Interpol's 30 Days at Sea identifies offenders in marine pollution crime

“Interpol, the world’s largest international police organization, has carried out a global investigation into marine pollution crime, and identified more than 500 offenses.

Interpol’s operation, code-named 30 Days at Sea, was initiated in response to a call to increase international enforcement against environmental crime.

More than 5,200 inspections were carried out, identifying waste crimes and administrative violations in 84 countries and territories around the world.”

Read my full article on the Jakarta Post: Interpol's 30 Days at Sea identifies offenders in marine pollution crime

Is Shark Cage Diving Good For The Ocean?

Shark cage diving continues to gain popularity each year as liveaboards become more affordable and events such as Shark Week highlight opportunities to dive with sharks around the globe.

It isn’t without controversy though and people have raised concerns that shark cage diving negatively impacts sharks and affects the surrounding environment.

Let's take a look at the world and ethics of shark cage diving with Dive In.

The Role of Shark Diving in Conservation

Featured on DeeperBlue:Whilst some people have concerns that baited shark dives can impact natural shark behaviors, shark diving can be done responsibly with minimal impacts on the sharks. It is also a valuable yet underappreciated conservation tool that contributes to the protection of sharks and the ocean in a variety of ways.Find out more in my article The Role of Shark Diving in Conservation.

New Study Reveals the Key to Effective Shark Conservation

Featured on Dive In:A study in the Marine Policy journal (May 2018) has demonstrated how important human attitudes towards sharks are for effective shark conservation. The study assessed attitudes towards sharks in the Galapagos Marine Reserve and showed that an understanding of the environmental role of sharks and how dangerous (or not) they appeared to be, had the greatest influence on peoples’ attitudes towards conserving them. Having knowledge of, or experience with, sharks also influenced attitudes. It was clear that shark conservation initiatives need to focus on creating positive attitudes towards sharks in order to gain peoples’ support to conserve them. As Baba Dioum put it: "In the end we will conserve only what we love; we will love only what we understand; and we will understand only what we are taught." Education and positive experiences with sharks are key tools in successful shark conservation and the Galapagos Islands are an ideal destination to undertake both. https://www.divein.com/blog/galapagos-diving/

How We Can #BeatPlasticPollution

Writing this article for LiveAboard recently has been a great reminder that we have the answers to solve plastic pollution and there are some innovative ideas showing us the way towards a cleaner and healthier ocean. We can do this!https://www.liveaboard.com/diving/article/beat-plastic-pollution

Top Reef Safe Sunscreens

Following on from my earlier article about Hawaii banning the sale of sunscreens that damage corals, I have been researching reef-safe/natural sunscreens to try.There are a variety of brands to choose from, some of which contain all-natural ingredients and some which use synthetic alternatives. I highly recommend reading Stream2Sea's sunscreen ingredients to avoid list, as there are a number of chemicals in some sunscreens that can damage the marine environment and your health. It's not just about avoiding oxybenzone and octinoxate.When using zinc-based sunscreens you need to bear in mind that a little goes a long way. Whilst they often cost more, you should only need to use a small amount each time.Here are some top reef-safe/natural sunscreens to check out:

• Raw Elements USA
• Raw Love Sunscreen
• Badger Balm
• Stream2Sea
• MooGoo

How To Celebrate World Environment Day

Featured on SportDiver:It was World Environment Day on June 5th and the focus this year was on how we can #BeatPlasticPollution.World Environment Day is the United Nations’ most important day of the year for promoting awareness and action to protect the environment. It began in 1974 and is a well-known global platform for positive change that is celebrated in over 100 countries. Divers can do their bit for the ocean environment and get involved in a variety of ways. We all want to enjoy pristine dive sites full of healthy marine life in the future, so here are my top ways to support this special day.https://www.sportdiver.com/how-to-celebrate-world-environment-day-on-june-5-2018

New Blue Whale Population Discovered off New Zealand

There is a population of blue whales living in the Taranaki Bight of New Zealand. Studies have confirmed there are approximately 700 blue whales there and they are genetically distinct from other blue whale populations.

 

"Their discovery is being hailed as significant because the whales’ home in the South Taranaki Bight is also the setting for several oil and gas rigs and is set to be targeted by seafloor mining operations."

 

"In light of the planned industrial work in the region, Dr Torres and her colleagues intend to present their findings to political and industry leaders – including representatives from the whaling industry."

 

Great work by Dr Torres and the team at the Marine Mammal Institute. Here's hoping the whales get the protection they need.

 

https://www.independent.co.uk/environment/nature/blue-whale-new-population-new-zealand-genetic-a8356311.html

Top Ways To Help Save Sharks

Featured on Deeperblue.com:The ninth ADEX expo occurred this month and was focussed on shark conservation – the first marine creature ADEX was dedicated to back in 2010. With the trade in shark products estimated to have been worth $540 million (USD) to $1.2 billion (USD) as of 2007, and this trade continuing today, the focus on shark conservation couldn’t have come at a better time.https://www.deeperblue.com/top-ways-to-help-save-sharks/

Where to See, And How You Can Help Whale Sharks

Featured on Fill My Passport:Did you know whale sharks can grow up to 12 metres (40 feet) long and weigh up to 20 tonnes (40,000 lbs)?!In this article for Fill My Passport, I talk about these incredible giants of the ocean, threats to their survival, and why diving with whale sharks can be a great conservation tool.https://www.fillmypassport.com/see-can-help-whale-sharks/?doing_wp_cron=1520805224.0645749568939208984375