Maui Diving Made Easy: scooter dives save time and energy
RTSea - 5/14/2014 6:10 AM
Hawai’i is one of the most popular tourist locations because it offers so much to the visiting traveler. From volcanoes to scuba diving to surfing to historical WW II attractions to a rich cultural island history that predates the advent of foreigners. I had the opportunity to visit my son and daughter-in-law on the Hawaiian island of Maui recently and was taken back by how much it has developed since the days, several decades back, when I got my scuba diving instructor certification there. Yes,...
|
|
Captive Whale Shows: eco-tourism provides alternatives
RTSea - 1/21/2014 3:59 AM
Following up on my November 10, 2013 post regarding the fate of orcas kept in captivity in aquatic amusement parks like Sea World, the public pressure seems to be continuing as several major contemporary music acts have cancelled their appearances at Sea World, thereby gutting a major entertainment series Sea World was heavily promoting. As important as the environmental issue is regarding captive orcas and dolphins, it will be changes in economics that will be the actual thumbscrew to bring abo...
|
|
Living Ocean Foundation: a 6-year coral reef expedition with hopes of making a difference
RTSea - 11/24/2013 6:57 PM
> There are many ocean conservation organizations that support the protection of coral reefs across the globe. Each organization does the best with the resources that they have available, ranging from scientific research to general public awareness. My personal interest has always been in groups that are producing quantifiable results, not just fan club-like support, although each has its place. In my experience, I have found that what moves the bar forward in terms of international and regional...
|
|
Filmmaker’s Journal: Oceanic whitetip sharks
RTSea - 5/27/2013 11:04 PM
Filmmakers and avid amateur underwater photographers are constantly on the prowl for new locations and new species to document. This holds true for those interested in sharks, too. Either on assignment or as part of a stock footage expedition, I have been to Isla Guadalupe, Baja to film great white sharks at least 16 times and I have been to Tiger Beach, off Grand Bahama, around eight or ten times. And while I have more footage of white sharks, lemon sharks, and tiger sharks, and other species t...
|
|
Protecting Sharks: the two-edged sword that is CITES
RTSea - 3/18/2013 12:12 AM
This past week, the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) concluded their 16th triennial Conference of the Parties (CoP16) with much fanfare among shark conservationists as 5 species of sharks and 2 species of rays were given recognition of status that could lead to a reduction in the commercial fishing for these animals. However, before shark advocates break out the champagne, it’s important to view the measures taken by CITES as steps in a long process and, in the int...
|
|
California Diver interviews Richard Theiss
RTSea - 1/22/2013 12:43 AM
California Diver’s Marine Science Editor, Mike Bear, interviewed me in early January and you can read a PDF of the interview here. We touched on a variety of subjects, from my humble beginnings, working with wildlife, my work with Diana Nyad, and the latest trends in toys (ie: digital video cameras). As someone who is involved in marine science, Mike was also interested in my thoughts on communicating critically important science information to a broad audience - something that, with my backgrou...
|
|
COARE: successful regional ocean conservation group expanding nationally
RTSea - 12/01/2012 6:49 AM
Even a casual look at the ocean conservation community and one finds that there are hundreds of non-profit organizations, each addressing an issue or issues of concern and applying their best available resources to bring about solutions. At least that’s what you hope for. COARE (The Center for Ocean Awareness, Research and Education) has in just a few years, gone from being a small regional non-profit in the San Francisco area to an organization that is being recognized nationally. Under the dir...
|
|
Sharks, the Beauty of the Ocean Predator: March lecture/exhibition event in Long Beach, CA
RTSea - 11/19/2012 5:37 AM
In early March, the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach, CA will host a lecture/exhibition, Sharks: the Beauty of the Ocean Predator featuring yours truly and sculptor Victor Douieb. The event is being described as "Art and science come together like never before to heighten awareness for ocean conservation. Sculptor Victor Douieb and filmmaker Richard Theiss present an exhibition and lecture series combining stunning and impressive bronze pieces of marine animals with insightful and thought-p...
|
|
Shark Net: Dr. Barbara Block/TOPP release great app to track California’s white sharks
RTSea - 11/18/2012 7:11 PM
I have been fortunate to meet and speak with many accomplished marine scientists and researchers. One who is definitely on my Top 10 list is Dr. Barbara Block. Based at Stanford University, California, she oversees TOPP (Tagging of Pacific Predators), a program started in 2000 that tracks pelagic animals from tuna to swordfish to turtles to great white sharks, and more. (Couple of previous posts on the subject here & here.) Barbara is a spunky taskmaster but, working with her staff, it is that v...
|
|
Handling Invasive Species: studies look at treatment and commercial enterprise
RTSea - 11/17/2012 7:00 AM
Invasive species continue to pose problems around the world - from relocated fish and land animals to plants to even infectious diseases. In the oceans, invasive species can prove to be both disruptive to the marine environment and a potential hazard to humans as well. Two recent scientific studies, one in Emerging Infectious Diseases and the other in Marine Pollution Bulletin, looked at the issue of ballast water that is taken in and released by tankers and freighters in ports all over the glob...
|
|
Conservation Victories: government steps up to help whales, sharks, and birds
RTSea - 11/16/2012 5:23 AM
Well, how about some good news for a change? Conservation and protection of species and the environment got a bit of a boost from the machinations of government today in several areas. Some of these advances are moving through cyberspace as I write this, while others are more quiet victories. No Sonic Tests Off California for Utility The California Coastal Commission today unanimously agreed to deny a permit to Pacific Gas & Electric, who had requested to begin a series of seismic tests using so...
|
|
Pacific Shark Populations In Decline: new study provides hard numbers on pelagic species
RTSea - 11/04/2012 11:43 PM
The results of a recent study published in Conservation Biology paints a disturbing picture of ongoing decline of sharks in the Pacific Ocean. Now, to many who are familiar with the subject of shark finning and overfishing, this does not necessarily sound, unfortunately, like anything new - it is what many of us have been fighting about for some time. However, it’s an important report because it covers a wide period of time, has specific numbers, and notes that some areas in shark conservation t...
|
|
Shark Repellent: a new study indicates visual cues could be a deterrent
RTSea - 11/01/2012 5:36 AM
As a follow up to my post this past Sunday on the Australian government’s attempts to control white sharks off the Western Australian coast by a variety of often fatal means, new research has come out regarding another avenue for developing a shark repellent: Eyesight. According to RedOrbit.com, researchers from Australia have been studying the brains of cartilaginous animals, which includes sharks and rays, and their conclusions point to some species of shark as having a more developed brain th...
|
|
Underwater Eden: new book explores the Phoenix Island Protected Area
RTSea - 10/30/2012 5:43 AM
The Phoenix Islands Protected Area (PIPA) came into existence in 2006. It was, at the time, the largest marine protected area in the world and was the result of a courageous step by the government of the Republic of Kiribati - a South Pacific nation consisting of what was once known as the Gilbert, Phoenix, and Line Islands. With scientific support from Conservation International and other research institutions, like the New England Aquarium, an area of over 157,000 square miles was designated a...
|
|
Sharks At Risk In Australia: tagged sharks may be victims of Western Australia hysteria
RTSea - 10/29/2012 1:06 AM
Researchers in Australia are trying their best to foster calm and rational thinking in the wake of five fatalities in Western Australia due to great white sharks in the past 12 months. As the number of human-shark interactions increased, so did the demand for some kind of action to be taken by the Australian government. It’s really a classic and unfortunate case of public concerns for safety mixed with businesses concerned over loss of potential business that has fueled, ala Jaws, demands for ac...
|
|
Ocean Acidifcation: Center for Biological Diversity initiates new campaign
RTSea - 10/26/2012 4:53 AM
Ocean acidification is garnering more and more attention within the ocean conservation community. And well it should. It was only a few years ago that the issue started to reach a state of critical mass within the ocean advocacy community. And as more and more research is taking place to understand its causes and effects, we are more and more coming to understand its insidious impact on the marine environment. With today’s massive amounts of CO2 being discharged into the atmosphere, the ocean it...
|
|
Making Waves in the Rockies: Colorado Ocean Coalition holds ocean symposium/film festival
RTSea - 10/19/2012 5:34 PM
This weekend, October 20-21, the Colorado Ocean Coalition will be holding its Making Waves ocean conservation event in Boulder, CO. On Saturday, attendees will be entertained with films from the recent San Francisco Ocean Festival while Sunday will be an ocean conservation symposium followed by a gala honoring Jean-Michel Cousteau. You can check out the full schedule of events at the Colorado Ocean Coalition website. I will be attending - another opportunity to catch up with colleagues and netwo...
|
|
Shark Conservation in Arabia: first international workshop concludes
RTSea - 10/15/2012 5:30 AM
Last Sunday I posted some information about a shark conservation conference to be held this past week in Dubai. The focus of the event was to be on the state of shark populations in Arabian waters, the impact of commercial shark fishing and exporting of shark fins, and the level (or lack of) of regulations and enforcement. Representatives from several Arab nations were in attendance along with scientists and others from conservation organizations in the region. As this was the first such gatheri...
|
|
About White Sharks & Conservation: presentation at the Explorers Club in San Diego
RTSea - 10/11/2012 5:22 AM
This coming Tuesday, October 16th, I will be giving a presentation at the San Diego Chapter of the Explorers Club. The presentation will be "Understanding Great White Sharks and the Future of Shark Conservation." I will be recalling some of my experiences from over 7 years of filming the white sharks at Isla Guadalupe. Also, I will be touching on some of the important issues facing shark conservation as it evolves from a grass roots cause to an international movement, involving new players both ...
|
|
Saving Sharks in Arabia: conference to look at regulating commercial shark fishing
RTSea - 10/08/2012 3:07 AM
A step in the right direction for shark conservation might be on the horizon in Dubai. A conference will be held this coming week to discuss regulations regarding commercial fishing for several species of hammerhead sharks. Organized by the UAE Ministry of Environment and Water and Sharkquest of Arabia, the four-day Shark Conservation in Arabia will include government officials and scientists. The goal is to determine whether shark fishing, particularly involving the great, smooth and scalloped ...
|
|