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Category: Conservation

SCTLD: The other pandemic

  • DIVER Editorial
  • 19th February 2023

Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease is spreading rapidly, decimating Atlantic and Caribbean coral colonies within weeks of infection – and scientists still don’t know what’s causing it Words and Photography by Nicole Webster While humans are battling a relentless pandemic, the corals of the Atlantic and Caribbean are suffering …

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How to overcome Galeophobia

  • DIVER Editorial
  • 3rd February 2023

Photos: Cristina Zenato By Cristina Zenato If every time we are at the beach the soundtrack of ‘Jaws’ plays in our head, we may be suffering from the fear of sharks. This fear might not be triggered by an actual event or a specific experience; it could be triggered …

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Interstellar Connection

  • DIVER Editorial
  • 25th January 2023

No fanfare. No quest for glory. Just the unshakable conviction that a fetid pond would open onto the heavens Words and Photography by Cristina Zenato The foul smell from the little pond reaches my nose as I settle the tanks on the water’s shallow rocky edge. It is created …

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Whale Heritage Sites of the World

  • DIVER Editorial
  • 17th January 2023

By Jean-Michel Cousteau and Holly S. Lohuis In 1982 we thought we had ‘Saved the Whale’ when in Brighton UK, 42 world governments converged for an historic vote to cease the killing of whales. By then many of the large baleen whale and sperm whale (great whales) populations were …

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The Magic of Artificial Reefs

  • DIVER Editorial
  • 27th November 2022

By Howard Robins and Richard Wall For end-of-life ships, a new life starts at the bottom of the ocean. Artificial reefs take marine vessels and convert them to living incubators for a plethora of marine life, from plants, to sponges to fish.  For a group of marine environmentalists, underwater visits to …

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The (not so) Silent World

  • DIVER Editorial
  • 1st October 2022

Since fall 2018, NOAA and the US Navy have been working with a number of scientific partners to study sound within seven national marine sanctuaries Words by Rachel Plunkett Have you ever travelled to a new city and noticed how different it sounds from home? Perhaps instead of hearing …

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An Ocean Unmasked

  • DIVER Editorial
  • 22nd September 2022

Words and Photography by Nicolas Winkler As summer approached the East Coast, the waters began to warm. With it, the critters and kelp that had retreated for the winter reappeared, while I made more frequent visits to the coast for dives, escaping the world above to witness the changing …

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Islands: Microcosm of Our Water Planet

  • DIVER Editorial
  • 8th September 2022

By Jean-Michel Cousteau and Holly S. Lohuis On the clearest of days there is a sight on the horizon that beckons my curiosity of underwater exploration. It is the tiny island of Namenalala, Fiji, the location of some of my favourite dive sites in the world. With dive site …

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Debunking Shark Myths

  • DIVER Editorial
  • 23rd August 2022

By Cristina Zenato Diving with sharks is a bucket list item for many divers. The first-time shark diver may feel a mix of curiosity and trepidation, and many, as they stand at the edge of the platform before jumping in, may still have questions. In this column, I am …

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Storytelling to Inspire Ocean Protection

  • DIVER Editorial
  • 30th June 2022

By Jean-Michel Cousteau and Holly Lohuis There are powerful meanings in the stories we share about our personal experiences in vastness of the ocean wilderness. Every scuba diver is a storyteller, sharing personal experiences of encounters with the beautiful underwater world, a place many people will never see for …

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Rediscovering a World Worth Conserving

  • DIVER Editorial
  • 1st June 2022

Words by Jean-Michel Cousteau and Holly Lohuis It has been almost a year now since I have had the opportunity to explore beneath the surface of the sea; and like many of you, I have stayed where it has been the safest, in the comforts of my home in …

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Being Nourished by the Ocean

  • DIVER Editorial
  • 29th April 2022

By Jean-Michel Cousteau and Holly Lohuis The newest findings are clear: our relationship with the natural world needs to be re-evaluated and then fixed. Not only are we navigating challenging times as we suffer through the COVID-19 pandemic of 2020, but we are witnessing the destruction of nature on …

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The Big Little Migration

  • DIVER Editorial
  • 23rd March 2022

Sometimes the most incredible marine life encoutners aren’t in the ocean, they’re hiding under lily pads in remote Canadian lakes Words by Russell Clark / Photography by Maxwel Hohn   You may well remember seeing a couple of images we’ve previously published of tadpoles. They are always crowd pleasers, …

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Feeding Shark Conservation

  • DIVER Editorial
  • 16th March 2022

Shark feeding is a controversial practice, but is it as bad as we think, and can it actually benefit conservation? Words by Christina Zenato Shark diving is a growing market. Whether it’s to quench the human desire to come face to face with our fears, or to feed our fascination …

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Tiny Animals of Critical Importance

  • DIVER Editorial
  • 15th March 2022

By Jean-Michel Cousteau and Holly Lohuis There is an inner galaxy of alien looking organisms on our own planet. Just night dive in open water with a bright light and witness for yourself the water column coming alive with all different forms of gelatinous plants and animals: plankton. It …

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The Imminent Destruction of Mexico’s Best Dive Sites – One Track at a Time

  • DIVER Editorial
  • 10th February 2022

  An apocalyptic nightmare is threatening dive sites in Tulum. The project, known as the ‘Tren Maya’ in Spanish, is an ill-conceived, poorly planned project to create a train corridor along the paradisiacal Caribbean coast of the Yucatan Peninsula. It has already grossly disrupted tourism and resulted in the …

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Aggressor Releases Video to Mark World Wetlands Day

  • DIVER Editorial
  • 2nd February 2022

World Wetlands Day is February 2, 2022 and to raise awareness about the importance of wetlands conservation, Aggressor Adventures is releasing the above video hosted by Professional Wetland Scientist Nate Hobbs. One third of the world’s endangered species rely on wetlands habitat for their survival. Over 95 percent of …

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Win with the Mother Ocean Fund

  • DIVER Editorial
  • 1st November 2021

Written by Mother Ocean Fund.  A startup nonprofit firm out of Key Largo, Florida, has come up with a unique way of bringing awareness to ecological diving, mammal rescue and release, conscience recycling and waste management efforts within their local diving community. How? They’re partying on the beach for …

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Your local marine life centre needs you!

  • DIVER Editorial
  • 29th October 2021

By Heather Creech Earlier this year, the staff at the Cairns Aquarium in Queensland noticed something unusual: some of the fish stopped eating and began hiding in the dark corners of their tanks. Turns out the fish—inquisitive creatures that they are—were missing their human visitors during the pandemic lockdown. …

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Protecting Treasures Amongst Crisis

  • DIVER Editorial
  • 8th October 2021

By Jean-Michel Cousteau and Holly Lohuis In these times of uncertainties for what the future might bring, it is natural for us to feel a sense of hopelessness. We have watched and witnessed the entire world come to a complete standstill.  But if I can share some stories of …

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Travel tips: Be an ambassador for our planet

  • DIVER Editorial
  • 23rd September 2021

By Fly & Sea  Divers share a deep connection with the ocean. Whether you love exotic dive adventures or spend your holidays diving closer to home, you can make a difference for ocean protection every time you make a dive.  Be an Eco-tourist Make informed decisions when choosing and visiting a …

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Orcas: Sentinels for Ocean Health

  • DIVER Editorial
  • 10th August 2021

By Jean-Michel Cousteau and Holly Lohuis L41, a 43-year-old male orca from the Southern Resident L Pod is missing and feared dead. This is just one more blow to the endangered orca population in the Puget Sound region.  For whale researchers, whale enthusiasts and local residents of the Pacific …

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Whales Are Vital in Climate Change Fight

  • DIVER Editorial
  • 4th June 2021

By Jean-Michel Cousteau and Holly Lohuis Twenty years ago my team and I had the vision of creating a marine conservation organization, Ocean Futures Society, with the mission to explore our global ocean, inspiring and educating people throughout the world to act responsibly for its protection. Since 1999 we …

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Lionfish – from predator to pendant

  • DIVER Editorial
  • 29th March 2021

Text by Ian Stalker Lionfish that venture into Dominica waters may end up on a journey that transforms them from predators to prey to pendants. Lionfish are native to the Indian and Pacific Oceans but were introduced into Caribbean waters inadvertently or otherwise and have become a major problem …

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How one turtle became a popular children’s book – Ella’s Adventure

  • DIVER Editorial
  • 12th February 2021

Christian Miller sat down with DIVER to talk about his new book Ella’s Adventure.  Did you always want to become a children’s book author? No, this was absolutely not on my radar, ever. I am considering myself a story teller, but more through art, photography or filmmaking. But it …

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Last minute adopt a coral gift good for the ocean!

  • DIVER Editorial
  • 18th December 2020

Coral Guardian, a major force in coral reef conservation around the world, now offers a unique Christmas gift through it’s Adopt a Coral program, Coral Guardian. So spoil your loved ones, or yourself, while contributing to the protection of the ocean. Click here to adopt!  Each coral adopted comes …

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Sea of Change Foundation Announces Design Competition Winner

  • DIVER Editorial
  • 10th December 2020

Over the past six years, the Sea of Change Foundation has supported both threatened species conservation projects and promoted ocean pollution awareness. This past summer, in partnership with the Science Exchange, the Foundation initiated an exciting new project that directly addresses both issues while promoting citizen science. The “Build …

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Saginaw Bay’s Marine Ecosystem Revival

  • DIVER Editorial
  • 14th October 2020

Saginaw Bay’s warm waters serve as nursery grounds for many fish species and support the fisheries of both Saginaw Bay and the main basin of Lake Huron. Historically, inner Saginaw Bay contained rock reefs that provided critical habitats,spawning grounds, and juvenile areas for many native fish species. This includes …

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TADPOLES: The Big Little Migration

  • DIVER Editorial
  • 16th September 2020

Inside the current issue of DIVER (Fall 2020) you’ll see a lovely four page feature by our regular columnist Maxwel Hohn, all about the incredible journey of the western toad tadpole. Maxwel has been capturing footage of the tadpoles for four years, accumulating in this mini nature documentary, noq …

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Attention Washington divers – your help is needed!

  • DIVER Editorial
  • 21st July 2020

The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife is conducting a study of licensed anglers to learn more about fishing, shellfishing, and diving participation and preferences so that they can better manage specific fisheries and opportunities. Your answers are very important to the Department, and the survey will only take approximately …

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Keeping Orcas Wild

  • DIVER Editorial
  • 11th May 2020

By Jean-Michel Cousteau and Holly Lohuis I have written extensively about my fascination, respect, and love for orcas. I believe they are our counterparts in the sea. Orcas are intelligent, they live in culturally rich families known as pods, speak different languages and dialects, and express feelings of empathy …

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Spot something odd? Share it!

  • DIVER Editorial
  • 1st May 2020

By Heather Creech Dan is a South Australian freediver who loves to snorkel the Port River estuary – a site near Adelaide’s marine shipping terminals not often visited by divers. One day last year, Dan spotted something in the shallows he didn’t recognize: an unusual bivalve. So he took …

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A Brighter Future

  • DIVER Editorial
  • 1st April 2020

By Jean-Michel Cousteau and Holly Lohuis The day my good friend lost his fishing boat due to the dwindling catch of the sardine fishery off the coast of France is the day I realized the ocean has limits. It was at a period of my younger years that I …

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Canada: Free Marine Mammal Guide

  • DIVER Editorial
  • 13th March 2020

Canadian divers spend a lot of time on boats, whether they are in command of the vessel, crewing, or just a passenger, having a more accurate knowledge of marine mammal safety and stewardship is highly recommended. A collaboration between the Canadian Power Squadron and local whale researchers and educators …

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Wakatobi Coral Reefs Receive Excellent Health Report

  • DIVER Editorial
  • 10th March 2020

Wakatobi’s Coral Reefs Receive Excellent Health Report, May Provide a Model For Future Sustainability A marine biologist reports that the reefs surrounding Wakatobi Resort show no signs of degradation or bleaching. Dr. Richard Smith performed much of his PhD research at Wakatobi in the 2009 time period. He recently …

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Divers + Science = Citizen Science

  • DIVER Editorial
  • 16th October 2019

By Heather Creech Don Gordon carries a special slate on every dive. On that slate is a list of 100 species of fish, invertebrates, and marine plants for the Pacific Northwest waters. While diving with his friends, he checks off what he sees – a single sighting, a few …

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