and a largely untapped reserve of vital resources,
they deserve to be managed better.
This is why the United Nations this month celebrated the first ever
World Ocean Day, read the complete article @
http://www.businessdailyafrica.com/Opinion
%20&%20Analysis/-/539548/611562/-/u1r1yyz/-/
Squalane Now Made From Olives, Not Sharks in support of the International Year of the Shark 2009
Great NEWS for 2009...I have just picked
up this article
from our friends at “The Year of the Shark
2009”

Dr. Susan Lark's Squalane Now Made From
Olives, Not Sharks
Dr. Susan Lark is proud to announce that she is reformulating her
squalane skin care line. The new line will contain squalane sourced
from olives rather than sharks.
Potomac, MD (PRWEB) January 5, 2009 -- Dr. Susan Lark is proud to
announce that she is reformulating her squalane skin care line. The
new line will contain squalane sourced from olives rather than
sharks.
The first new product, called Trilane Anti-Aging Moisturizer with
Squalane, is currently in development. It will contain 100 percent
natural, eco-friendly squalane sourced from olives, which has the
same hydrating properties as shark-derived squalane, but without
the worry of the overfishing associated with shark squalane. In
addition, the new formula will contain natural jojoba esters, a
botanically-derived emollient that helps to reduce fine lines and
wrinkles and improve skin firmness.
http://www.year-of-the-shark-2009.org/
SAVE
SHARKS
FROM
E
XTINCTION
Late News: Reef Check Philippines and Asia Divers/El Galleon Beach Resort in collaboration with the Philippine-Micronesia Alliance
You can help save Philippine
reefs!

A
while ago Gunther and I hinted
at an amazing collaboration between several
Philippine-Micronesia Alliance
partners and Reef Check
Philippines. It took several months to finalize the details but we
are now ready to announce a unique and fantastic expedition for
those who are interested in not only working alongside
scientists,but directly contributing to the pursuit of data which
aid in developing community-wide conservation initiatives and
programs.
Reef Check Philippines, Asia Divers/El Galleon Resort, SEAsia Kayak
Tours & the PMA are proud to announce a Reef Check expedition
to survey the magnificent reefs around Puerto Galera and Verde
Island Passage. Please check the link below for further
information.
Lee Goldman, Marine
Biologist
http://reefcheck.org/involved/puerto_galera.php
Attention: Calling for Support in 2009 for THE INTERNATIONAL YEAR OF THE SHARK
Thank you for your support and if we all work together we achieve a common goal...Stop the killing of Sharks.
GD
THE
INTERNATIONAL
YEAR
OF
THE
SHARK
2009!
… was
inspired
by
the
finding
that
at
the
current
rate
of
decline,
certain
shark
species
will
be
extinct
in
10 to
15 years.
In
large
regions,
species
that
were
once
numerous
have
fallen
to
1% of
their
original
numbers.
Studies
of
open
ocean
sharks
estimate
80 to
90% of
heavily
fished
species
are
gone.
Yet
these
intelligent
animals,
also
called
the
“Wolves
of
the
Sea”
are
still
fished
intensively,
and
finned
for
“shark
fin
soup.”
The
oceans
have
evolved
over
hundreds
of
millions
of
years
with
sharks
as
apex
predators,
so
their
loss
will
destroy
oceanic
health.
HELP
SPREAD
THE
WORD:
http://www.year-of-the-shark-2009.org/
SAVE
SHARKS
FROM
E
XTINCTION
The
LET
SHARKS
LIVE
shark
protection
network
& think
tank:
http://groups.google.com.mt/group/let-sharks-live?hl=en

© Gunther Deichmann
- Save
our Sharks!
The Philippine-Micronesia Alliance is proud to be
a sponsor and part of the Year of the Shark 2009. Since we are a
multi lingual website we bring you some basic information about
this project in different languages starting with Italian and
German.
Thank you for
your support and if we all work together we achieve a common
goal...Stop the killing of
Sharks.
GD
For more info and how to become involved
with the Year of the Shark go to:
http://year-of-the-shark-2009.org/home.htm

2009
L’ANNO DELLO SQUALO
L’ANNO INTERNAZIONALE DELLO
SQUALO
… e’ stato ispirato dalla
scoperta che al ritmo odierno, varie specie di squali saranno
estinte in 10-15 anni. In alcune regioni, le specie che un tempo
erano numerose sono diminuite all’1% del numero originario.
Studi di squali in mare aperto hanno dimostrato che l’80-90%
delle specie pescate sono scomparse. Eppure questi animali
intelligenti, anche chiamati “lupi del mare”, sono
ancora intesamente pescati a le loro pinne usate per il piatto
asiatico “la zuppa di pinne di pescecane”. Dal momento
che l’oceano si e’ evoluto con gli squali
all’apice dei predatori, il loro continuo
sfruttamento e la loro scomparsa danneggeranno drasticamente
l’ecologia degli oceani.
AIUTA A DIFFONDERE IL
MESSAGGIO:
SALVA
GLI SQUALI
D
A L L ’ E S T I N Z I O N E
2009
DAS
JAHR
DES
HAI'S
DAS
INTERNATIONALE
JAHR
DES
HAI'S
... wurde
angeregt
als
bekannt
wurde,
dass
bei
dem
derzeitigen
Tempo
verschiedene
Hai-
Arten
in
den
naechsten
10 bis
15 Jahren
aussterben
werden.
In
einigen
Schluesselregionen
sind
Arten,
die
bisher
zahlreich
zu
finden
waren,
auf
bis
zu
1% ihrer
urspruenglichen
Anzahl
reduziert
worden.
Studien,
die
sich
mit
Hochseehaien
befassen,
schaetzen,
dass
80 bis
90% der
stark
gefischten
Arten
bereits
verschwunden
sind.
Dennoch
werden
diese
hochintelligenten
Tiere
-
die
so
genannten
„Woelfe
der
Meere“
-weiterhin
intensiv
gejagt,
speziell
ihrer
Flossen
wegen.
Die
Flossen
werden
den
Haien
oft
bei
lebendigem
Leibabgeschnitten
und
landen
inder
beruechtigten
"Haiflossen-Suppe".
HELFT
MIT
DIE
BOTSCHAFT
ZU
VERBREITEN:
RETTET
DIE
HAIE
VOR
DEM
AUSSTERBEN
S.E.Asia Kayak Tours presents a unique view into the Philippines Nature and Biodiversity for more details go to the new website...plus more great NEWS from the PMA.
S.E.Asia
Kayak Tours presents a unique view into
the Philippines Nature and Biodiversity for more details go to the
new website @
http://www.asiakayaktours.com/
Very soon we be
featuring S.E.Asia
Kayak Tours on the
Philippine-Micronesia
Alliance web site including
our NEW Dive and
Travel Packages... we are working very hard to
get this completed. We have also
updated our Photo
Gallery on this blog,
check out the destinations from all our Alliance
Partners.
Plus another
major announcement shortly... an Environmental Organisation is
joining us ...stay tuned or subscribe for the latest
NEWS
from the PMA.
GD
It is a great honor to be
associated with the Philippine-Micronesian
Alliance. We are a new
business that offers Divers, Snorkelers, and Outdoor
enthusiasts a unique
opportunity to enjoy the majestic wonders of El Nido and the
amazing reefs in the surrounding waters. The unbelievably
bio-diverse region of northern Palawan is home to one of the most magnificent places on
earth; El
Nido. The scenery in El Nido
and the surrounding waters of Bacuit Bay is among the most
beautiful in the world. Towering limestone cliffs footed by white
sand beaches that slip into turquoise waters abundant with colorful
and diverse marine life. With over 800 species of fish and 400
species of coral, the shallow
reefs are truly a snorkelers’ and divers’
paradise.
Our goal was to
develop an expedition that
integrates kayaking, snorkeling, beach-combing, hiking, and
sight-seeing into an interpretive, interactive, exciting and
comfortable tour that exposes
guests to the best of the marine and terrestrial life in Bacuit
Bay, El Nido. Our tours revolve around the kayaking experience,
often paddling for 3 – 5 hours per day and make many stops to
snorkel among colorful coral gardens, explore tropical jungles, and
relax on un-inhabited white-sand beaches where you can enjoy a
freshly prepared lunch.

©
Photo Lee Goldman - exploring Palawan’s Eco system by
Kayak
Further, we tie
together our daily activities with luxury campsites on beautiful
white-sand beaches. Imagine a picture-perfect sunset on a secluded,
private beach where you can enjoy sit-down, full service meals
prepared by an internationally trained chef, have a massage after a
day of fun and exploration and sleep peacefully under a sky full of
stars with the sounds of water gently lapping at the shore. Awaken
to a tranquil morning with a pastel-colored sky and watch dozens of
species of birds begin their day.

©
Photo Lee Goldman - Palawan’s spectacular scenery
Well, not only
have we succeeded in developing this type of tour, we can deliver
it with the top quality service clients of
PMA have come to
expect! We look forward to our time with the Alliance and further
look forward to guiding clients around the remarkable area of El
Nido.
Instead bringing children to some gory Shark Tournament...We should educate them that we have 'Only 50 years left' for sea fish' THINK NOW before it is to late.
Educating in schools is a good start…but not the way it is conducted at the…Disgusting Montauk Shark Tournament.
A message from the Philippine-Micronesia Alliance
"We Care About Our Environment" & In support of DivePhotoGuide
GD

© Gunther
Deichmann - for more environment related images go
to:
http://www.deichmann-photo.com/environment.html
'Only 50 years left' for sea fish'
By
Richard Black
Environment correspondent, BBC News
website
Natural
protection
There will be virtually nothing left to fish from the seas by the
middle of the century if current trends continue, according to a
major scientific study. Stocks have collapsed in nearly one-third
of sea fisheries, and the rate of decline is accelerating.
Writing in the journal Science, the international team of
researchers says fishery decline is closely tied to a broader loss
of marine biodiversity.
But a greater use of protected areas could safeguard existing
stocks. "The way we use the oceans is that we hope and assume there
will always be another species to exploit after we've completely
gone through the last one," said research leader Boris Worm, from
Dalhousie University in Canada.
This
century is the last century of wild seafood
Steve Palumbi
Should fish be off the menu?
Send us your comments "What we're highlighting is there is a finite
number of stocks; we have gone through one-third, and we are going
to get through the rest," he told the BBC News website.
Steve Palumbi, from Stanford University in California, one of the
other scientists on the project, added: "Unless we fundamentally
change the way we manage all the ocean species together, as working
ecosystems, then this century is the last century of wild
seafood."
Spanning
the seas
This is a vast piece of research, incorporating scientists from
many institutions in Europe and the Americas, and drawing on four
distinctly different kinds of data.
For
the complete article go to:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/6108414.stm
Is this how we educate our Children about our declining SHARK population, Oceans and Environment? Think!
Is this the way we educate our children today?
THINK!
Breaking
NEWS!
I have just received this article from DivePhotoGuide...not very
nice...it is disgusting!
NOT
expectable... is
this how we educate our children about Sharks, Oceans and our
environment?
See below excerpts from an article by DivePhotoGuide for the
complete story and more disgusting images go
to:
http://www.divephotoguide.com/articles/
GD
All photos below: Courtesy of Jason Heller and The Humane Society
of the United States.
Montauk
Shark Tournament Coverage
Author: Jason Heller / June 21, 2008 12:00AM MDT Category: Marine
Conservation
Article Tags:
Shark Tournament, Montauk, Star Island, Sharks, Fishing
As most of our readers know, we have previously reported our
intended coverage and call to action against the Montauk Shark
Tournament and the subsequent death threats we have received. The
authorities have been involved, and thank you for those who
expressed concern. The local papers even caught wind of the
situation. We are serious New Yorkers who are not afraid of
standing up for what we believe in.

Is
this education????
Montauk
Shark TournamentOn June 14, 2008 we headed out to Montauk, New York
to cover the 22nd annual Montauk Shark Tournament at the Star
Island Yacht Club. Montauk is located in the Hamptons (although
technically not a “Hampton” at the end of Long Island,
about a 3 hour drive from New York City. It’s actually a
quaint, laid back and beautiful beach getaway for New Yorkers that
I’ve visited for many years. I’ve known about the
Montauk shark fishing tournament for years, but never understood
the scale and gravity of the event prior to being contacted by the
Humane Society of America. This is arguably the largest shark
tournament in the US, rivaled possibly only by the Oak Bluffs
tournament held in Martha’s Vineyard. In 2007 the Humane
Society successfully shut down another large American shark
tournament in Destin Florida. During the 2006 event, a mutilated
Hammerhead shark was put on display as children watched in
horror.


The
board of directors of the Destin shark tournament were shamed by
the negative publicity generated by the Humane Society, Star Island
Yacht Clubjournalists, and other concerned citizens. As they say,
an image is worth a thousand words, and thankfully the Destin
tournament ceased to exist. The organizers of the Montauk shark
tournament must have taken this fact to heart, and confronted all
the photographers shooting the event and threatened to remove us
from the event because it was in fact held on private property.
Remember the old adage “any publicity is good
publicity”? Well, apparently not for shark tournaments.
http://www.divephotoguide.com/articles/
Earth Day 2008 at Asia Divers! Puerto Galera...your Resort & DIVE destination in the Philippines

© Gunther Deichmann - composite image
Global Warming & Save Our Planet.
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Earth Day 2008 at Asia Divers! check this link http://asiadivers.blogspot.com/
Thanks so much to those who jumped in to “splash for
trash” this past weekend. There was good and bad news for
this year’s event. The bad was that the trash bags came back
a wee bit empty; the good news was the trash bags came back a wee
bit empty!! We hope this means that people are considering the
environment more and throwing less into the water.
You can make a difference throughout the year by doing 2 simple
things:
1) Consider your actions every day to minimize your eco footprint
on our ocean planet.
2) Always inspire other divers to be responsible eco
tourists.
It is our
world, our water, our choice – thanks for getting
involved.
Did You Know? Cool story about Parrotfish...
DID YOU KNOW?
Is brought to you by the
Philippine - Micronesia
Alliance,
the Divers Choice.
We care about our Environment!
Thanks again to Walter Ty
for bringing this story about the Parrotfish
to my
attention, within the next day or so we have a major announcement
coming your way, real cool
news, so please stay tuned or
subscribe to our Alliance Blog.
A reminder for those folks who
read our Blogs in Europe, if you travel to the World Travel Market
Show in London, check out our Alliance Team from Blue Horizons, Jeremy and
Alex will be around, real cool Guys
who can answer all your questions regarding diving in the tropics
in the Philippines and Micronesia, they understand island hopping
and can help you to choose your ultimate dive
vacation.
Parrotfish to
aid reef repair
By Rebecca Morelle
Courtesy of BBC News
A vividly coloured fish could be the key to saving the Caribbean's
coral reefs from plummeting into terminal decline, scientists
claim.
Their research forecasts that reefs risk being damaged beyond
repair by the influx of seaweed.
But urgent action such as protecting parrotfish, which graze upon
the floral invaders, may prevent the ecosystems from reaching this
tipping point.
The research is published in the journal Nature.
You can push a reef so far and then it becomes extremely difficult
for a reef to recover Professor Peter Mumby, a marine ecologist
from Exeter University
and lead author of the paper, said: "We are seeing more and more
coral reefs becoming just overgrown with seaweed."
Reefs in the Caribbean are among some of the most heavily affected.
They are rapidly transforming from coral-dominated domains into
algal-flooded havens.
The seaweed growth is boosted by human activity, such as
fertilizers washing off from agricultural land into the coastal
waters, and over-fishing, Professor Mumby explained.
"Then to compound these problems you have the climate stresses that
are more and more inevitable now, which cause major problems with
warming waters and hurricanes," he added......
.....read the whole
story with photos at: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7069933.stm
__________________________________
Explore the sea and treasure hunters
DID YOU KNOW?
Is brought to you by the
Philippine - Micronesia
Alliance,
the Divers Choice.
We care about our Environment!
I am leaving this evening for Palau to be part of the big
celebration at
Sam's
Tours New
Grand Opening, please see my previous Blog "Congratulations to
Sam's Tours" I give you a full report upon my return next week,
hopefully with some fun images from the event, so just stay tuned,
please read on below our latest story on Did You know... about
Galleons, shipwrecks....
GD
Big business of deep-sea treasure hunters
By Kathryn Westcott
BBC News
The interception of the treasure-hunt ship off the coast of
Gibraltar is the latest broadside in a tense battle between a
US-based salvage company and the Kingdom of Spain over an
unidentified shipwreck and the ownership of its rich haul of gold
and silver coins.
Odyssey Explorer. Copyright Odyssey Marine Exploration, Inc.
Odyssey says Spain had blockaded its Explorer salvage vessel
On Tuesday, patrol boats from Spain's maritime police intercepted
the 76m Odyssey Explorer, owned by underwater salvage firm Odyssey
Marine International, three miles off the coast of Gibraltar. It
was escorted to the Spanish port of Algeciras.
Spain's Civil Guard has been keeping a close eye on the company's
vessel since a Spanish judge ordered that it be detained and
searched if it left port in Gibraltar.
The company says its recovery vessel has been effectively blockaded
since the ruling in June. Spain believes it could provide clues to
the identity and location of the wreck that yielded half-a-million
colonial era silver and gold coins.
It suspects that a Spanish galleon is being secretly plundered - or
that the wreck lies in Spanish waters.
Odyssey Marine Explorations - which became the most famous deep
water treasure hunting company when it announced the discovery last
May - says it is keeping the location of the wreck secret, to
protect the site from looters.
All it is saying is that the wreck - codenamed Black Swan - is
somewhere in the Atlantic.

Photo: ©
Gunther
Deichmann,
not a Galleon, but a divers dream to discover and
explore the ships from our past, this image was taken deep inside a
wreck in
Truk Lagoon, note the skull, dive with the Philippine-Micronesia
Alliance and you
might discover your Galleon or just explore the
past.
A
reminder, please do not remove any parts or artifacts from
any
wrecks in Truk or Palau, there are heavy fines for removing
anything for
souvenirs, lets keep it there for other to enjoy
too.
GD
Galleon graveyard
The haul, which has an estimated value of $500m, is now at a secret
location in Florida, where Odyssey is based.
The 'Black Swan' haul: Copyright Odyssey Marine Exploration,
Inc
Greg Stemm with the Black Swan haul at a secret location in the
US
A court in the state is currently considering motions filed by the
company and by Spain concerning the ownership of the booty.
Treasure hunters have long dreamed of discovering hauls of gold and
silver in the western Mediterranean. The area, is a graveyard of
French, Spanish and British galleons and warships sunk by storms
and pirates during Spain's long dominance of the sea.
Once the domain of schoolboy fantasies, the hunt for treasure on
the deep ocean floor has become big business for companies like
Odyssey. And the company's recent listing on the Nasdaq indicates
that it is a business that investors are prepared to take
seriously.
Odyssey has several shipwreck projects in various stages of
development around the world, but its involvement with the Spanish
goes back almost a decade.
RULES
OF THE WAVES
Seas and oceans governed by UN Laws of the Sea
Ownership of sunken property in international waters governed by
the law of salvage and the law of finds
Law of salvage: If property is owned, those finding it are entitled
to compensation for their salvage efforts
Law of finds: Salvor is entitled to all reclaimed property if it is
proved to be abandoned
Spain insists it retains rights to all its sunken treasure
Odyssey intends its haul to be dealt with under US federal law,
where previous judgements have sometimes granted exclusive rights
to salvors
"Odyssey has had an excellent working relationship with the Spanish
Government for many years," Greg Stemm, co-founder of Odyssey
Marine Exploration told the BBC News website.
"We have always respected Spain's interest in its maritime heritage
and have therefore consistently communicated our activities to
Spain."
The relationship has soured over the past few months. In July,
another of Odyssey's vessels was stopped and forcibly boarded as it
tried to leave Gibraltar. A computer was confiscated.
The company told the BBC News website that it intends to seek
compensation from Spain for revenues lost because of the kingdom's
intervention in its activities.
British
warship
The battle over the Black Swan treasure is now jeopardising another
more lucrative project: the salvage of a British warship that
Odyssey believes it has discovered in the western
Mediterranean.
The British Government is collaborating with Odyssey to recover the
warship, thought to be the HMS Sussex, which went down in a storm
off Gibraltar in the Mediterranean Sea in 1694.
According to the Council for British Archaeology, it was on its way
to provide British financial support to the Duke of Savoy during
the war against Louis XIV. The council says she was believed to
have been carrying bullion, which is estimated by some experts to
be worth some £2.5bn today.
The warship apparently lies in waters that Britain and Gibraltar
claim are international but that Spain claims as its own.
Diplomatic talks resulted in an agreement being reached with Spain
earlier this year but the project appears is on hold.
A spokeswoman from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office told the BBC
News website that the "on-going court case between Spain and
Odyssey should be resolved first."
It is anyone's guess how long this will take.
This will no doubt please archaeologists - including the Council
for British Archaeology - who were enraged by the deal.
Experts describe such activities as commercial treasure hunting
under the guise of archaeology, arguing that a dangerous precedent
would be set allowing private firms to profit from historic
wrecks.
Technology
And in Spain, Odyssey's activities have been painted as modern-day
piracy.
The company acknowledges that its primary concerns are commercial
but it also has a mission statement that sets out how it also wants
to do good archaeology.
It maintains that it works to the highest of standards, employing
experts and archaeologists.
Zeus Neil Dobson/Odyssey Marine Exploration
The eight-tonne robot Zeus can reach depths of up to 2,500
metres
"Our contract with the United Kingdom sets an excellent example of
how such a collaboration between the public and private sector can
produce excellent archaeological work," says Mr Stemm.
And he says that the model - the first of its kind with a
government - could be extended to other countries, including
Spain.
Odyssey undertakes multi-million-dollar operations, deploying
sophisticated deep-sea technology and robotics to scour the ocean
beds.
On board the Marine Explorer, for example, is a $4m underwater
robot Zeus, which deploys an array of brilliant strobe lights and
cameras as it carefully picks through debris at depths of up to
2,500m.
The company's first major salvage venture was in 2003 when it
discovered the SS Republic, a Civil War side-wheel steamer that
sank off the Florida coast in 1865 and some $75m (£37m) worth of
coins.
Odyssey has now filed finders-keepers' claims with a court in
Tampa, Florida US on the Black Swan and two other shipwrecks.
But Spain is challenging these arguing that the company is
withholding crucial information. It is also claiming a right to
share the treasure.
Jim Goold, a maritime lawyer in Washington representing the Spanish
government, told the BBC News website that the implications of the
case are huge in a era when cutting -edge technology is bringing
new gravesites to light.
"Here you have a situation in which a US company is apparently
systematically working in the Mediterranean, the English Channel
and off the coast of Spain, taking cultural heritage without
authorisation and then whisking it to the US and steadfastly
refusing to reveal to the concerned governments what it has been
doing," he said.
Odyssey says the Black Swan recovery was conducted in conformity
with Salvage Law and the Law of the Sea Convention, beyond the
territorial waters of legal jurisdiction of any country.
It expects to reap a substantial salvage award regardless of who
claims the treasure.
RULES
OF THE WAVES
Seas and oceans governed by UN Laws of the Sea
Ownership of sunken property in international waters governed by
the law of salvage and the law of finds
Law of salvage: If property is owned, those finding it are entitled
to compensation for their salvage efforts
Law of finds: Salvor is entitled to all reclaimed property if it is
proved to be abandoned
Spain insists it retains rights to all its sunken treasure
Odyssey intends its haul to be dealt with under US federal law,
where previous judgements have sometimes granted exclusive rights
to salvors
Courtesy of the BBC for more information
and images please go to:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7037192.stm
Did You Know? Survivors in our Ocean?
DID YOU KNOW?
Is brought to you by the
Philippine - Micronesia
Alliance,
the Divers Choice.
We care about our Environment!
Some
real facts about Sharks. Do they have a chance at all? Maybe if we
start doing something
NOW
and not tomorrow.
They
have been around for million of years, but for how much longer,
please read below some interesting facts about these amazing
animals,
yet again another
"Living fossil". Why are they on the extinction list? Please read
on...You
be really surprised to know...

©
Gunther Deichmann, www.deichmann-photo.com
A fossilized shark tooth, from my old collection
Animals on the Edge - Sharks - Survivors of our
Oceans?
By
catch
Sharks are frequently caught in trawler nets or on longline hooks
that are set for tuna or swordfish. Sharks are highly migratory and
they often swim in groups that are the same size and age. This can
mean that a key part of the population (mature females for example)
can be wiped out in one fell swoop. Estimates vary, but bycatch
(unwanted catch) accounts for a significant proportion of shark
fatalities.
Shark fin soup
Around 100 shark species are deliberately targeted by the fishing
industry. Shark fins are highly prized for use in shark fin soup, a
high status dish that can sell for £65 a bowl, especially in Asian
countries where growing wealth has increased demand. As demand is
met, sharks become overfished, fins are harder to come by and the
soup is therefore even more of a status symbol.
Conservationists estimate that about
100 million sharks are caught each year,
many of them purely for use in shark fin soup. Hong Kong alone
imported the fins of more than 28 million sharks in 1999. The
sharks are caught, their fins are cut off and they are then thrown
back into the sea where they either bleed to death or drown. Using
DNA, it is now possible to identify shark species from their fins,
a development which may be significant in monitoring the impact of
this trade.
Shark
meat
Demand for shark meat is booming. It is now possible to buy it in
supermarkets in Europe, South America and the USA. The shortfin
mako which is said to provide the best shark meat is classified as
lower risk, but vulnerable species such as the porbeagle shark, are
also taken. This trend may be indicative of the fact that so many
other fish species are declining and that people have been
encouraged to eat fish as a healthy alternative to meat. The Food
Standards Agency, however, has advised against giving children
shark meat to eat because of high levels of methylmercury that can
damage the nervous system.
Shark
skin and oil
Shark
skins can be tanned and used as an alternative to leather (for
belts, boots, bags, etc). In theory and on a small scale, this
could be a useful by-product of a sustainable and managed fishery.
In practice, the impact on shark populations has yet to be assessed
or monitored.
Sharks have traditionally been fished for oil. Squalene is
extracted from shark livers and used as a lubricant and in cosmetic
and pharmaceutical products. It can take up to 3,000 shark livers
to produce one tonne of squalene.
Shark
cartilage
Sharks are cartilaginous - they have cartilage instead of bone. The
cartilage is used in traditional medicines and is sold in powder or
capsule form as a cancer treatment. There is no scientific evidence
to suggest that it is in any way effective against the disease and
the 'medicine' can be very expensive. There may, however, be other
benefits in maintaining shark bio-diversity, for example, shark
cartilage has also been used in the development of a synthetic skin
for burn victims.
Breeding
age
Sharks have evolved over 450 million years to be among the ocean's
top predators. They can take many years to reach sexual maturity,
almost 30 years in the case of the sand bank shark. Larger sharks
may only produce two young in a breeding cycle and only one of
those is likely to survive. Shark species often only breed every
other year and some have a long gestation period (up to two years).
This low reproductive rate means that depleted shark populations
can take a very long time to recover, if they recover at
all.
Pollution
The
health of the ocean environment is important for all marine species
(see Eco Top Ten - Marine). Pollution from human activity often
ends up in the sea. Sharks are at the top of the food chain so they
are likely to have a higher concentration of the toxins that build
up in the body fat of their prey. Because human development and
subsequent pollution often occurs in coastal areas, important shark
nursery areas are also at risk.
Hunting
Although most sharks are indifferent to humans and pose no threat,
shark hunting is still a widespread trophy sport.
Courtesy of the BBC, for more information please go
to:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/animals/conservation/sharks/
THE HEAT IS ON
DID YOU KNOW?
Is brought to you by the Philippine - Micronesia Alliance, the
Divers Choice.
We care about our Environment!

©
Concept and Photo Gunther Deichmann
Ice melt raises passage tension
By
David Shukman
BBC science and environment correspondent, Canadian
Arctic
Less ice makes it easier to get at the Arctic's resources
In another sign of potential friction in the warming Arctic, Canada
has warned that it will step up patrols of the Northwest
Passage.
Record summer melting of sea-ice has made the passage fully
navigable; and immediately escalated a dispute over who controls
the route.
Canada maintains the waterway that connects the Atlantic with the
Pacific lies within its territorial waters.
It has backed that up with plans for a new military base in the
Arctic.
However, the United States, and other countries claim international
rights to use the route for shipping.
Big melt
In an interview with BBC News, the head of the Canadian Coast
Guard, George Da Pont, said: "Our view is that it's our territorial
waters and that we govern it accordingly. Obviously the Americans
and some European countries have different views.
"I assume at some point in time they'll get settled but we're
pretty confident that they're Canadian territorial waters and that
we should be regulating and asserting our control over them as we
would over any other part of our territorial water.
"It's critical, it's part of our history; like any country it's
important to assert your control over your country and your
territorial waters."
His statement comes as polar experts are still reeling from the
dramatic loss of Arctic ice this summer.
The Canadian Ice Service was among the organisations monitoring the
retreat and its director, Doug Bancroft, told the BBC that he was
"stunned" that this extent of melting had not been expected for
decades.
"It just seemed as if it wasn't going to stop. Normally, towards
the end of August, the beginning of September, the melting slows
down and stops and we get ready for the coming fall and the
refreezing during the winter. But it just kept on going and the
concern was, 'Well when is it going to stop this year?' - and
ultimately when it did stop, it shattered all previous
records."
Research cruise
On Monday, the Canadian Coast Guard is preparing to send one its
research vessels, the Amundsen, through the Northwest Passage with
about 40 scientists on board.
Equipped with a remotely operated robot submarine and a sonar
system, the ship will undertake a detailed survey of the sea-bed -
essential if the waterway is to become more open to commercial
shipping.
'Northwest Passage opens'
Sailing the passage
Researchers on board also hope to study the changing patterns of
the ice - not only the ice that grows and retreats with the seasons
but also the far thicker multi-year ice which drifts with the
Arctic currents and poses the most serious threat to any
vessels.
A British team on board will study the sediment on the sea-bed to
hunt for a chemical record of changes in the ice stretching back
for the past thousand years - a vital task to help understand the
likely rate of change in the future.
BBC News will join the ship for its journey through the Northwest
Passage. The route is at - or beyond - the limits of satellite
coverage but the plan is to provide regular updates wherever
possible. For more information please check out the link
below:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7033498.stm
Courtesy
BBC
My final note, congratulations to Al Gore for receiving the
Nobel Peace Prize, at least there is someone out there with
influence who cares and can make the difference.
GD
Million of years later...
DID YOU KNOW?
Is brought to you by the Philippine - Micronesia Alliance, the
Divers Choice.
We care about our Environment!
Million of years
later...
Here is a very interesting article from our good friend and
supporter Tony Wu (Fins
Magazine), I guess you going to wonder what these fossils
have to do with the digital age, actually NOTHING but this is the
general idea, we like to bring you all sorts of different
information now and then, of course some how marine related.
Today for our underwater photographers cool info from Tony, please
read on below and check out the link for the whole story, for
information on the Philippine-Micronesia
Alliance please click
here: http://www.alliancediving.com The Divers
Choice
© Tony Wu
Going digital definitely has a
lot of merits. Immediate feedback, being able to shoot more than 36
frames at a time, being able to make duplicate/ back-up copies
immediately, and having the ability to edit work on-the-spot rank
at the top of my list.
Nothing in life, however, comes for free.
If there’s been one major drawback of going digital for me,
it has to be the fact that in addition to being a good
photographer, you’ve got to become a software and
image-processing expert too. Back in the film days, basically a
slide was either good or bad. I kept the good ones, threw away the
bad ones. End of story.
Over the past few years, with the switch to digital format,
I’ve had to experiment with all sorts of software…some
good, some bad…and I think I’ve finally begun to reach
the point where I have a workflow that I’m comfortable with.
Before I spell out the software I use, please read on
at: http://www.tonywublog.com/20071009/digital-workflow.html
Did you know? Sea Monsters from the past...

A Green
Turtle resting on a beach in the Philippines,
Photo © Gunther Deichmann, for the
Philippine-Micronesia
Alliance
DID
YOU KNOW?
Is brought to you by the Philippine - Micronesia Alliance, the
Divers Choice.
We care about our Environment!
We dont like
to talk always how good our dive operation and resorts are, we try
to keep you also up to date with some interesting stories and the
latest news. Things which happen million of years ago and still
effect us today, environment and conservation issues not only from
our partner destinations but from around the world. Local and
special events from the Pacific and Philippine region including the
latest from Micronesia. We have started recently with stories about
fossils - "living fossils" and we will continue with the sea's
past, millions of years ago, please read on below and check out the
links about this huge Turtle from our past.

Archelon
This
giant turtle could live to 100 years old, possibly thanks to taking
long sleeps on the seabed
For more on sea monsters and our living past please check out the
link:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sn/prehistoric_life/dinosaurs/seamonsters/
Type: Reptile
Size: 4.6m
Diet: Omnivorous
Predators: Mosasaurs and sharks
Lived: Late Cretaceous, 75-65 million years ago
Archelon was a slow mover and found most of its food drifting near
the sea surface. It had little need to dive deep except when
hibernating on the seabed. It was an omnivorous grazer, sweeping up
drifting fish, jellyfish and dead carrion as well as plants. Its
sharp, powerful beak could break open shelled animals such as
ammonites.
Archelon's huge flippers suggest it was a long distance swimmer
happiest in the open ocean. It would never be alone, as its huge
size attracted a squadron of hangers-on such as juvenile fish as
well as barnacles and parasites. Archelon couldn't withdraw its
head or flippers inside its bony shell for protection so, despite
its size, it was an easy target for large predators.
Like modern turtles, it laid eggs by burying them in sandy beaches
under cover of darkness. Its nearest living relative is the world's
largest turtle, the leatherback.
Courtesy of the BBC
Albino Whale Shark
http://wetpixel.com/i.php/full/albino-whale-shark-photographed-in-ecuador/
This information has been brought to you by the Philippine-Micronesia Alliance.
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