Photo by RAEQ. Jean-Pierre Bouillon and Grand Prize winner Robert Parent, stand before the HMCS Nipigon in Rimouski.
HMCS Nipigon to be scuttled on July 26
If all goes well, HMCS Nipigon will lie on the bottom of the St. Lawrence Estuary off Ste-Luce-sur-Mer on July 26. At one o’clock, Jean-Pierre Bouillon will press the button that will set off explosive charges installed by Wes Roots and Roy Gabriel of the ARSBC. Robert Parent, the Grand Prize winner of the Nipigon lottery, initially won the right to press the button but graciously handed back the honour to Jean-Pierre Bouillon, President of R.A.E.Q., who has lead the arduous project from the very beginning. DIVER Magazine will be on hand and will present exclusive images of the grand event in an upcoming issue. For more information: www.raeq.qc.ca
Diables des Mers Symposium is a great success
The Diables des Mers’ (Sea Devils) second annual dive symposium was a resounding success. Well over 200 divers from all over Quebec attended the various presentations and workshops on far-ranging subjects including rebreathers, hyperbaric medicine, freediving, and the intricacies of mussel biology. The Diables’ symposium is the only diver-oriented event of its kind in Quebec and all agree that it is a highly positive and unifying meeting point for the dive community at the start of every new season. For more information: www.diablesdesmers.qc.ca
Maritimes sharks in decline
Divers encountering sharks in the Maritimes should count their blessings. A recent study reveals North Atlantic shark populations have plummeted dramatically in recent years. According to researchers in Halifax, the number of sharks in the North Atlantic has fallen by over 50% since 1986. Overfishing has affected top predators including the great white and hammerhead sharks. Populations of great white sharks fell by 79 percent, while hammerhead numbers dropped by 89 percent. The scientists from Dalhousie University studied records of shark catches between 1986 and 2000. All recorded shark species, except makos, have declined by more than 50% in the past 8 to 15 years. Recovery is expected to be slow.
Quebec election delays new law
The Quebec election in April has delayed the implementation of new dive regulations for yet another year. Quebec’s new dive law, announced in the last issue of DIVER Magazine, will now come into effect in April, 2004, at which time recreational divers, including visitors, will have to get a Quebec licence in addition to their regular certification card in order to dive in the province. Details are posted on the FQAS website in English and in French: www.fqas.qc.ca