SCUBA News...News, research and articles on scuba diving, travel and the marine environment.Marine life on 'junk food' diet - and we're to blame- (Found June 29, 2008 ) Overfishing and changes in the climate could be putting marine birds and mammals on a "junk food" diet. But unlike humans, marine animals eating junk food diet are losing weight. As predatory fish such as cod have been removed from the sea in large numbers, fish lower down in the food chain, such as sprat, have increased in numbers. But individually the sprats weigh less, and these leaner fish, biologists say, are effectively junk food. They are poor sources of energy for predatory birds and..http://environment.newscientist.com/article/dn14154-marine-life-on-junk-food-diet--and-wer... The Royal Navy submarine implicated in dolphin 'suicides'- (Found June 29, 2008 ) With initial tests showing the 24 dolphins who died after becoming stranded were fit and healthy, with no obvious injuries, dolphin experts are becoming increasingly convinced the creatures fled to shallow water after a disturbance at sea.The Royal Navy has admitted testing sonar equipment on a nearby warship and having an submarine on exercise - but says it is 'extremely unlikely' it was to blame for the strandings.http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1026069/Pictured-The-Royal-Navy-submarine-implicat... Barrier Reef 'no-take' zones see leap in fish numbers- (Found June 29, 2008 ) A controversial decision to halt commercial and recreational fishing across vast areas of the Great Barrier Reef has proven remarkably effective for reviving coral trout numbers. "Everyone is a little surprised," admits Garry Russ, a marine biologist at James Cook University in Townsville. "We've seen a consistent pattern of recovery of coral trout from just north of Cairns to as far south as Heron Island," he says. "It's an extraordinarily large area."http://environment.newscientist.com/article/dn14188-barrier-reef-notake-zones-see-leap-in-... "La Nina" effect may be behind shark attacks- (Found June 29, 2008 ) Cooler than normal sea-surface temperatures due to the La Nina phenomenon may be partly responsible for a spate of fatal shark attacks off Mexico's Pacific coast, a U.S. shark expert has said. La Nina, which usually results in cooler than normal water in the Pacific, has moved the boundary between cold and warm water closer to the shore, and along with it, fish and their shark predators, George Burgess, director of the Florida Program for Shark Research told Reuters.http://uk.reuters.com/article/environmentNews/idUKN3042174120080531 Issue 97 of SCUBA News now Online- (Found June 29, 2008 ) Issue 97 of SCUBA News is now freely available at http:www.scubatravel.co.ukscubanews97.html. Find competition results, money-off diving in Malta, Giant Clam facts and photo, divers' letters and the diving news from around the world.http://www.scubatravel.co.uk/scubanews97.html New Zealand moves to protect rare dolphins- (Found June 29, 2008 ) New Zealand plans to ban commercial fishing near its coast and set up marine reserves to protect the rare Hector's dolphins, a government minister said on Thursday.http://www.enn.com/wildlife/article/36996 Bikini corals recover from atomic blast- (Found June 29, 2008 ) Half a century after the last earth-shattering atomic blast shook the Pacific atoll of Bikini, the corals are flourishing again. A research diver said "It was incredible, huge matrices of branching Porites coral (up to 8 meters high) had established, creating thriving coral reef habitat. Throughout other parts of the lagoon it was awesome to see coral cover as high as 80 per cent and large tree-like branching coral formations with trunks 30cm thick...I've never seen corals growing like trees...http://www.news.scubatravel.co.uk/2008/04/bikini-corals-recover-from-atomic-blast.html Free Malaysian iPod Language Guide- (Found June 29, 2008 ) Malaysia is home to one of the most famous dive sites in the World: Sipadan. Learn Malaysian with the World Nomads Malay iPod language guide. You won't learn Malaysian in full, but this language guide contains enough of the most common travel phrases to help you get by.http://tinyurl.com/5x9why Dominica's Dive Fest celebrates 15 years- (Found June 29, 2008 ) Dominica's Dive Fest, the Caribbean's longest running scuba diving festival, encourages visitors to discover the landscapes and marine life within the island's waters. Would-be divers and snorkellers as young as eight can participate in pool- or ocean-based introductory sessions to teach them the basics, with some trial sessions free of charge. The annual event takes place in Dominica from 11th - 20th July 2008. To mark this special 15th anniversary year, many local dive centres are offering...http://www.news.scubatravel.co.uk/2008/05/dominicas-dive-fest-celebrates-15-years.html Update: Diving in Jordan- (Found June 29, 2008 ) Jordan is a small country at the north end of the Red Sea, with a coastline of just 15 miles. Most of the dives can be done as shore dives. Read more about the diving and dive centres of Jordan at SCUBA Travel's newly updated pages.http://www.scubatravel.co.uk/redsea/jordandive.html |