Tags: Eel, LIVing fossil, Marine and Conservation, US-Palauan-Japanese, Pacific Ocean , primitive

Palau International Airport is getting a nice
facelift, thanks to the
"Worlds 1st Shark Sanctuary"


Shark and Diver - Copyright all Rights reserved.
Mandatory credit with image use:
© Gunther Deichmann - www.deichmann-photo.com


Palau International Airport - Copyright all Rights reserved.
Mandatory credit with image use:
© Gunther Deichmann - www.deichmann-photo.com

The Palau International Airport is getting a nice facelift, thanks to the "Worlds 1st Shark Sanctuary" in cooperation with the airport authorities in Palau: PEW, Palau Shark Sanctuary, the Palau Visitors Authorities (PVA) and many other individuals, like Dermot Keane the Founder of the Palau Shark sanctuary who made this possible.

Websync International; Arnold Munz, Hermes Singson and myself (responsible for the production) are proud to be associated with this project, and of course the generosity from the contributing Photographers: Todd Essick, Mandy Etpison & Gunther Deichmann without their help and photos this could not have been achieved, besides keeping an almost impossible deadline.

These very large display panels will grace now the interior of the Palau international Airport shortly. Showcasing an Environmental statement, a Government committed to the conservation of our natural resources and our precious marine life, and at the same time educating international Visitors up on arrival and departure...another first for Palau.

Editor PalauTours

Now enjoy Palau the way Nature intended it!

Palau Shark Sanctuary Dermot Keane Founder Box 7076 Koror, PW 96940, Palau phone: +680-488-7267 e-mail sharksanctuary@gmail.com www.sharksanctuary.com About Palau Shark Sanctuary Palau Shark Sanctuary was founded in 2001 in an effort to end the annihilation of Palau's sharks as a result of rampant shark-finning at the hands of foreign long-line fishing vessels licensed by Palau to fish in their waters.

In May 2003, former Palau President Mr. Tommy E. Remengesau Jr., became a key supporter of the efforts of Palau Shark Sanctuary; in September 2003 he signed in to law some of the toughest anti-shark-finning legislation in the world. On September 25, 2009, President Johnson Toribiong from Palau declared the EEZ of Palau the world’s first shark sanctuary during a speech in front of the General Assembly of the United Nations in New York.
Palau Shark Sanctuary remains committed to the full implementation, enforcement and success of Palau’s marine sanctuary.

Late Breaking NEWS! Thank you again President Toribiong from Palau
another step in the right direction!

This info was just received by Mr. Dermot Keane from the Shark Sanctuary in Palau, Micronesia and another mile stone in the conservation and preservation of our precious mariner life.

Dear Friends,
 
I am pleased to report that President Toribiong this morning vetoed SB 8-56 that would have permitted the taking of Humphead Wrasse (Napolean Wrasse; Maori Wrasse), a protected species in Palau.
 
The President deserves our thanks for continuing to steadfastly stay the course in protecting Palau’s marine environment.
 
Thank you all.

The official Veto letter from the office of the President below & You may send “Thank You” Messages to:                      
 
Johnson Toribiong, President of the Republic of Palau: rop.president@palaunet.com     
 
with cc:   to the following: 
PALAU VISITORS AUTHORITY: pva@visit-palau.com
PALAU CHAMBER of COMMERCE: pcoc@palaunet.com
BELAU TOURISM ASSOCIATION: bta@palaunet.com
PALAU SHARK SANCTUARY: sharksanctuary@gmail.com

Just in from Palau, please HELP!

An Appeal to Palau's President Toribiong to Veto SB No. 8-56 November 18, 2010

 Dear President Toribiong, I'm Edward Dorson, a marine conservationist and an underwater photographer. I've been engaged in Palau's marine environment both as a diver/photographer in your waters and as an activist for the ocean. I urge you to veto Senate Bill No. 8-56, the bill now on your desk to allow open seasons for the taking and selling of Humphead (Napoleon) wrasse, Bumphead parrotfish, and grouper.

© Gunther Deichmann - Blue Corner Palau

If you care to respond, please do so right now as this Bill has been passed by both HOUSE and SENATE and will become law in 4 MORE DAYS (NOV 26), unless the President vetoes it right now!

Please send an e-mail to urging VETO of SB 8-56 to:                      
 Johnson Toribiong, President of the Republic of Palau: rop.president@palaunet.com     

With cc: to the following: 
PALAU VISITORS AUTHORITY: pva@visit-palau.com
PALAU CHAMBER of COMMERCE: pcoc@palaunet.com
BELAU TOURISM ASSOCIATION: bta@palaunet.com
PALAU SHARK SANCTUARY: sharksanctuary@gmail.com


SB No. 8-56 was fully passed by the Olbiil Era Kelulau and was sent to your Office on November 12th. If not vetoed within 15 days from that date (by November 26th), SB No. 8-56 will emerge as law.
This bill as law will have a devastating impact on these fish and reefs, on Palau's economy, and upon Palau's standing as a leader in ocean conservancy. I offer you these substantial negative consequences to consider:


• Unrestrained decimation during spawning aggregations: While SB No. 8-56 makes the point that these aggregating species are traditionally valued for consumption, any tradition that now enables substantial harm to threatened species must be seen as unacceptable.

It is also within the scope of Palauan tradition to be observant of the natural environment's condition and of the long-term consequences of harmful practices. Aggregating fish that form large groups to spawn at predictable times and locations are especially vulnerable to over exploitation.

The usually solitary Humphead wrasse is particularly fragile, where groups of up to 150 can gather to spawn in Palau's waters. Contrary to SB No. 8-56's unsubstantiated claim that Palau's groupers are rebounding and can withstand 3 months of fishing pressure; groupers have been documented as virtually eliminated in at least 5 sites in Palau due to over-fishing of spawning aggregations (listed as vulnerable in the IUCN red list). While all studies show these aggregating species have drastically declined worldwide, no management interventions of any kind are offered in SB No. 8-56 for the protection of spawning aggregations.

• Detailed locations of aggregation sites have been recently released: Until very recently, assessments on spawning aggregations in Palau have been mostly anecdotal. Shortly before SB No. 8-56 was introduced, a new scientific study on Palau's Humphead wrasse was released, titled "Aggregation and Spawning of the Humphead wrasse: General Aspects of Spawning Behaviour " by P. L. Colin.
[http://www.scrfa.org/images/stories/pdf/scrfa/colin.2010.
aggregationandspawningofthehumpheadwrasse.pdf

This was the result of 6 years of direct observation where aggregation sites were described in great detail and were mapped using GPS receivers. Marked aerial photographs also reveal precise aggregation locations. The author was aware that his research was a map for those willing to destroy Palau's remaining Humphead wrasse, but he reasoned that such disclosure concerning the fate of Palau's most iconic fish was safe:

"Despite sensitivities about revealing the positions of newly located spawning aggregation sites, detailed information was provided to describe the relationship of the physical aspects of the site to the biology of aggregation and spawning...Cheilinus undulatus (Napoleon wrasse) is now fully protected in Palauan waters reducing potential effects of fishers on populations from such detailed information; no capture is allowed and there is thought to be only minor poaching."


• No environmental assessment performed: There are standing laws and requirements that are being flagrantly ignored with Senate Bill No. 8-56. Removing Palau's total ban in taking and selling adult Bumphead parrotfish (kemedukl) and Humphead wrasse (maml) with a 2 month open fishing season is in direct opposition to the no-sale provision of Senate Bill No. 7-64. In 2006. Palau stipulated a total ban on the taking of these fish unless a thorough non-detrimental finding could recommend altering their protected status, yet there's been no environmental assessment to justify such an open season. Capture/killing methods aren't addressed either -- there's no limitation to size or number. Also missing: a ban on scuba spearfishing is well known to be the single most important measure to protect these species from over-exploitation.


• Coincides with unsustainable demand with the Chinese New Year: The period chosen to lift the ban on wrasse and parrotfish allow capture from November 1st to December 31st with legal sale from January 1st to February 29th. While SB No. 8-56 specifies that it for the holiday season of Palauans (Christmas), a pushed-back sales allowance is also granted to coincide with the Chinese New Year (February 3rd) holiday season. 


• Incentive for illegal export, particularly with Humphead wrasse: Live Humphead wrasse can fetch up to US $100 per kilogram at retail. The Live Reef Food Fish Trade (LRFFT) has been banned in Palau for many years, and advocating a season for Humphead wrasse is a strategy for circumventing that. Hong Kong takes in 75% of the live reef fish food trade. It bears mentioning that Palau now has a new route of direct flights to and from Hong Kong. However, the more apparent threat with quicker access to Hong Kong is that more appetites eager to consume the vanishing Humpheads will be coming to Palau.


• The taking of these species presents secondary destructive impacts to Palau's reefs: The typical method of easy capture using cyanide kills all the surrounding reef and other aquatic life where it is used. Even where cyanide isn't used, without these grazing fish the reef is much more likely to being smothered by algae; particularly while stressed by a warming event like the El Nino in 1998. One third of your reefs were severely damaged, yet these "grazers" were able to help restore the corals before they were lost. Humphead wrasse are also of great benefit as one of only a few animals that prey upon the reef-destroying Crown of Thorns seastar, now present in 5 areas of Palau.


• Contradicts Palau's Sanctuary ethos and the Presidential call for a "Bul": Palau has received world attention as the "World's First National Shark Sanctuary." Overlay that promise of stewardship with the  exploitation of SB 8-56 -- it's totally inconsistent with Palau as a beacon for marine conservation. While the UN sanctuary designation set a new benchmark as a manifesto, your aspirations will rapidly unravel if this bill becomes law. Legalizing needless plunder and disrupting species' interdependence would certainly rescind the visionary promise of your UN pronouncement.

"Palauans have a long history of living in harmony with nature. In days gone by, the traditional chiefs of Palau would declare a "bul" – a moratorium to protect a resource which had become scarce....All governments need to act now, to conserve the vast biodiversity of our oceans. I call upon the world to join me in taking action to protect the best and conserve the rest, so our children will someday thank us"  - from the speech on behalf of President Toribiong by Minister Harry Fritz, during the award ceremony honoring Palau at the Convention in Trade on Endangered Species.

• Divers see the Humphead wrasse and Bumphead parrotfish as living treasures that are just as compelling as Palau's sharks: The repeated experience of viewing them alive is a thousand-fold more profitable to Palau than their destruction as some product for consumption.


It is unthinkable to ignore standing conservation law, economics, and ecological reality and instead facilitate the irreparable demise of Palau's rare Humphead wrasse and Bumphead parrotfish populations. Great promise was instilled with Palau's UN declaration as the world's first national Shark Sanctuary. The 75% of Palau's visitors that come to dive and snorkel now see Palau as a dive oasis. They will feel betrayed with the passage of SB No. 8-56.

Short-sighted, greed-driven interests are vitally dependent on you allowing SB No. 8-56 to become law at the expense of destroying your living treasures and, with them, Palau's lasting well-being. This path will only lead to the collapse of both aquatic species and tourism with the inevitable loss of nourishment and livelihoods. Palau's environmental, political, and economic realm must ultimately be shaped by the will of it's President. I urge you to be Palau's voice for reason on this issue and veto Senate Bill No. 8-56.
Sincerely, Edward Dorson

Say NO to Shark fin Soup...& protect our Environment.

Great News...after Palau, Micronesia

now Raja Ampat, Indonesia declares a Shark Sanctuary.  




© Gunther Deichmann - Composite Image
"Protect our Environment"

 

Excepts from the Press Release below - complete Press report
Written by Shark Savers   
Monday, 15 November 2010 19:31

Sharks, Mantas, and Turtles to be protected in Raja Ampat, Indonesia

Misool Eco Resort and Shark Savers announced today that a Shark Sanctuary has been declared for the entire 17,760 square miles of Raja Ampat, Indonesia. Bupati Drs Marcus Wanma, the Regent of Raja Ampat, made this historic declaration, demonstrating leadership in marine conservation.

The Raja Ampat Shark Sanctuary provides full protection for sharks, manta rays, mobulas, dugongs, and turtles. Also prohibited are highly destructive practices including reef bombing and the aquarium fish trade. The Shark Sanctuary is the first of its kind in Indonesia, the largest island archipelago in the world.

We are excited to announce that the Regent of Raja Ampat, Indonesia, Bupati Drs Marcus Wanma, has declared a Shark Sanctuary for the entire 17,760 square mile area of Raja Ampat. This declaration is a direct response to the proposal presented by Shark Savers and our partner, Misool Eco Resort.

The Bupati has declared that, in Raja Ampat, it is now:
• Forbidden to catch fish with poison, bombs etc;
• Forbidden to catch fish using a compressor, purse seine,“Muroami” and “bubu”
• Forbidden to catch sharks, manta rays, mobulas, live reef fish for the aquarium trade, dugongs and turtles.
• Forbidden to catch any fish at all in designated tourism and conservation areas.

This is an important milestone, as Raja Ampat enjoys the highest marine biodiversity level on the planet with 1397 species of fish and over 600 species of coral recorded. It has also been the scene of destructive overfishing that has severely threatened sharks, mantas, and other vulnerable species.
Read more...

Shark Sanctuary - Palau Micronesia & Palausharksanctuary.net
Shark Savers

© Gunther Deichmann - Palau has made the decision
for a "greener and better" Planet!

The Palau Conservation Society (PCS) was incorporated on June 16, 1994 for the purpose of encouraging and facilitating community participation in decisions that affect Palau 's environment.
PCS is the only local non-government organization working exclusively on environmental protection. Its work includes public awareness programs, scientific research and the promotion of sustainable development.
The success of PCS can be traced to its non-confrontational approach to environmental issues and to its strong partnerships with local communities, government agencies and the international scientific community.

© Gunther Deichmann - unique marine bio diversity,
image above: Soft Coral Arch Palau

“We need a little more compassion, and if we cannot have it, then no politician or even a magician can save the planet.”
Dalai Lama

Excerpts below from Nature Conservancy website...

© Gunther Deichmann - Palau is home to many Bird
species, like this Rookery near Kayangal

...Legendary for its astonishing marine diversity and beauty, even named one of the “Seven Underwater Wonders of the World” by divers, Palau holds far more than seems possible in the 170 square miles it covers.
Underwater, Palau supports an amazing 373 coral species, and nearly 1,300 varieties of reef fish... read more:
Click this LINK to Natures Conservancy, with more environmental info on Palau.

Support The Nature Conservancy & Palau Conservation Society
Keeping Palau a “Wonder”


© Gunther Deichmann - Palau is an important nesting ground for Turtles


© Gunther Deichmann - dense unspoiled rainforest and unique vegetation


© Gunther Deichmann - flesh eating plant from Palau

For more images on Palau please visit my Photoshelter Gallery
Click the LINK and type your subject e.g. Palau, Jelly Fish lake,
Rock Islands, Aerials etc. or what ever you’re looking for in the Search Box.

Natures Kaleidoscope below and above the waves. Exclusive Travel Report from Palau Micronesia! Photographs... The Pearls of the Pacific...


© Gunther Deichmann - ... Palau Airport

Palau the hidden Crown Jewel in the Pacific…never heard about it? About time we introduce you to one of the most charming places on Earth… some call it… the forgotten Paradise or the Pearls of the Pacific.
No words can describe Palau... even before you land the view from the arriving aircraft will take your Breath away.

© Gunther Deichmann - aerial View of the Rock Islands

© Gunther Deichmann - The mysterious Milky Way

I have been traveling to Palau the past 15 years and I still cant get enough of its beauty above and below the waves. Quoted as one, if not the Best Dive destination in the world.
Like a child in a candy shop, I am like that every time I travel to Palau, discovering new things all the time…it is just awesome. It is one of those places one should visit at least once in their lifetime.

© Gunther Deichmann - Soft coral Arch Palau


© Gunther Deichmann - Eagle Ray at Blue Corner


© Gunther Deichmann - meet the BIG ones at
Blue Corner & Dive with Sam’s Tours

The information below is courtesy of Palautours.com containing information how to get there and a very brief inside of this truly remarkable place. For all our Camera enthusiast we highly recommend Sam’s Tour’s Digital Photo Center which is fully equipped with iMac Computers and state of the art Software like Aperture.

© Gunther Deichmann - The Nautilus our “living fossil”

There are many ways to get to Palau and flying direct is not always the most economical or timely method. Many guests that fly in from the states catch a flight out of L.A. or San Francisco to Japan and then catch a flight from Japan to Guam (there are multiple flights a day from Japan flying into Guam) and then Guam to Palau. The use of frequent flyer miles is also available, remember to book early or have a great travel agent if you are trying to go that route.
Continental Micronesia is the major airline of Micronesia and flies into Palau 6 days a week: 2 times a day on Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays; and once a day on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays. (Please note: these schedules are subject to change it is advisable to check with your airlines first)
They have service from Guam 6 days a week, with connections to and from Yap on Wednesdays and Sundays. There is service to and from Palau from Manila, Philippines (this seems to be the best way to travel to Palau from Asia or Europe); twice a week on Wednesdays and Saturdays. There is service to and from Kaoshiung and Taipei, Taiwan on Tuesdays and Saturdays; and service to and from Taipei, Taiwan on Thursdays and Sundays on Far Eastern Air Transport (or FAT Airline). Japan Airlines (JAL) has flights to and from Palau twice a month.

Palau offers you the world's most beautiful tropical paradise. Famous for it’s diving, Palau is rated as one of the world's best diving destinations by scuba aficionados. And why not...Palau has unspoiled reefs, caves, and walls with the most amazing array of marine life you can ever imagine.

© Gunther Deichmann - Napoleon Wrasse, get close to Marine life.

Palau beckons to you with some of the world's most
awesome natural wonders.

Imagine the whitest beaches you will ever see, gardens of coral just beneath the clearest waters, lakes filled to the brim with "sting less" jellyfish. Forests, waterfalls and caves that have never been ravaged by man, and hundreds of islands of the purest beauty abound all along our pristine archipelago.

© Gunther Deichmann - swim with jelly fish and not getting stung.

Palau beckons to you with some of the world's most awesome natural wonders. Imagine the whitest beaches you will ever see, gardens of coral just beneath the clearest waters, lakes filled to the brim with "sting less" jellyfish.

© Gunther Deichmann - ... awesome Palau Waterfall

Palau. To many the name conjures up images of lush jungles atop mushroom-shaped limestone islands surrounded by turquoise waters so abundant with life that it is nearly impossible to ingest it all. With magnificent reefs that contain over 1300 species of fish and 400 species of coral, it is no surprise that it is recognized as one of the best and most consistent places to see a huge diversity and abundance of both small tropical fish and large pelagic predators.

© Gunther Deichmann - The Natural Arch, Palau


© Gunther Deichmann - Explore amazing Palau by Kayaks


© Gunther Deichmann - Kayaking through the Mangroves

There are several reasons for Palau's diversity of life, particularly the marine life, with some of the major factors being the variety of habitats and reef structures as well as its location. Between the coastal mangroves of Babeldaob and the outer reef walls of the Ngemelis and Pelelui, exists an extensive shallow and deep water lagoon containing limestone islands, sheltered marine lakes, and narrow passages that provide a mixture of different habitats that support a variety of fish and coral. Further, the ranges of reef structures, from sheer vertical walls to underwater caves provide numerous places for species to live. If the diversity of habitats in Palau is poised to accommodate a terrific amount of marine life, its location is the reason that much of the marine life made it here in the first place. Palau resides just outside of the ‘Coral Triangle' an area recognized as the center of marine biodiversity and has three major bodies of water converge on the island. To the East is the Pacific Ocean, to the West the Philippine Sea, and to the South, the Celebes Sea.

© Gunther Deichmann - paradise is waiting for YOU.

As the Pacific Ocean, the Philippine and Celebes Seas circulate, the potential to bring larva of coral, fish, and invertebrates to Palau from different parts of the Indo-Pacific region is very high.

© Gunther Deichmann- have your own Island

Terrestrially, Palau has one of the most diverse assemblages of flora and fauna in Micronesia The different geology, predominantly the limestone Rock Islands and the large volcanic main island of Babeldaob provide excellent substrate for a diverse number of trees, plants, birds, and reptiles. There are over 1250 species of plants, 140 species of birds (including 8 endemic species), and 50 species of amphibians and reptiles (including the largest reptile, the Saltwater Crocodile, (Crocodylus porosus ). With all of the diversity in Palau , both above and below the water, it will amaze even the most seasoned naturalist.

© Gunther Deichmann - Sunset in the Rock Islands


© Gunther Deichmann - enjoy the Spa at the Palau Pacific Resort.


© Gunther Deichmann - see You soon in Palau Micronesia.

See pages after pages with stunning images and information on Palau @ http://www.palautours.com/
You can Check also with the Palau Visitors Authority (PVA) for more local information once you have arrived in Palau.
For a Birds-eye view of Palau check out Palau Helicopters @ http://www.palautours.com/palauheli-other.html

For more information please contact the Palau Visitors Authority & click this LINK for all Tour Operator Listing and other activities

Or check the Palau Blog spot

Above: The most comprehensive Pocket Guide Book on Palau and Environs, available at all leading Dive Centers, General Stores, Hotels and Resorts.

For more Photos on Palau please click this LINK there you find three seperate Galleries on Palau

Stark wie Wind und Gezeiten




© Gunther Deichmann - Jellyfish Lake Palau Micronesia
fuer mehr information ueber Palau, see also
“Palau the hidden Crown Jewel in the Pacific”

Quallen mischen Meere durch Quallen, Fische, Plankton und andere Meereslebewesen haben am Durchmischen der Ozeane einen ähnlich großen Anteil wie Wind oder Gezeiten. Durch ihre Bewegungen erzeugen die Tiere eine Art Unterdruck und ziehen Wasser hinter sich her.
Quallen bewegen sich mit pumpenden Bewegungen vorwärts oder lassen sich einfach von der Strömung tragen.
Dieser überraschende Befund stammt von einer Gruppe um Kakani Katija vom California Institute of Technology in Pasadena (USA). Die Wissenschaftler waren mit einer Spezialkamera im Gepäck in den Zwergstaat Palau im Pazifischen Ozean gereist. Dort beobachteten sie in einem Salzwasser-See, welche Strömungen entstehen, wenn sich Quallen durchs Wasser bewegen.
Bilder und der complete bericht @
http://www.n-tv.de/wissen/weltall/Quallen-mischen-Meere-durch-article449465.html

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/-/

© Gunther Deichmann - It is never to early...learn how to dive.

We have picked up this post from Sam’s Tours Palau, see below the details.

Monday, May 11, 2009
Late Breaking News! KIDS SEA CAMP coming to Palau!
We’re delighted to report that Sam’s Tours has been selected to host the very first KIDS SEA CAMP (KSC) in Palau slated for this November. Kids Sea Camp is an award-winning educational vacation program for families that love the ocean.
Kids Sea Camp PALAU 2009: November 21 – 28, 2009.

Kids Sea Camp is the brain child of Margo Peyton, a scuba diver since 1989. This Scuba mom with husband Tom, two kids of her own, Jen and Robbie, decided it was important for her family to spend time together doing what she loved the most, scuba diving & travel.
Kids Sea Camp is a full week's schedule of events and educational programs that promises great times and learning experiences for families with kids age 4-15. Each week includes 7 nights accommodations, diving, meals, excursions, activities for both adults and kids including, diving, snorkeling and many PADI Specialty courses.
KSC is hosted at PADI 5 Star Dive Resorts around the world which include Cayman Islands, Bonaire, Roatan, Fiji, Curacao, Galapagos and now in PALAU! Sam’s Tours and Palau Royal Resort, a Nikko Hotels International partner http://www.palau-royal-resort.com/ are teamed up to host this exciting event. Space is limited so get in touch with Sam’s Tours right away if you’d like to participate.
Families can spend a week scuba diving, snorkeling, swimming, kayaking, discovering underwater photography, meeting other families and making friends from all around the world. Kids Sea Camp is the perfect family vacation for those that love to scuba!
Sam’s Tours PADI Five Star National Geographic Dive Center is proud to have been selected to host Palau’s very first Kids Sea Camp and we are already in full swing planning an exciting action-packed week of fun in the sun!
For more information on Kids Sea Camp please visit http://kidsseacamp.com/ although details of the Palau Kids Sea may not be posted yet.

For bookings please contact: kids@kidsseacamp.com or e-mail Sam’s Tours Reservations Desk at: reservations@samstours.com
Kids Sea Camp PALAU 2009: November 21 – 28, 2009.

Rare Megamouth Shark Caught In Philippines

Author: Jason Heller / April 07, 2009 12:00AM CDT Category: Marine Conservation
Megamouth, rare, Shark, Philippines, Donsol
So rare are these sharks that each of them is designated with a number.

Fishermen based in Donsol were trawling for mackerel along the eastern coast of Burias Isle on the morning of 30 March when they caught a strange-looking shark from a depth of approximately 200 meters. WWF’s satellite tagging initiatives have already shown that pelagic filter feeders such as whale sharks and manta rays regularly prowl through the region. It was only a matter of time before something else was discovered.

Megamouth SharkThe shark was brought to Barangay Dancalan in Donsol, Sorsogon for assessment. WWF Donsol Project Manager Elson Aca immediately arrived to assess the haul – and promptly identified it as a megamouth shark... MORE

Another Alien afternoon...

I have picked up this Blog Post from our good friend and top Underwater Photographer Tony Wu, I personally have never seen or encounter this one, if any larger it will send shiver down your spine. Now I know where Hollywood gets all those Alien Movie Ideas from, of course from our so precious and little explored oceans.
You have to check this one out… on purpose I have not included the image, I like to keep you in suspense, he, he. See the LINK below.
GD
Excerpts from Tony Wu’s Blog post:
Incidentally, a few nights ago on another night dive, we found and played with a couple of bobbit worms (Eunice aphroditois)…
a nocturnal, predatory polychaete worm.
I first sought out and photographed these scary animals about a decade ago in Secret Bay, Bali. We stayed up most of the night, diving in dark, cold waters to observe bobbit behaviour…read more and view the Bobbit Worm @

http://www.tonywublog.com/20090319/fright-night.html

Shark Weeks 2009 is a year long shark education and awareness program offered by Sam's Tours Palau, a PADI 5-Star National Geographic Dive Center and eco-tour operator, in conjunction with Palau Shark Sanctuary a shark conservation organization, in support of the International Year of the Shark 2009.

Shark Weeks is a One Year Programme initiated by Sam's Tours – where every week is a shark week.

© Gunther Deichmann - Dive with Sharks...
NOT Kill the sharks!

Quote : “In the 21st century, shark-finning* is barbaric”
Dr. Sylvia Earle, Oceanographer
Explorer-in-Residence
National Geographic

More on Dr Sylvia Earle, Oceanographer who has just recently visited Sam’s Tours in Palau with Actress Daryl Hannah.

Photo © Dermot Keane -
from left: Dr Sylvia Earle, Dermot Keane GM
of Sam’s Tours and Actress Daryl Hannah

Protect Palau 's sharks and other marine creatures.

The Palau Shark Sanctuary, Palau 's first shark conservation organization, was founded in November 2001, in response to the reckless slaughter of Palau 's sharks for shark fins, by foreign vessels licensed by Palau to fish in their waters.
For more information please go to: http://www.sharksanctuary.com/mission.html
Some minor work is still been carried out on this newly launched site, more updates of images, text and a Blog will follow shortly so please stay tuned.

Great NEWS for 2009...we 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

© 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: Fishing, Save our Planet, Sharks, Destroy, Killing