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...

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/-/

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

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

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 @

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.

Tags: Eco Tourism, Paddle

© 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

Tags: Environment Education, Save our Planet, Oceans, MARINE Resources

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/

Tags: Sharks, Killing of Sharks

© 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.

Tags: Environment, Dive Center, The DIVERS CHOICE, Puerto Galera, PHILIPPINES, Earth Day

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

__________________________________

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? 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/

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

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

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

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