Scubadog News

Dive trip to Stein & Loch Dunvegan - Isle of Skye Sept 2009 - Day 1

paul@scubadog.co.uk (Paul) — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 22:19:00 +0000

A last minute opportunity came up to join the BSAC 21 dive trip to Skye, Sorrel had already organized a successful trip up there earlier in the year and I had always fancied diving the seas around the Outer Hebrides and a space was available. Derek and I agreed to car share and after a busy Thursday morning with work he picked me up from Perth and with mobiles switched off and we made our 4.5 hour drive up to the North West tip of Skye at at Village called Stein (Click this link for a map of the locations) where Gordon and Aileen run the Dive & Sea the Hebrides dive centre. After having a week of relatively calm weather across Scotland the winds picked up and Skye lived up to it name, the great thing about this part of Skye is the protection from most of the prevailing winds allowing us to get into several dive sites in poor weather conditions.

We arrived at 6pm and after dumping kit headed off to the Stein Inn for some food and a Pint, On the Friday morning we were introduced to Skye Time and after a briefing at 9am agreed to meet at the boat for 10:30am very civilized, non of this crack of the dawn stuff! We headed across to the Pinnacles on far side of the Loch just next to Rubha Maol on the lee shore to provide protection from the wind and waves.

After dropping down the shot to the top of the pinnacle at ~9m Dermot Nancy and I descended to the South Western side with a Vertical wall that dropped 12 metres to the Sea bead with lots of cup corals and a few Scallops on the Sea Bed we worked our way south east and then headed North over the Reef which had dropped to 2-3 metres where we found shoals of juvenile cod swimming amongst the rocks and kelp forest. After a leisurely dive backup the north east face of the pinnacle we swan up to the top and headed back up the shot. I spotted one or two small Sea Pens and the Yellow sponges were starting to come back to this Pinnacle after the Fish Farms had been moved 18 months previously.

Gordon our Skipper then took us across to the Island of Isay where we sat amongst the ruinshaving our packed lunches and chilling out for an hours or so. The second dive of the day was just a few minutes from our lunch stop to the North of Clett island and was a gentle reef with possibilities for Scallops. Nancy and I paired off for this dive and headed North westerly at about 17m. The Fish life on this reef was excellent with lots of Wrasse including colourful male Cuckoo wrasse and cup corals on the rocks Nancy and I followed the reef for about 100m before heading up into the Kelp Forest and deploying my delayed SMB. What a great day.

paul@scubadog.co.uk (Paul) — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 22:12:00 +0000

BSAC 21 Trip to Ullapool and Loch Broom Day 2 June 2009

After having a leisurely breakfast in Ullapool we decided to head out to the summer Isles for better visibility we decided to drive round to Altandhu and launch at the slipway in Old Dornie Harbour leaving it a bit late and only 1 hour before low tide we managed to navigate the rocks and out into open water. It was flat calm conditions with no wind and we decided dive the Boston Stirling a trawler that was wrecked on the Southern Shore of Tanera More.

Not the Easiest wreck to find the mark on the Admiralty charts is in the wrong bay and it took a bit of finding as unless you are on a Spring low water you wont see the top of the wreck and it is covered in kelp and right in by the reef. If you look for this rock face with the rocks on the hill behind the wreck is here.

The Wreck is well worth diving is very shallow and intact and is ideal for novices with a maximum depth of ~ 12 metres the bow lies into the shore and ship lies on its Starboard side. The first picture is looking up into the Bridge, the Second Sea Hares - Aplysia punctata mating there were many on this wreck. The final two photos are of the stern section.

paul@scubadog.co.uk (Paul) — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 21:20:00 +0000

BSAC 21 Dive Trip to Ullapool, Summer Isles & Loch Broom - June 2009 Part 1

Finally after four years and several missed opportunities I managed to organise a Dive trip to Ullapool and the Summer Isles! I decided to plan this as a birthday treat for the midsummers solistice trip up on the North West of the Scottish Highlands.

After getting 4 other BSAC 21 Divers and Rob my friend from down south to make up the numbers I tested the limits of how much stuff you can pack into a Toyota RAV4 and tow a Rhib at the same time this included two Sets of dive kit My wife Tara, Rob and the three Scottie Dogs Molly, Hector and Fergus. After a 5 hour drive through a variety of weather conditions from Perth we made it safely to the Bunkhouse at the Ceilidh Place in Ullapool we popped around to meet Andy From the Ullapool Sub aqua Club who very kindly offered to fill our bottles on the Saturday Afternoon and their web site was very useful for dive planning. There are two main slips / beaches to launch from to access the Loch Broom / Summer Isles these are the Beach at Ullapool at the far end to the Harbour you can drive down onto the beach although only really suitable for a 4X4 and the Slip at Old Dornie Harbour near Altandhu which is closer for the Summer Isles but a good 40 minutes drive on narrow roads from Ullapool.

On the Saturday morning the weather was fantastic blue skys and after a quick breakfast of bacon rolls collected by Tara we left Ullapool at 9am for the trip out to the Wreck of the Fairweather V one of the most popular wrecks in the region. With flat calm sea conditions is only took us 20 or so minutes to get out to the Fairweather V and after 5 minutes we located the Wreck and dropped the shot so good so far :)

Nancy and I were the first to go in and realised how bad the Algal bloom was, normally up here you would expect to get 10 metres+ visibility but ours was 2-3 metres what a pity.

What a great intact wreck with plenty of Plumose Anemomes on it and the Bridge with the Bridge seats still there. The glass in the windows has now gone compared to a couple of years ago, I look forward to visiting this wreck again in better visibility.

We stopped at the old ruins at Achmore for Lunch just a few minutes drive from the Fairweather V and were greeted by the hungry and opportunistic horses. In the afternoon needing to get back to Ullapool to fill the tanks, we decided to dive at Cuckoo point at the entrance to Loch Broom unfortunately the algal bloom was denser here and the visibility dropped further.

paul@scubadog.co.uk (Paul) — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 09:06:00 +0000

UK DIVERS URGED TO SEARCH FOR CRAWFISH – but not for eating!

The Marine Conservation Society & Seasearch wants to raise awareness about Crawfish

Seasearch is urging divers throughout Britain and Ireland to be on the lookout for crawfish (sometimes known as crayfish or spiny lobster), on their dives. The crawfish is the largest crustacean in our waters and, whilst it used to be commonly seen in the waters around our coasts it has become increasingly rare due to overfishing.

Unlike the lobster, which is much better known and still relatively common, the crawfish does not have the protection of large claws. This has made it very easy for divers to take for the pot. It also is more active than lobster, and large numbers have been taken by tangle netting. Because it is now so rare it has been put on the UK’s Biodiversity Action Plan species list, making it a priority for conservation.

Seasearch wants divers to tell us where they are currently seeing crawfish, how many they see and what size they are. This will help to build up a picture of current populations in shallow waters and help us to identify hotspots where protection is needed. Recording is easy and results can be entered online at www.seasearch.org.uk

We will not be producing detailed maps for where to find crawfish, which would be counter-productive, and we are urging divers who see them to record their presence and leave them there. As what is now a relatively rare species, divers should not take crawfish even for their own consumption.

In addition to getting an up to date picture of where crawfish occur we are urging divers to look back though their old logbooks and tell us where they have seen them in the past. The information can be entered online in exactly the same way.

Seasearch is the largest organisation in Britain and Ireland for recreational divers who want to do their bit for the marine environment. It offers training in marine recording, organises surveys of species and habitats, and produces data and reports which are available for all to use.

Contact:

Chris Wood, National Seasearch Coordinator

Tel: 07776142096

Email chris@seasearch.org.uk

Website: www.seasearch.org.uk

paul@scubadog.co.uk (Paul) — Sun, 02 Mar 2008 23:25:00 +0000

The Sharkman - Documentary on channel 5 this evening.

"Programme about South African diver Mike Rutzen (see interview here) who has become famous world wide as a man who swims with great white sharks outside a diving cage. The film follows Mike as he attempts to get under the skin of these fearsome beasts and show that they are not the mindless killers of popular imagination. Along the way, he investigates a remarkable condition called 'tonic immobility', whereby a shark can fall into a hypnotic trance if it is turned upside down".

Was interesting to see how he interacted with the Sharks, managed to becalm Reef Sharks and then a 5oft descent with a female Tiger shark. The 8 Great whites were pretty full on, but to see a female great white show submissive behaviour and then allow him to hitch a lift on the back of her dorsal fin. Like all animals they can recognise whether you are in control or not he had spent six years working out how to understand sharks behaviour so he knew how to behave with the Sharks and minimise the risks. It will be interesting to see if we can get a better understanding of how these animals interact in the wild, do they act alone or in groups?

paul@scubadog.co.uk (Paul) — Sat, 24 Nov 2007 22:48:00 +0000

Jellyfish (Pelagia noctiluca) invasion has wiped out Northern Ireland's only salmon farm, killing more than 100,000 fish.

Billions of small jellyfish, known as Mauve Stingers (Pelagia noctiluca) , flooded into the cages about a mile into the Irish Sea, off Glenarm Bay and Cushendun.

The jellyfish covered an area of up to 10 square miles and a depth of 35 feet. Rescuers tried to reach the cages but the density of fish made it impossible.

It is rare that these species of jellyfish are in coastal waters this far north, but it is common to see blooms of different species of animals and algae in seas, in the natural environment the Salmon would have swam under the swarm to escape.

It would be difficult for the fish farmers have stopped the invasion I guess if given enough time they may have been able to surround the cages with a finer net to stop the jelly fish.

paul@scubadog.co.uk (Paul) — Fri, 16 Nov 2007 13:08:00 +0000

Watched a great programme tonight "River Cottage gone fishing" was showing sustainable ways of sourcing excellent quality seafood, how easy to cook and prepare this food. link to the website http://www.channel4.com/food/on-tv/river-cottage/ recorded the rest of the series in case I miss it!

paul@scubadog.co.uk (Paul) — Fri, 15 Dec 2006 08:35:00 +0000

It has been leaked that the UK Government is thinking to water down the proposal of having marine parks with no take zones to focusing on banning the catching of specific species. This doesn't make sence as fishing techniques such as trawling produces alot of bycatch and leaves the sea bed looking like a ploughed field, for example juvenile Dublin Bay Prawns or Nephrops norvegicus are blinded when brought to the surface.

The only sensible way forward is to have "designated no take zones" where populations of shellfish and fish are allowed to breed and develop naturally. We should monitor these areas and we could even use a rotation system and put areas of the seabed to fallow, which I belive has worked well when used for fisheries around the world.

paul@scubadog.co.uk (Paul) — Wed, 01 Nov 2006 13:34:00 +0000

Scotlands Hidden Gems

SNH - November biodiversity topic: "SNH is raising awareness of the contribution that marine biodiversity makes to the economy and environment of Scotland.

The marine biodiversity around Scotland remains a well-kept secret. More than 8,500 species of animals and plants live in Scotland’s seas. Raising awareness of their amazing diversity of form and colour is key to their protection. We depend on the sea for food, transport, energy, and recreation and enjoyment, yet most of us are unaware of the damage we have wrought through mismanagement, malpractice and ignorance. This ‘out of sight, out of mind’ attitude is no longer acceptable, and everyone must seek ways of working together to ensure that all marine activities take their impact on biodiversity into account.

Scotland’s marine environment

Scotland’s seas are one of our greatest biodiversity assets; positioned between subpolar and subtropical influences they support a fascinating and varied assemblage of marine habitats and species. The 16,500km of coastline (approximately 9% of entire coastline of Europe) is extremely diverse with a highly indented fjordic and fjardic landscape to the west, characterised by exposed islands, high sea cliffs and rocky skerries, and the North Sea coast to the east, which is predominantly low lying with sedimentary shores and only intermittent stretches of cliff. The outer isles form three major archipelagos of Shetland, Orkney and the Western Isles.

Scotland’s seas are home to the world’s most northerly population of bottlenose dolphins, 21 other species of the world’s 82 whales and dolphins and a third of the global population of grey seals.

Beneath the waves some of the finest marine habitats in Europe can be"

paul@scubadog.co.uk (Paul) — Mon, 23 Oct 2006 10:14:00 +0000

"Disappointing News - as there is a better commercial argument for Whale Watching rather than hunting them."

Iceland Will Resume Commercial Whaling: "Iceland Will Resume Commercial Whaling

REYKJAVIK, Iceland, October 17, 2006 (ENS) - Iceland announced on Tuesday it will resume commercial whale hunts for the first time in two decades. The decision defies a global ban on commercial whaling and has outraged conservationists who contend there is no need for the country to allow whale hunts.

'Commercial whaling is an out-dated and unnecessary industry that should have ended a century ago with the use of whale oil lamps,' said Joth Singh of the International Fund for Animal Welfare. 'The government of Iceland should be supporting its nation's thriving and growing whale watching industry rather than sinking money and its political reputation into promoting the hunting of whales.'

Icelandic officials argue that its decision to resume 'sustainable whaling' is based on science and reflects the island nation's long history of utilizing its marine resources.

whale
Iceland has killed more than 160 minke whales since 2003 for research purposes. (Photo courtesy Greenpeace)

The policy will allow Icelandic ships to kill 30 minke whales and nine fin whales annually. The fin whale is listed as endangered by the World Conservation Union, but Icelandic officials dispute the notion that the species is in peril.

They say there are more than 25,000 fin whales in its coastal waters and more than 43,000 minke whales.

'The taking of threatened or endangered whales is certainly not justified and is strongly opposed by Iceland,' according to a statement by the Icelandic Fisheries Ministry. 'On the other hand, sustainable takes of animals from abundant populations are consistent with the principle of sustainable development.'

whale
Critics of whale hunting argue people would much rather watch whales than eat them. (Photo courtesy IFAW)

Norway is the only other country that sanctions commercial whale hunts - this year it issued permits allowing whalers to kill 1,052 mi"

paul@scubadog.co.uk (Paul) — Thu, 19 Oct 2006 17:02:00 +0000

University of York Press Release: "Costs of a worldwide system of marine parks

A global network of marine parks would cost US$12 to 14 billion per year to run says a study in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, co-authored by Professor Callum Roberts from the University of York's Environment Department.

The global oceans today are in their worst state in the history of humanity. Fisheries are in steep decline, rates of habitat loss now equal or exceed that of the rainforests, and fish stocks have fallen to 10 per cent or less of their numbers at the onset of commercial fishing. At the World Summit on Sustainable Development in 2002, coastal nations pledged to turn the tide on this decline by creating national networks of marine parks by 2012. But until now, it has been unclear how much it will cost countries to deliver on their promises.

To restore marine ecosystems and rebuild fish stocks, the World Parks Congress in Durban in 2003 recommended that at least 20 to 30 per cent of every marine habitat should be protected from all fishing. 'Meeting this commitment to marine protection will require international effort on an unprecedented scale,' said Andrew Balmford, lead author of the study, 'Just half a percent of the sea lies within marine parks today, compared to 12 per cent of the land.'

Balmford and colleagues surveyed the running costs of 83 well-managed marine parks worldwide. Annual spending varied enormously, from a few 10s of US dollars to US$28 million per square kilometre per year. 'Costs were higher for parks that were smaller, closer to coasts, and in high-cost, developed countries,' said Pippa Gravestock, co-author of the study. 'However, parks surveyed said their present income only accounted for half the amount needed to achieve ideal management standards.'

Taking into account the present income shortfall, the study estimated the running costs of a global system of marine parks that would protect 20 to 30 per"

paul@scubadog.co.uk (Paul) — Thu, 19 Oct 2006 16:54:00 +0000

Coastal and Marine National Park: "Coastal and Marine National Park

11/10/2006

A special roadshow gets underway today to mark the start of a consultation into proposals for Scotland's first Coastal and Marine National Park.

A high-tech touring truck will offer people the opportunity to learn more about the proposals and have their say on the location and management of any future park.

Short films on all ten candidate areas:

* Argyll
* Firth of Clyde
* Lochaber
* Moray
* Orkney
* North Uist
* South Uist
* Shetland
* Solway
* Wester Ross

It was at Troon in Ayrshire today before setting off to visit a number of coastal communities over the next four weeks.

The candidate areas for the park are, Solway, Argyll Islands and Coast, Ardnamurchan, Small Isles and the South Skye Coast, North Skye Coast and Wester Ross, North Uist, Sound of Harris, Harris and South Lewis

At Troon today, Environment and Rural Development Minister Ross Finnie said:

'There is a huge amount of interest, activity and diversity on our coasts and sea. It is crucial that coastal and marine-based activity is managed in a sustainable manner which integrates socio-economic and environmental factors for the long-term benefit of our people and natural heritage.

'I can give an assurance that we will be listening to all views and will take all of them into account before any decision about the designation of a park is made.'

Deputy Environment Minister Rhona Brankin said:

'We are committed to protecting Scotland's marine resources for the benefit of those who live and work in or visit our spectacular shoreline.

'That is why I want to encourage everyone with an interest in our coasts, from fishermen to sports enthusiasts and environmentalists to use this opportunity to have their say.'

A coastal and marine park would have the same broad purpose as terrestrial national parks.

* conserve and enhance the natura"

paul@scubadog.co.uk (Paul) — Thu, 19 Oct 2006 15:54:00 +0000

"First Experience of diving - most people are the same"

delawareonline ¦ The News Journal ¦ Getting the scoop on scuba diving trends: "I never will forget those first moments as I sank below the surface of the water and tried to breathe.

Rapid, deep, nearly desperate snatches at air. I couldn't get it fast enough. A classic sign of panic?

Saddled with 40 or so extra pounds and my arms and legs constricted in neoprene, I was sinking deeper and beginning to feel the squeeze building in my ears.

And this was just a 13-foot-deep pool. I remember thinking: 'What have I gotten myself into?'

Diving has come a long way since French explorer Jacques Cousteau and his countryman Emile Gagnan, an engineer, pioneered scuba -- it stands for self-contained underwater breathing apparatus -- systems in the 1940s.

Today, there are more than 8.5 million certified scuba divers in the United States.

Because of the sport's broadening appeal, the 'typical' scuba diver is disappearing, said Doug McNeese, executive director of Scuba Schools International (SSI), based in Fort Collins, Colo., one of the country's four principal diving schools.

It used to be a domain for males age 35 to 50, typically professionals who could afford it and had the leisure time. A growing number of women are taking it up, McNeese said, and they now account for about 30 percent of scuba divers.

More older teens and retirees also are learning to dive, said Kristin Valette, a spokeswoman for the Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI) in Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif., and a dive instructor for 15 years.

Diving appeals to a wide spectrum of people -- baby boomers, the X Generation, the Y Generation, echo boomers -- because there are so many different types that people can find one that fits their personality best, whether it's recreational diving, night diving, shark diving, wreck diving, cave diving or deep water diving, McNeese said.

'Older divers can enjoy it for the tranquility a"

paul@scubadog.co.uk (Paul) — Mon, 21 Aug 2006 18:55:00 +0000

There have been reports of illegal razorfish fishing using Arc welding tools electrifying the sea bed in the Forth and the Clyde which not only kills the Razorfish but impacts many other species as well as the potential Health and Safety issues. Keep any eye out for these activities and report any instances and the Boat ID numbers to the Scottish Natural Heritage,

paul@scubadog.co.uk (Paul) — Thu, 10 Aug 2006 15:38:00 +0000

Scotsman.com News - Scotland - Edinburgh - Rare whale causes a stir in the Forth: "The sighting of the humpback follows that of a fin whale, the world's second largest creature, near North Berwick last month. That was followed by reports of an unidentified large whale off the coast at Dunbar last week.

The sightings are attracting extra visitors to North Berwick and the Seabird Centre in the hope of catching a glimpse of a whale.

The summer's warm weather is said to be attracting creatures such as sand eels to the Firth of Forth and whales are following to feed.

Wildlife experts said spotting a humpback whale in the Forth was extremely unusual. Only one other sighting has been reported in recent years.

Linda Dalgleish, marketing manager of the Scottish Seabird Centre, said: 'We often see minke whales in the Forth, but this is the first year in a long time that we have seen creatures like the fin whale or the Humpback. It is very exciting that these creatures are coming to the Forth.

'There is very little doubt that it was a humpback whale. They are very easy to identify because of their long, white flippers.

'The last time we saw a humpback in the Forth was about three years ago - but that was the first anyone could remember in a long time. I was told by a whale expert that you are more likely to see a lion walking down Princes Street than to see a humpback whale in the Forth.

'We have had a lot of inquiries at the centre from people who have come hoping to see one of the rarer whales. It is fantastic people are taking such an interest.'

The rescue operation on Tuesday involved a dozen volunteers with more on stand-by.

Sue White, who monitors whale sightings for the British Divers Marine Life Rescue, said: 'The whale may have been there feeding and come in a little too close to the shore for its size. There has been a lot of whale activity in the area this year, which must be because there is a lot of food stocks in the Forth at the momen"

paul@scubadog.co.uk (Paul) — Fri, 30 Jun 2006 11:26:00 +0000

Over fishing of Cuttlefish in Devon

I notice in Dive Magazine this month (July Edition) that there is a reports of Cuttlefish being overfished on the south coast of England. The divers have reported a dramatic drop in the number of the breading population of cuttlefish in Torbay Devon. They saw over 25 mature animals in pots on their dive and very few eggs on the seaweeds near the pots where in the previous years there had been thousands of eggs.

I have no problem with fishermen making a living, but you would think after the disasters in the North Sea Cod Fisheries that we could have a more sustained approach to managing our coastal resources.

I understand that in the Mediterranian that it takes 15-20 months for Cuttle Fish to sexually mature does any one know how long it takes for Cuttlefish to Mature in British Waters? So hopefully if fishing is reduced then the populations would recover fairly quickly.

paul@scubadog.co.uk (Paul) — Tue, 13 Jun 2006 21:56:00 +0000

The Daily Record - NEWS - THE ICEMAN COMETH: "THE ICEMAN COMETH
WHEN DAROS GRAY'S FAMILY MOVED FROM SCOTLAND TO SOUTH AFRICA THE YOUNGSTER FELL IN LOVE WITH THE SEA, DIVING WHENEVER HE COULD. NOW AN EXPERIENCED FREE-DIVER, THE 34 YEAR OLD LIKES NOTHING BETTER THAN TO HOLD HIS BREATH ...AND PLUNGE BELOW THE POLAR ICE CAP
By Samantha Booth

SCOTS free-diver Daros Gray spent much of his childhood in the seas off South Africa.

By the time he was a teenager, spear fishing, scuba diving and gathering crayfish among the wildlife were all second nature to him.

Even an attack by a Great White Shark was not enough to keep the young Daros out of the water.

But what possessed the 34-year-old, originally from Callander, to become the world's polar free-diving pioneer?

Now instead of enjoying the warm water and nautical delights of tropical seas around the world, the burly Scot likes nothing better than to dive to depths of up to 131ft underneath polar ice caps with no breathing equipment.

His most recent expedition took a team to Arctic Sweden to establish nine world records in incredibly dangerous conditions.

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Not only did he have to consider the normal hazards of free-diving, including the the dreaded black out that can happen to any free-diver as they head back to the surface - it happened to Daros on Loch Etive a few years ago causing his heart to stop for three and half minutes - he also had to think about the possibility of equipment freezing and the edges of ice holes collapsing.

He says: 'For me it is not about breaking or making records for glory's sake or even about the danger.

'I do what I do in the hope that I can help science in some way by finding out how a human body will respond to extreme conditions, although there is another aspect to it - which is about becoming one with the liquid around you.

'It is about going back to Mother Natur"

paul@scubadog.co.uk (Paul) — Tue, 16 May 2006 15:23:00 +0000

Scotsman.com News - Sci-Tech - Coral reefs and marine life may be wiped out by global warming: "Coral reefs and marine life may be wiped out by global warming
ROD MINCHIN

GLOBAL warming has had a more devastating effect on some of the world's finest coral reefs than previously assumed, scientists said last night.

Large sections of coral reefs and much of the marine life they support may be wiped out.

The international team of researchers surveyed 21 sites and more than 50,000 square metres of coral reefs in the inner islands of the Seychelles in 1994 and 2005.

Their report is the first to show the damage of global warming on the inner Seychelles coral reef in which rising sea temperatures have killed off more than 90 per cent of the coral.

The Newcastle University-led team has published its findings in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

The research showed that, while a warming-up of the Indian Ocean in 1998 was devastating in the short term, the main long-term impacts are down to the damaged reefs being largely unable to reseed and recover.

Many simply collapsed into rubble that became covered by unsightly algae.

The collapse of the reefs removed food and shelter from predators for a large and diverse amount of marine life - in 2005 average coral cover in the area surveyed was just 7.5 per cent.

The survey showed that four fish species are possibly already locally extinct, and six species are at critically low levels.

The survey also revealed that species diversity of the fish community had decreased by 50 per cent in the heavily impacted sites.

Yet while a bleak picture is painted in the inner islands of the Seychelles, the survey area, from a diving perspective the outer carbonate islands still offer healthy coral reefs.

paul@scubadog.co.uk (Paul) — Sun, 30 Apr 2006 18:07:00 +0000

Florida's coral reef decline linked to sewage, coastal runoff

http://www.cdnn.info/news/eco/e060416.html

MIAMI, Florida (16 April 2006) -- Study backs environmentalists' suspicions that chemicals from sewer pipes and coastal runoff may be harming coral reefs.

Prozac, estrogen fertilizer, pesticides, anti-bacterial soap and countless other chemicals pour into the ocean off southeast Florida, shot through sewer pipes and washed off lawns, golf courses, roads and farms.

Environmentalists have long suspected this chemical brew of playing a role in the decline of coral reefs. Now a study by academic and government scientists has tentatively linked sewage pipes and coastal runoff to coral damage off southeast Florida.

The study found that corals near sewage pipes and inlets -- where urban and agricultural runoff flows into the ocean -- showed harmful changes in levels of molecules associated with the ability to heal wounds. When scientists cut holes in corals, they found the ones near sewage pipes and inlets took longer to heal. At samples tested next to the Hollywood sewer pipe, wounds expanded rather than healed.

paul@scubadog.co.uk (Paul) — Sun, 30 Apr 2006 17:37:00 +0000

BBC NEWS | Scotland | Views wanted on oil transfer plan: "A public consultation has been launched to examine controversial proposals to transfer large quantities of oil between ships in the Firth of Forth.

Forth Ports is in favour of the plan to transfer Russian oil to tankers, four miles off the Fife coast, at rates of up to 3,000 tonnes per hour.

But Fife Council believes it could pose a major hazard.

UK Transport Secretary Alistair Darling said the consultation would assess the implications for nature conservation.

Mr Darling pointed out that such transfers already take place at Scapa Flow in Orkney, Sullom Voe in Shetland and at the Nigg oil terminal in the Cromarty Firth.

They are lawful and do not need approval by the transport secretary.

It's about consulting on a plan to deal with an oil spill, not about questioning whether this proposal should go ahead in the first place
Mark Ruskell
Scottish Greens

However, the harbour authority must get his go-ahead for its oil spill contingency plans.

It is understood Mr Darling believes the consultation has been inadequate so far and will ask for views on the contingency plans.

Sunderland company Melbourne Marine Services (MMS) wants to carry out the transfers in the Forth about four miles off Methil.

The oil would be switched to vessels bound for China or eastern Europe.

Oil transfer

Fife Council has described the proposal as one of the most serious threats ever faced by the area.

Green Mid-Scotland and Fife MSP Mark Ruskell branded the consultation a smokescreen, claiming the 'ludicrous' oil transfer plan would threaten the economy and environment around the Forth.

He said: 'This consultation assumes that ship-to-ship oil transfer will go ahead in the Firth of Forth. It's about consulting on a plan to deal with an oil spill, not about questioning whether this proposal should go ahead in the first place.

'European law dictates that we must put the protection of the sensitiv"

paul@scubadog.co.uk (Paul) — Thu, 13 Apr 2006 09:48:00 +0000

New Posting - for testing purposes