Issue 11

AfricanDiver June/July 2010 Issue 11

Sodwana Shootout 2010 SMITS Wrecks Georgina Jones

The Mystery of the Dichotomous Mantas Christopher Bartlett

Moving Sushi in Oman Mike Markovina

Shark Fisheries Dareen Almojil

Sodwana Shootout Pictorial history

DAN Diving medicine CNS Considerations in Scuba

Featured Photographer Sean Sequira

Winter shootout 2010

It is perhaps fitting that this issue of African Diver is an image-rich issue for we showcase the Sodwana Shootout winning images and bring you news of future underwater competitions to be entered. In keeping with this, we also show-case images from past Shootout competitions and celebrate the diversity and beauty that is Sodwana Bay.

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But while Sodwana Bay is arguably the finest dive spot in the country for tropical reef life, the diving in Cape Town is not to be forgotten – Georgina Jones, takes us down to Davy Jones’ locker to experience the truly wonderful Smitswinkel Bay wrecks.

Christopher Bartlett’s article on the recent discovery of a second species of Manta Ray is illuminating and curious. One has to wonder what else there is out there that we humans have failed to identify and notice. This in a fascinating article, not least for the scientific interest but also for the pioneering spirit of scientists who never say die.

Mike Markovina and his team talk to us on fisheries management and diving in Oman – both of which are a delight and cause for concern.

And sadly, the concern rests once again with the exploitation of sharks. Mike also introduced us to Dareen Almojil who very kindly wrote an article for us on the exploitation of sharks in Kuwait and the impact this is having on traditional fishing as well as fisheries management.

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Table of contents

Editorial

However, in keeping with an image-rich issue, we finish off in a lighter vein and feature the work of an old-friend of the African Diver team; Sean Sequira. Sean is a past winner of the Sodwana Shootout and a regular contributor to diving magazines in South Africa.

Enjoy the images and may your bubbles always be free Cormac

The Mystery of the Dichotomous Mantas

3-11

Christopher Bartlett

SMITS Wrecks

12-17

Georgina Jones

Sodwana Shootout results 18-27

Results of the 2010 competition

Moving Sushi in Oman

28-36

Shark Fisheries

37-45

Sodwana Shootout

46-53

Mike Markovina Dareen Almojil

Pictorial history

DAN

54-61 Diving medicine CNS Considerations in Scuba

Featured Photographer

62-70

Winter shootout 2010

71-74

Sean Sequira

Cover by Sean Sequira Image on contents page by Jean Marx

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THE MYSTERY OF THE

DICHOTOMOUS

MANTAS

Images and text by Christopher Bartlett

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MYSTERIES OF THE MANTAS – MAJOR DISCOVERY MADE IN MOZAMBIQUE

The more work that I do on mantas the more I need to know…I can’t help it. I don’t know if I could stop even if I tried

It took six years of hard graft, toil, and some tears, mainly with limited logistical and financial support and little understanding of and sympathy for the cause. Yet from the outset Californian Andrea Marshall, now Dr Marshall and recognized as the world’s leading Manta Ray researcher, knew she had made a groundbreaking discovery about one of the oceans’ emblematic species; that there was not one specie of manta ray, but two clearly different species.

As astonishing as it may seem in this day and age, until November 2009 there was officially only Manta birostris, the manta ray, first scientifically described in 1798, swimming in various places around the world. Now there are two species, Manta birostris, the giant manta with a wingspan up to 9 metres, and Manta alfredi, the smaller 5.5-metre wide reef manta. It’s akin to waking up to the news that there are in fact two lion species.

It’s not like mantas were new to us or hard to find. Every year countless scuba divers around the world get up-close and personal with these fine specimens of majestic marine megafauna. Yet, oddly, little research time had been dedicated to these magnificent subaquatic spaceships, and Andrea only discovered Mozambique’s Tofo and it’s mantas through word of mouth.

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“After finishing one of my degrees in Australia I went to South Africa to find some inspiration and ended up working with a friend of mine on his great white shark project in Gansbaai. I went to Mozambique on a vacation purely because AfricanDiver.com

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a friend of mine told me of the large numbers of manta rays and whale sharks. When I went to see for myself I nearly died as it was a gross understatement. I quickly realized that this presented an unequalled opportunity to studies these species.”

In 2003, with the approval of the University of Queensland, Australia, she sold everything and moved to Jangamo, south of Inhambane, to start fieldwork for a PhD; the world’s first doctoral thesis on mantas. She chose an institution in Australia over her native USA

students ... they are often more capable and creative than they are given credit for.”

Within six months of starting research, Dr Marshall noticed visual differences beyond size in the rays that she was observing but, sensing the reaction that a discovery of this magnitude could provoke, she didn’t talk to anyone else about it for a year in order to compile more supporting arguments. Her first evidence came from a trip to a fishery in Indonesia, when she noticed that a giant manta that was being cut

you see things. But then people assumed that it was genuine, and just previously overlooked given that there was so little research done on manta rays worldwide. I know for certain that many scientists are excited about the discovery and see it as a very positive thing. Although many are equally as frustrated as now all of the known information has to be split, the mantas re-named, printed material and past scientific publications updated, and so on.”

However, before all that could happen, there was a lot of hard graft to put in. It took five years and

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as she felt that they gave her the freedom and opportunity to do her own work, despite the greater risk involved, rather than be subject to the strictures of routine research.

up had a vestigial spine absent in the smaller mantas. “All the little things started adding up; I knew in my heart that there was a difference.

I wanted to push the boundaries of science.”

“There were no guarantees that this project would work and on paper it looked a bit optimistic to say the least. But I think they saw that I was passionate and that I was dedicated and ambitious. They took a chance on me. They didn’t need to ... but they did and I will always be grateful for that. I wish more institutions would take a chance on their

When she finally discussed her beliefs amongst the scientific community, she was initially met with doubt: “It was no surprise as it is awfully rare to find new species of large charismatic megafauna. It is not really that common and people know that. So people were initially skeptical. I think that it was a little sensitive for people that had previously worked on manta rays; as pride can have an effect on how

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a worldwide study to eventually gather enough compelling evidence for the Californian to support her case, and many obstacles had to be overcome.

It was very hard to find living conditions that enabled her to focus on her work. Africa is not an easy place to work and live in, especially for a 23-year-old single girl and Mozambique provides an especially challenging environment; essentially due to a lack of resources and infrastructure. She began when the country was less than nine years out of the armed conflict which dates back to the early 1970s.

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Basic utilities such as water and electricity were not constant, and sometimes just providing for herself was hard enough.

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“I am only human and there were many times that I, my parents, my University advisors and my friends told me to get out. But what really kept me here was curiosity. I think that most scientists will tell you that the reason that you become a scientist in the first place is that you always want to know ‘why’. You are obsessed even as a kid with understanding how things work. The more work that I do on mantas the more I need to know … I can’t help it. I don’t know if I could stop even if I tried”.

In March 2005 she met Malcolm Warwick, the owner of Casa Barry, a lodge in Tofo. Interested in her work and impressed with her drive and dedication, he offered her a base to live in and carry out her research within the lodge grounds. Working from a thatched hut, shared with Whale Shark researcher and fellow doctor Simon Pierce, the challenges have remained over the years and include natural hazards, such as AfricanDiver.com

cyclones, as well as the lack of infrastructure and healthcare. However, the biggest threat to the on-going work is a lack of funding.

the population structure and dynamics of the Mozambican population (something that had been done in very few locations around the world then and now) and how photography can “Mozambique has limited capacity to fund marine work as a scientific tool to aid with research in conservation research projects through government a non-intrusive way. Using photographs of the bodies and very few companies invest here. Simon belly markings that are unique to each manta, and I are not paid to conduct our research and Andrea has identified and named over 700 rely on local sponsorship from NGO’s and tourism individual rays in the area, with 90% being the operations.” Yet Tofo is one of the few places in the more sedentary reef mantas and 10% the more world where both species are present, and the migratory, open ocean dwelling giant manta. only one where they can be found year-round.

Randomly flipping through her files she can As well as working on proving to the world that name almost all of the ones she opens. It’s there are two distinct Manta species, she has quite disconcerting to watch, like we’re going estimated many of the reproductive parameters through an extended family album or a facebook for reef mantas in the wild; information that friends list (just that they are all giant fish); was previously unknown or unconfirmed. their names inspired by their markings.

“I am lucky enough to work in an area that is both a mating ground and birthing ground for mantas, and have found that although mantas can pup once a year, they tend to only reproduce every two years”.

Considerable time has been spent examining

“Your private life and your work tend to get a bit intertwined. It is no longer just a job for me.

My research in Mozambique is my life and it becomes too difficult to leave particularly having worked so hard and having sacrificed so much.”

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As she goes through her files looking for individuals that will be available for adoption (see below), she comments on their different personalities. Mushroom is bashful, and took a while to warm to her, 50 Cent and Mr-T are gregarious and like to flirt, others like to have their bellies tickled by bubbles, and others dance and weave.

The combined ‘super population’ of both species has been scientifically estimated to be in the order of 1500 individuals, arguably now the largest in the world; because of the unfortunate destruction and demise of fishing practices elsewhere in the world. Defining the differences between the two species will be crucial in protecting the remaining giant and reef manta. Having found that the giant roams the open oceans and the reef manta prefers a more sedentary lifestyle, different strategies are required to protect them. In order to gain better understanding of their movements and habits, acoustic tags and accompanying listening stations have been set up, and satellite tagging of selected individuals is also in progress.

Installing an acoustic tagging program can cost anywhere from USD$2,000 for one basic receiver and installation, a single tag up to USD$30,000, and more for an elaborately set up ‘meganet’ system with multiple receivers and arrays over a significant amount of coastline (or critical habitats) which can have the ability to examine multiple species. Acoustic tags inform Dr Marshall’s and Dr Pierce’s Foundation for the Protection of Marine Megafauna when tagged individuals pass listening stations up and down the coastline, whereas the USD$5,000 satellite Africandiver.com

tags record speed, depth, and location data for a pre-determined period of time before breaking off, rising to the surface, and transmitting the data via satellites. The data gathered is shared with other researchers around the globe.

“It is almost as if it has brought the manta ray research community together, I feel as if I have gotten a tremendous amount of support from the majority of people and found that internationally people want to contribute and collaborate on research.”

She is now working with colleagues in Madagascar, Kenya, and Tanzania and receives funding from Wildlife Conservation Society, Save Our Seas, and Vodacom Mozambique. It has also created great interest outside of the scientific community, with the BBC filming a one-hour special “Queen of the Mantas” documentary, which was broadcast in the United Kingdom in November 2009, to critical acclaim.

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She has also done a considerable amount of work on manta predation by sharks and cleaning behavior of manta rays and cleaner fish at reef cleaning stations. Cleaning stations are pretty well known in the marine environment, but for manta rays it’s an extraordinary place. Because they are so large, “cleaner fish” partition up the ray and clean different parts of the animal.

It looks so co-operative and graceful.

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Mantas have to eat 14 per cent of their body weight a week in plankton, so any time taken out from feeding has to be invested in something important. As they can spend up to eight hours having parasites removed and shark bite marks cleaned, it stands to reason that it must be detrimental if they are not groomed.

Trying to understand the details is part of protecting mantas in the bigger picture.

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Fishing licenses for long-lining are still being issued to local fishermen and there are talks about selling licenses to international operators.

Long-lining both sharks and rays and local research should prove the unsustainability of this fishery. Dialogue is on-going with the authorities regarding the future use of these licenses and the Foundation’s plans are two-fold. Firstly to work on getting both manta species and whale sharks protected nationally and then, with more directed research, they hope to set up a Marine Protected Environment, having proved both the environmental and, crucially, economic interest of a healthy and balanced marine environment.

As with all conservation issues, education is key, and Andrea spends considerable time educating locals and tourists alike, with twice-weekly talks at the lodge and frequent trips up and down the coast talking with fishing communities attempting to teach them the importance of selective and sustainable fishing, as well as co-coordinating monitoring of anti-turtle hunting laws.

Seven years of trials, one astounding discovery, and one PhD later and Andrea remains as lucid as ever in summing up her adventure.

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“Starting this project in Mozambique was frightening.

Even though I consider myself a good field biologist, I was taking a great professional risk, but as it turns out it paid off. However, if it had not I would still have no regrets. There are always inherent risks in trying to understand the natural world. Sometimes it pays off and sometimes it doesn’t but ultimately you end up learning something. Besides, it is the journey and experience that makes it worthwhile.

I lead an incredible life in an incredible part of the world; I am a very lucky girl. And I do acknowledge I was at the right place at the right time”.

REEF AND GIANT MANTA SPOT-THE-DIFFERENCE The results of Andrea’s study (published in a scientific paper by Zootaxa) redefining Manta birostris as the giant manta and describing Manta alfredi as the reef manta are visually remarkable and can be seen by any diver in the know.

From the top: Divers often see mantas below them as they drop onto cleaning station dive sites. The giant manta has a clearly visible bold black T on its shoulders, with the vertical and horizontal sections being of a similar width. The reef manta’s shoulder markings are more sloped, and could be likened to a large white bottom in a wide-banded black thong.

Front on: giant mantas have some charcoal grey to black markings on their mouths, whereas their smaller reef cousins have all-white mouths.

Belly views: When seen circling overhead, divers June | July

should pay attention to the ventral markings.

On the giant manta, there are no black markings between the five pairs of gill slits, but there is a large and often semi-circular spot coming from the rear-most gill slit, and a clearly visible dark marking along the entire pectoral fin margin. The reef manta has its ventral markings between the gill slits, a much smaller spot near the fifth gill slit, and has a fainter pectoral fin margin marking.

Laterally: Look closely where the tail joins the body behind the dorsal fin. On the giant manta there is often an egg-shaped lump on the top where the tail starts (though this can have been knocked or bitten off in some individuals).

This is a calcified mass encasing the remains of a spine, showing the probable evolution of the giant manta from the stingray family. This lump is never present on the reef manta.

Look at Top Mouth Belly

Belly

Side view

Look for Giant Reef Black T White housewife’s bottom Grey or black All white markings Markings between Nothing gill slits between gill slits Dark chevron Paler incomplete markings on on rear “wings” rear “wings” Egg-shaped No lump lump behind dorsal fin

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CONFUSING COUSIN Many divers only get a fleeting glimpse of large rays cruising past in the distance, or fleetingly breaching the surface of the ocean with a balletic leap. With an almost identical outline and cephalic pods at the mouth, the devil ray (Mobula japonica) is often misidentified as either manta species. However, fully-grown devil rays are smaller than fully-grown reef mantas, attaining a maximum disc width of three meters and are easily identifiable by their all-white underside.

GET INVOLVED It is uncommon for both species to be seen together and most tropical and sub-tropical regions of the world are thought to have either one or the other specie. Yet research is scant in many places and your photos can help by becoming pieces in a giant jigsaw puzzle. Not only will they help build a more accurate picture of global distribution, but as each manta’s belly markings are unique, they could enable individuals to be tracked. Prior to April 2009 there had been no confirmed sightings of giant mantas off the Tanzanian coast until yours truly provided a photo of one off the northeast coast of the island of Pemba.

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Belly shots showing the gill slits and the area between them are the best, but failing that, an image of the top of the manta is also useful.

Images should be sent to: andrea@giantfish.org

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If you’re looking to give a novel and useful gift for friends or for yourself (you deserve it) for €65 you can adopt a manta through the Foundation for the Protection of Marine Megafauna. As well as contributing to keeping the research team out on the water, you’ll receive a top-quality picture of “your” manta, and an update when it is resighted.

One adoption provides two days fuel and maintenance for their dedicated research boat.

The Foundation guarantees that your shark or ray will not pester you for cash, will not leave the house with its room untidy, will not dye its hair, and will not annoy you by communicating solely in grunts. Nobody’s offering that deal for teenagers.

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Go to www.marinemegafauna.org for more information.

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Smits Wrecks Words by Georgina Jones & images by Jean Tresfon

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Diving the wrecks of Smitswinkel Bay is always an adventure. Setting off towards Cape Point from the Millers Point slip, itself south of Simonstown, there’s no telling what is in store.

Apart from seasonal Cape Town opportunities like possibly seeing whales en route, surface conditions above the wreck sites rarely give a hint of what lies below. The five vessels lie in 34-36m of water and it’s not unusual for a soupy surface layer to shimmer and vanish on the descent, revealing the wrecks, clearly visible in a lens of clean, if cold, water.

The Smitswinkel Bay wrecks were scuttled in the 70s and early 80s to form artificial reefs. In this, they have been outstandingly successful. They are heavily encrusted with all manner of marine animals, some of which are not seen anywhere else, like rare deepwater nudibranchs. The usual Cape suspects of sea fans, catsharks, scorpionfish and horsefish are densely packed, and there’s the chance of seeing sunfish, stingrays or even a visiting whale.

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*t h e s e ture o days, the s u f f requ the Rocke perstr ucat er i ent ed s by clo inste ad of u ma r i n ds of f i sh , e pros pecto rs

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There are two navy frigates, the SAS Transvaal and the SAS Good Hope, two fishing trawlers, MFV Orotava and MFV Princess Elizabeth, and a survey vessel, the MV Rockeater. Since the decks are between 27 and 29m deep and the shallowest point of all the wrecks (the funnel of the Orotava) is at about 23m. Diving them on Nitrox is definitely the way forward.

The Rockeater was a coastal freighter bought from the United States navy in the 60s and adapted for marine prospecting work. It was used for doing acoustic surveys of the seabed, and was fitted with a drilling derrick for taking core samples. After twenty years of this, the Rockeater was somewhat battered. The navy considered using it for target practice, but fears of the vessel sinking at its moorings combined with some early Christmas spirit meant that it was donated to the False Bay Conservation Society instead. It was towed out to Smitswinkel Bay in the December of 1972 and scuttled. The derrick was sawed off and lies on the starboard side of the wreck.

The vessel lies upright on the surrounding sand and is more or less intact, though the helipad has collapsed to the port side of the wreck.

The hull plating is almost all still in place, but the superstructure plating has been much affected by its underwater stay and there are many places where only the framing remains.

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*w r e c

k insp e

ction

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*t h e pock deck of ent r m a rked t he T r a nsv anc w it h aal es swi m th is rou

These days pangas, Cape knifejaws and pyjama catsharks do their own elegant surveys of the skeleton, and divers are advised to stick to swim-throughs: penetrations are challenging. Even without the adrenaline rush of getting inside the wreck, it’s a fantastic wreck to dive: the looming superstructure, the gaunt shapes of the framing and the heavily encrusted marine life. For nudi freaks, it’s an excellent place to look for purple ladies, tiny purple-bodied aeolid nudibranchs with white-tipped bright red cerata.

gh

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Despite threats of legal action by the Department of Sea Fisheries (now Marine and Coastal Management), the two frigates were scuttled in the late 70s and have so far not caused any ecological or navigational problems.

Both were built in the 40s and the Good Hope was used as a convoy escort in the final stages of World War II. It was the flagship of the South African navy for some years before being scuttled by explosive charges.

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rr de g in ter ill dr ckea f -of Ro wn the a s de i he *t n g s o al

ick

Both the Transvaal and the Good Hope are close on 100m long and have been relatively battered by the submarine conditions of the Cape of Storms. The Good Hope

is the worse off of the two: its mast has fallen over onto the starboard side of the wreck and its main deck has collapsed into the hull. Rust has dealt with most of the plating on the quarter deck, which today consists mainly of frames.

Penetration of this wreck is not recommended, specially since there was considerable structural collapse in 2008 with almost no warning.

The Transvaal is also rusted, and its mast, too, has fallen to one side. Penetrations are still possible but it’s worth bearing in mind that these vessels have been underwater in a relatively high energy environment for over thirty years. Swim throughs are well worth exploring though, and the crannies of the wrecks often reveal snoozing catsharks and white seacatfish. These fish are mouth brooders and can sometimes be spotted with their mouths full of large orange eggs.

The fishing trawlers are both steel hulled and were scuttled in 1983. The Orotava is larger and lies steeply tilted to port. There’s a large winch on its foredeck, and its asymmetrical superstructure is frequented by schools of hottentot and covered with multicoloured invertebrate life. It’s a good place to find toothed decorator crabs and scorpionfish. The Princess Elizabeth lies almost upright on the sand close to the Good Hope and is often dived as an excursion from the frigate.

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a d iver poi sed on t he superstr uctu re of t he G ood Hope

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f ra m i ng i s a l l t h at rema i n s of t h i s section of superstr uct u re on t he T ra n svaa l

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Basket stars and walking anemones are often seen on the sea fans, and horse mussels have colonised the decks. Penetrations are limited and tricky because the trawlers are small, but they can be done.

Just for the sheer hell of it, there’s the ‘Smits swim’, which takes in all five wrecks in one dive. This involves preferably taking twin cylinders with an appropriate nitrox mix and starting at the Transvaal. From there it’s a short swim to the Orotava, 100m to the Princess Elizabeth, another short swim to the Good Hope and then a final 50m to the Rockeater.

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Whether whizzing past each wreck at speed or slowly exploring just one, the Smits wrecks never fail to fascinate. *a n the ancho r bul k o chain f th e R leads ock t eat he e y e to er w

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ard

s

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Text by Cormac McCreesh Each May, before the Southern Hemisphere’s winter, underwater photographers and videographers from all around South Africa gather at one of Southern Africa’s finest coral reef sites – Sodwana Bay. 18

For three days (for the videographers) and two days (for the photographers) these underwater image-makers scour the best reefs in South Africa for the winning shot or that winning footage. For in May, the annual Sodwana Shootout underwater photography and videography competition takes pride of place in many an image-maker’s diary.

This is serious stuff – wives, husbands, girlfriends, boyfriends, families and pets are left at home while the competitors duke it out in the sea and in front of their laptops. Nervous tension, angst, sweat and secrecy is shown on every competitor’s face and it doesn’t change until the prizes have been given and the partying begins.

Now in it’s 11th year, the Shootout (to use its abbreviated form) is well established as the premier underwater photography and AfricanDiver.com

videography competition in Southern Africa. This year, sponsors put up in excess of R250 000 in prizes. And rightly so, for sitting in the marquee looking at all the images and videos I couldn’t help but be in awe at the incredible diversity and richness of the reef life being show-cased. This year, Sodwana put on a show for all to see.

There were winners a-plenty and many satisfied faces but, in truth, all competitors were winners as there were some fantastic images and videos to witness and fabulous diving to be had.

The Shootout began as a competition to encourage underwater photographers to learn more about underwater photography over an intense two-day period. And since 2000, when the Shootout finally came of age, it has grown in stature and popularity. Today, it is a must-do event that people plan and practice for.

Here’s looking forward to next year. May the 12th Shootout be better than the 11th and long may this event be a fixture on our calendars.

Video entry winners: UwTube 1st Ross Jameson 2nd Andries Scholtz 3rd Cathy Bloemhof Music video 1st Henno Terblanche 2nd Sam de Jager 3rd Andries Scholtz Documentary 1st Gordon Hiles 2nd Josef Cloete 3rd Gabby Metcalf Overall video winner Christo van Jaarsveld.

We will include links to these videos once they become available.

For more information go to: http://www.shootout.co.za/ June | July

Overall Stills Winner Charlie Scalliet

Novice

1st - Natasha Stevenson Africandiver.com

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2nd - Lousanne Terblanche

3rd - Natasha Stevenson June | July

Compact Macro

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1st - Denise Stuart

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2nd - Cathy Bloemhof

3rd - Leen van der Slik

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Compact Wide Angle

1st - Frida Haraldsson

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2nd - Anthony Laing

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3rd - Anthony Laing

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Open Macro Traditional

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2nd - Charlie Scalliet

1st - Garth McQuade

Highly Commended Simon Metcalfe

3rd - Christine Kelbe AfricanDiver.com

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3rd - Nicholas Krul

Open Wide Angle Traditional 23

2nd Stephen Friswell

1st - Dudley Kelbe

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Open Macro Unrestricted

2nd Fanie Gouws

1st - Christine Kelbe

3rd Charlie Scalliet

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3rd Garth McQuade

1st - Tim Hepplestone

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2nd Dudley Kelbe

Open Wide Angle Unrestricted Africandiver.com

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3rd - Nicholas Krul

1st - Anthony Laing

Creative Digital

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2nd - Christine Kelbe AfricanDiver.com

Conservation

2nd - Christine Kelbe

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1st - Dudley Kelbe Africandiver.com

3rd - Jay Corriveau June | July

Bordering Yemen in the South, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to the West and the United Arab Emirates to the North, Oman’s 3,165-kilometer coastline extends from the Arabian Sea in the South West to the Oman Sea and Musandam in the North, where it overlooks the strategic Strait of Hormuz and the entrance to the Arabian Gulf.

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Moving Sushi

Oman

Text & images by Mike Markovina AfricanDiver.com

The advent of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said’s rule, sometimes termed “the renaissance”, marked a new era of development and prosperity for Oman, which has over time built a reputation as a proud, successful seafaring and trading nation. Robert Baldwin, in his book entitled, Marine Life of Arabian Seas, writes that the Arabian Seas are unlike anywhere else in the world. Situated in a remote corner of the Northwestern Indian Ocean, the Arabian Seas experience exceptional conditions, which has shaped a unique assembly of marine life. This is the only ocean realm without a polar component and one of five areas of the world’s seas that experience major upwelling events, creating unparalleled productivity and immersing a sub-tropical environment in neo-temperate conditions.

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My alarm rang out at 3:25 am, which afforded me enough time to drive to the port in Muscat, where I would be joining Dr. Henderson and the shark research team from the Sultan Qaboos University on a shark sampling and tagging mission.

The seemingly barren, yet dramatic and rugged mountain cliffs, surrounding the capital city Muscat give way to sandy beaches and secluded reef enclaves rich in marine life. Within 10 kilometers from the coast a network of oceanic trenches and troughs, hundred’s of meters deep, exist and plunge towards the abyssal plain approximately 4000 meters down. Oman’s diverse bathymetry provides ideal habitat for deep diving cetaceans like the sperm whale (Physeter macrocephalus), as well as numerous dolphin, tuna and shark species. DNA studies from skin samples obtained through biopsy sampling of live humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae), have revealed that humpback whales of Arabia do not migrate back to the southern ocean. Instead they remain in the region year round, where they both feed and breed. Researchers have suggested that isolated from other populations, the Arabian humpback whales may represent a sub-species new to science. Moving Sushi, the Marine Resource Expedition, spent a month in Oman working with Africandiver.com

researchers in trying to understand how Oman utilizes and conserves their marine heritage in the face of declining global marine resource stocks.

In 2007, the Sultanate landed an estimated 152,000 tons of fish with an estimated value of R269 million (US$27.6 million). Farmed prawns, a new development and still considered a small operation, reputably produced 66, 000 tons.

Oman exports over 50% of fish landed, and the government aims to increase export value by 5% by the end of 2010. In addition to being a major contributor to the country’s GDP after oil production, the fisheries industry employs approximately 35 000 traditional fishermen, as well as some 6 000 jobs related to ancillary fishing industries. Oman’s fishery sector is dominated by small fiberglass traditional boats, however over the past few years the relatively small industrial sector has increased its fleet from 50 ships in 2003 to 76 in 2007, of which 29 were bottom trawlers and 47 long-liners. In an attempt to

develop the fisheries sector to provide greater food security, upgrade fisheries-related industries, and to improve incomes to boost the sector’s annual growth, Oman in 2009 banned bottom trawling, a wasteful activity that devastates natural fish habitats. Existing trawling industries were granted a 2-year grace period to change their operations. The Ministry stated that the decision was to ensure that the fishing sector use only safe methods to protect the environment and marine life; allowing fish stocks to increase and maintain sustainability. Despite positive initiatives towards the sustainable use of Oman’s resources, sharks species, a target of desire, are (according to researcher Dr. Henderson) in serious trouble.

My alarm rang out at 3:25 am, which afforded me enough time to drive to the port in Muscat, where I would be joining Dr. Henderson and the shark research team from the Sultan Qaboos University on a shark sampling and tagging mission.

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According to Dr. Henderson, global elasmobranch landings have risen dramatically since the 1960’s; driven primarily by limited availability of more desirable ground fish species, and by the unprecedented demand and exorbitant prices attained for shark fins, to supply the East Asian shark fin soup market. It is estimated that approximately 100,000,000 sharks are taken from the world’s seas each year, which necessitates the need for the development of a shark management plan. With a growing global market for shark species a report undertaken by the Department of Marine Science and Fisheries at Sultan Qaboos University, states that little biological data exists to allow Oman and neighboring countries to effectively manage elasmobranch stocks in the region. Currently 70 species of elasmobranch inhabit Oman’s waters, however, comparatively little is known of species distribution and even less information is available pertaining to migratory patterns, breeding and spawning grounds, making Dr. Henderson’s research of critical importance. Dr. Henderson suggests that Oman’s shark fishery is displaying signs of unsustainable exploitation and measures need to be put in place to prevent the collapse of the fishery; the question is has the fishery already collapsed?

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The boat ride to the sampling area took approximately 30 minutes, the goal was to deploy 8 drum lines (a vertical anchored rope attached to a buoy at the surface, from which hooks can be attached at various depths), each consisting of 2 baited hooks, one placed on the sea floor and one suspended at variable depths below the water surface.

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Unfortunately during the months of February and March, visibility is reduced due to upwelling events that churn nutrient rich water from the oceans depths to the surface allowing algal blooms to proliferate.

The drum lines were targeting larger shark species, whilst a long line (a length of line laid on the sea floor, anchored at both ends, from where multiple hooks can be attached) with numerous baited hooks was laid on the sea floor covering a depth range from 20 to 60 meters, targeting smaller demersal shark species. Chum boxes (chum been ground-up oily fish used to attract sharks to the baited hooks) were placed on each deployed gear to attract sharks. Despite all the teams’ efforts, no sharks were caught during the sampling trip, which according to the research team was not unusual. Dr. Henderson highlights that there may be so few sharks left, that he fears the study that aims to provide vital information towards a shark management and action plan may come too late. Visiting the fish market in Muscat, sharks were for sale, a variety of species ranging from black tip reef sharks (C. Limbatus),

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scallop hammerheads (S. lewini), to silky sharks (C. falciformis) were on display. Dr. Henderson and his team of PhD researchers scour the fish landing sites to gauge an understanding of the species composition, catch rates and to gather valuable biological data including, length, sex and DNA samples. Dr. Henderson is optimistic and dedicated to gathering the required shark data and instituting an effective shark management plan, simply and positively put, “it is a labour of love�.

Trying to observe sharks, Linda and I conducted 10 dives around Muscat and Sur. Unfortunately during the months of February and March, visibility is reduced due to upwelling events that churn nutrient rich water from the oceans depths to the surface allowing algal blooms to proliferate. This nutrient rich water drives the high productivity along the coast, but hampers photography whilst diving.

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We were lucky though and descending onto a wreck through the green soup; a bait ball of sardines synchronized in their dance of predator avoidance parted as large pelagic fish attacked.

The sardine wall was the length of the ship, approximately 80 meters long and 30 meters high, and darkened the water as they literally blocked out the already limited sunlight. Sitting in the captain’s cabin, peering out through shoals of snappers, breams and the morphing ball of sardines, was surreal, and represented the most healthy of marine environments I had observed on the expedition since Norway. Despite the incredible abundance and representation of fish species, it was sad to remind myself of the plight of one of nature’s most incredible beings, the shark. With all this prey abundance exploding in front of my eyes, not one shark was observed; the apex predator of the ocean was missing, and that is an area of serious concern.

The Environmental Society of Oman (ESO) has conducted numerous whale, dolphin and turtle studies over the past few years. Four turtle species nest on the beaches of Oman.

These include the green turtle (Chelonia mydas), loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta), hawksbill turtle (Eretmochelys imbricate) and the olive ridley turtle (Lepidochelys olivacea). According to ESO, approximately 20 000 green and 30 000 loggerhead turtles nest in Oman each year, which represents one of the worlds largest rookeries. The Ministry of Information published in a book called Oman 2009 to 2010, that the current research on the four nesting species of turtles is part of a wider management plan for Africandiver.com

sustainable development that should maintain the balance of the marine environment and enable the marine and coastal systems in nesting areas to be protected. To gain insight into just what the Ministry of information was saying, Moving Sushi headed south of Muscat for a visit to the Ras al Jinz Scientific Turtle Center. The nesting sites at Ras al Jinz consist of two beaches, the first 750 and the second 500 meters long separated by a rocky outcrop. An aerial view of the beach reveals the density of nesting green turtles; the beach resembling the cratered surface of the moon. According to the guides, and later validated

by ESO, Ras al Jinz is the only nesting site in the world where green turtle nest each and every night of the year. Incredible to say the least. Turtle tourism has become a rather lucrative business, with over 200 visitors per night during season heading onto the beach to observe the egg laying.

Accompanied by a well-informed guide and using red lighting, tourists are carefully controlled on the beach so as not to disturb the nesting females. Tourists who disregard the rules of the guides are actually escorted off the beach, which is impressive. From discussions with local guides, tourism has provided a lifeline both in terms of employment and financial gain to households in local communities. This was something that we had not often seen. Despite the volume of people carefully negotiating the pit-holed beach in search of nesting green turtles, we were fortunate to be on our own, spending hours with various turtles under Oman’s starry sky.

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As the sun rose, the illuminated red rocks the perfect contrast to the white sand and the irridescant blue dawn, I had to wonder, despite the pressure on fisheries, declining marine resources and Oman’s shark dilemma, one can still witness the sight of prehistoric instinct and biological wonder in a country that holds marine resource conservation in the highest regard.

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Oman is perched on a fine balance between the sustainability and over-exploitation of its marine resources. Being relatively young in terms of a nation that has begun to develop, Oman has the ability to learn from other countries past mistakes in the environmental realm, and hopefully not repeat them. They have been put in quite a unique position where they have not had the vast amount of marine exploitation and mismanagement that other countries have had to spend time and money counteracting. And while this is the case, will they be able to steer away from the very lucrative pitfalls that have long since seen the demise of other countries fish stocks and marine life. They are on this precipice of creating and preserving their amazing marine habitat and the stocks within, or continuing the trend of destructive marine practices. We can only hope the penny falls on the side of the fish in this case.

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Written by: Dareen Almojil and images courtesy of Kuwait Environment Research and Awareness Group (KERA) Africandiver.com

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Throughout history, humanity has depended on fishing activities to support human life. Yet overexploitation of fisheries resources has never been thought of as a looming problem.

than thinking “preserve for a better future use; diversifying Kuwait’s income and securing future generations’ food supply when we eventually run out of oil and have no other alternative”.

In the past, Kuwaiti people relied on the sea’s natural resources as their main source of food, employment and income. Thus, understanding and care were the driving principles in managing these sustainable resources to ensure not only the sustainability of the fishermen’s income but for the future of their children as fishermen.

The industrial boost in Kuwait’s economy has facilitated the country’s use of advanced fisheries technologies such as fishing trawlers, which were not affordable in the old days. Fishing trawlers are the least selective and most destructive when compared to the old fishing methods.

However today, with the oil industry as the country’s main income, the importance of managing sustainable marine resources is not a priority ANYMORE. The current attitude is “fish it all before someone else does”, rather AfricanDiver.com

The use of fishing trawlers has increased fishermen’s catch, yet intensified the pressure on Kuwait’s marine ecosystem and compromised its ecological balance. The destructive function of these machines is represented by the complete habitat loss of areas where these

fishing fleets trawl, including some vital and unique nursery grounds in the north of Kuwait.

Additionally, the low selectivity of the trawling nets results in massive by-catch. By-catch species are defined as the unwanted catch in a targeted fishery (for example, catching sharks while targeting shrimps). In many cases the number of the dead discarded by-catch outnumbers the targeted fish. This results in a huge loss in the fish biodiversity composition along the Kuwaiti waters, which in turn affects its biological balance.

This includes some of the ecosystem’s crucial top predators, such as sharks (El-Musa 1987).

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Sharks are top predators of the marine ecosystem. They are designed to function as “evolutionary examiners”.

They detect weak individuals or species and prey on them. Therefore they ensure a healthy, strong gene pool in the population and a stronger more resistant species over time - “survival of the fittest”. This strategy is vital to ensure a healthy bio-diverse, ecosystem that is sustainable.

As a top predator species, with no direct predation in their natural environment, sharks were designed with special characteristics such as slow growth rate, slow maturation and producing a low number of pups, to limt the number of these top predators, in order to not outnumber their prey.

Unfortunately, today humans hunt extensively for sharks. Annualy, over 100 million sharks are slaughtered for their fins. Thus, shark populations worldwide are rapidly declining and researchers are powerless to take action.

In many parts of the world, basic knowledge regarding shark biology, ecology, demography and migrations is lacking. Thereby making conservation laws hard to measure and conservation efforts imprecise.

In Kuwait there is not a single conservation study aimed at the protection of sharks. A possible reason for this lack of information is due to the low economic value of shark fishing to the country.

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Ironically, studies have shown that the abundance of top predators has a direct effect on the abundance of other economically important fish, including groupers and emperors.

Article.1: Fishing for sea turtles, marine mammals, sharks, rays and rare fish of all sizes and age structure is considered illegal, Except for the following species:

Thus, conserving these vital members is of crucial importance when we seek to protect the economically important local fish.

- Carcharhinus amblyrhynchoides. (Graceful Shark).

Sharks are not targeted in the Kuwait fishing industry. Rather, they represent a huge amount of fishery by-catch, thus imposing a huge pressure on the local shark populations.

Article.2: “It is illegal to display or sell the mentioned organisms or its parts in all shops and commercial exhibitions of Kuwait.”

The good news is that sharks are fully protected in Kuwait apart from two species. But the bad news is, these protection measures are far from being enforced. Many laws on fisheries are written vaguely, making enforcement difficult and open to anyone’s subjective interpretation.

Below are extracts from the protection laws for sharks in Kuwait along with some pictures from the fish market highlighting the sad reality and lack of law enforcement: AfricanDiver.com

- Rizoprionodon oligolinx (Grey sharp nose Shark).

Article.3: “All fishermen including fishing companies and recreational fishermen should release and set free the mentioned organisms when caught by accident, and inform the Public Authority of Agriculture and Fisheries about this incident.”

Article.4: “It is illegal to export marine living organisms or its dry parts (example: Shark fins).”

According to Article.1, one would think that the two species listed are excepted based on scientific research regarding their abundance

and population health and ability to withstand the fishing pressure. Unfortunately, it is based on human consumption need. As most shark meat consumers in Kuwait prefer these two species due to their size and meat texture!!

This is a huge worry, if the country’s authorities base their protection measures and laws on people’s desires!!

Fish market managers should understand the bigger picture, that these fishing regulations are enacted for a reason and allowing over exploitation of fish stocks is not a joke.

Sharks have inhabited our oceans for the past 450 million years, before dinasours, land invertebrates and before the colonization of many plants on the continent. This indicates how crucial their role is in the environment.

Sharks, as a species, have survived six mass extinction events, showing only slight evolutionary changes through the past million years.

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Yet, in just two decades human overexploitation of shark population stocks has driven many shark species to the edge.

Its time for us to understand that there is so much for us to learn from them. Recent research has shown a potential of cancer cell inhabiting medication extracted from shark blood. Sadly we might lose these iconic members before we reveal their secrets and appreciate their importance.

Here is the root of the problem: Shark fin soup. Shark fin soup has always been a major traditional delicacy dish in China. Today the demand has increased as the economic status of China has risen, resulting in more people being able to afford this traditional delicacy.

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The shark fining business has grown massively as it brings good money to fishermen over the world. Today the Middle East shark fishing forms an important component of the world shark fin export, with Iran ranked as 16th and Yemen 18th in the Traffic report of Global shark catch by major catchers. This has placed our local shark population in a critical condition.

In Kuwait, shark fins from the fish market are collected by fishermen and saved in a plastic bag until an agent arrives from Dubai to collect and ship it to Singapore. Most fishermen believe that these fins are exported for medical use.

Interviews with old Kuwaiti fishermen draw conclusions of a serious decline in the local shark numbers.

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Although sharks in the region are under increasing fishing and environmental pressures, very little is known of the status of local stock.

Within the Arabian Gulf, the status of shark fisheries or population structures has never been studied. This basic information is needed for the development and implementation of meaningful conservation strategies.

Companies interested in funding this project are welcome to contact Dareen Almojil, Email: dareenalmojil@gmail.com.

Therefore, a project based at the Department of Marine Science & Fisheries in Sultan Qaboos University, Oman was established to assess the molecular and chemical diversity of Elasmobranch species (sharks and rays collectively) throughout the region to determine if national fisheries are exploiting common stocks, or discreet local stocks.

This project is lead by Drs. Aaron Henderson and Sergey Dobretsov and Ms. Dareen Al-Mojil for her Ph.D. thesis. The project is supervised externally by Professor. Mahmood Shivji from Guy Harvey Research Institute.

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Findings of this study aim to provide answers to concerned governments and research bodies who wish to establish effective assessment and management initiatives as well as recommended enforcement strategies.

Project funds are provided by the Ministry of Fisheries Sultanate of Oman to support materials and lab facilities expenses. The research team is currently seeking funding for a one-year period for sample collection costs and travel expenses.

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Sodwana Shootout

Pictorial history 46

Anthony Grote - 2008 Highly commended Africandiver.com

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Debra Westcott - 2007 creative winner

Anthony Grote - 2004 1st place digital intermediate 47 Martin Prest - 2003 1st mankind in marine environment

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Andrew Woodburn - 2003 1st creative

Cathy Cave - 2008 1st open traditional macro

Mark Smith - 2007 overall winner

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Andrew Woodburn - 2003 overall winner Africandiver.com

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Michael Westcott - 2009 1st macro unrestricted open

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Jean Marx - 2009 2nd open macro unrestricted

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Michael Westcott - 2009 3rd open wide angle traditional

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Mike Fraser - 2009 overall winner

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Martin Prest - 2008 2nd open unrestricted wide angle

Simon Metcalf - 2008 1st open unrestricted macro

53 Eugene Viljoen - 2003 runner up creative digital

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Chris Nursey - 2007 1st unrestricted wide angle

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DAN

Diving Medicine

CNS Considerations in Scuba Diving How Your Diving Fitness Can Be Affected

By Your Central Nervous System Health

By Dr. Hugh Greer, DAN Southwest Regional Coordinator

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Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) This brain disorder, usually recognized early in life, is manifested by an inability to concentrate or sustain attention. It may or may not be accompanied by physical hyperactivity. ADD is a significant (but over-diagnosed) cause of learning disability. The problem usually improves with age.

Fitness & Diving: At its worst, ADD can be so pronounced as to prevent a prospective student from learning the simple skills necessary for safety. This could present a significant hazard in many areas, including both driving and scuba diving. ADD is usually not that intense, however.

Fitness to dive can best be assessed by looking at social, school, athletic and job performance.

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Note that because some ADD patients take medication, they should consider the potential impact of medication while diving.

Medication Used in Treatment: No testing has ever been done to determine interactions between high partial pressures of nitrogen and the medication used to treat attention deficit disorder. Two drugs currently in use are Ritalin(r) (methphenidate) and Dexedrine(r) (dextroamphetamine). Both are heavy-duty stimulants that leave most adults “wired.”

However, they often have a calming and somewhat paradoxical effect on children with attention deficient disorder. This desirable effect is less apparent as children grow older.

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The type of brain tumor is one that is surgically treated or removed. This covers a lot of ground.

Some brain tumors are benign - once it’s removed, the person is cured of that particular tumor. Some brain tumors are cancerous and may return. Removal of either type of tumor - benign or cancerous - sometimes results in substantial loss of neurologic function; at other times there is no loss of function at all.

Fitness & Diving: This depends on all the factors above, and others, too. Individuals should be counseled that if cerebral DCI or AGE occurs, they may be at risk for significant residual symptoms due to pre-existing CNS problems.

Another item to consider: Brain tumors may cause seizures, a definite contraindication for diving.

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Consider: •The extent of the physical handicap; •The presence of seizures or the need for anticonvulsant medication; Surgery by itself does not constitute a diving hazard: when you dive, there is no pressure shift inside the head. The outside / inside pressure is the same, so no shift in structure occurs, and diving will have no effect on remaining tumor cells.

Surgery done through the nose (as in the removal of a diseased pituitary gland) may be a special case because of increased risk of barotrauma to the sinuses or nasal passages, which may have been traumatized during the procedure.

A defect in the skull itself may require special protection from physical trauma: piercing the skin over the defect while underwater poses a greater infection hazard than when at the surface.

Medication Used in Treatment: Some cancer treatment medications may affect the patient’s lungs. A return to diving may necessitate a pulmonary evaluation.

Cerebral Vascular Accident Stroke, or loss of blood supply to the brain, causes damage to part of the brain, or bleeding from a blood vessel in the brain, which results in similar injury.

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Stroke, or loss of blood supply to the brain, causes damage to part of the brain, or bleeding from a blood vessel in the brain, which results in similar injury.

Strokes come in all sizes and shapes, and the resulting disability depends on size and location of the event.

Fitness & Diving: Most strokes occur in older people. The stroke itself identifies the person as one who has advanced arterial disease, thus a higher expectation of further stroke or heart attack.

The extent of disability caused by the stroke (e.g., paralysis, vision loss) may determine fitness to dive.

Vigorous exercise, lifting heavy weights and using the Valsalva method for ear-clearing when diving all increase arterial pressure in the head and may increase the likelihood of a recurrent hemorrhage.

While diving in itself entails exposure to elevated partial pressures and elevated hydrostatic pressure, it does not cause stroke.

There is certainly increased risk in diving for someone who has experienced a stroke.

Exceptional circumstances may exist, such as cerebral hemorrhage in a young person in whom the faulty artery has been repaired with little persisting damage. This type of recovery may permit a return to diving, with small risk.

Each instance, however, requires a case-by-case decision, made with the advice of the treating Africandiver.com

physician, family and diving partners. Consulting a neurologist familiar with diving medicine is also advisable.

There is a similar concern for significant residual symptoms, as with post brain tumor surgery.

Cerebral Palsy This describes brain injury, present at birth and which is manifested by some degree of weakness. This includes a wide variety of clinical illnesses, ranging from “walks abnormally� to very severe and disabling handicaps.

Some cases present accompanying seizures, learning disability and speech defect.

Fitness & Diving: Diving fitness depends entirely on the extent of disability in the individual case.

Candidates with mild problems may qualify; candidates with more severe disabilities may qualify through one of the scuba programs for disabled people. The absence of seizures and the ability to master the water skills are particularly important. For participation in scuba, case-by-case selection is needed.

Epilepsy This disorder of brain function causes episodic alterations of consciousness, called epileptic seizures. Abnormal electrical discharges in the brain cause these episodes; they may occur without warning, and they may vary in character from a brief loss of attention to violent, prolonged convulsion. People may outgrow the condition; it is often, but not always, controlled by medication.

Fitness & Diving: Loss of consciousness or loss of awareness while underwater carries a high risk of drowning or embolism from an uncontrolled ascent. An analysis of motor vehicle operators with epilepsy has shown that a seizure occurring behind the wheel will result in an accident in nearly every instance, but no evidence exists that diving with compressed air scuba to the accepted 130 fsw limit increases the risk of epileptic seizures.

One is no more likely to seize while diving than while driving: the risk is the same.

There is no useful data to determine the potential for injury in divers with epilepsy.

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Current doctrine among diving medicine physicians advises that individuals with epilepsy not dive. Those with childhood epilepsy, who have outgrown the condition and have been off medication for five years, still face a slightly increased risk of a seizure. To make an informed decision about diving, these individuals should discuss this with their personal physicians, families and diving companions.

Medication Used in Treatment: Anti-seizure medication acts directly on the brain and may interact with high partial pressures of nitrogen. This may produce unexpected side effects. (See nervous system medical effects.)

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History of Seizures Without a Clear Diagnosis of Epilepsy This is a cloudy question since many variables can cause transient alteration of consciousness. These alterations of consciousness include fainting, a reduction of blood pressure, which is very common in young people, an alteration in heart rhythm that is more AfricanDiver.com

common in older people, effects of medication and psychological events, such as hallucinations.

Fitness & Diving: As with epilepsy, any loss of consciousness underwater is likely to have a bad outcome. When diving using nitrox or mixed gas as a breathing gas, increased partial pressures of oxygen can increase the likelihood of seizures. Increased carbon dioxide may also increase seizure risk.

The best advice is to get a precise diagnosis of the cause of altered states of consciousness: effective treatment is often available. You cannot make a reasonable fitness-to-dive decision till this is sorted out. It may take some time and a visit to a neurologist or other specialists. Ask your doctor first.

General Concerns About Taking Medication While Scuba Diving Many of the conditions discussed are treated with medication. These include anticonvulsants to prevent seizures, antidepressants and sedatives to alter behavior, pain medication and a host of others. In addition to the intended effect, many drugs have undesirable side effects, which vary from person to person and are not entirely predictable. The list of side effects, while far from complete, includes these most common states: drowsiness, dry mouth, blurred vision and slowness to urinate.

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Fitness & Diving: Two principal concerns exist: Post-traumatic epilepsy - This risk is directly related to the severity of the injury and the time elapsed between the injury and your plans to dive.

Penetrating head wounds with brain disruption have a high risk of post-traumatic seizure; head injuries resulting in brief unconsciousness do not.

With mild head injuries, risk falls sharply with time; with penetrating head wounds, long-term risk is less predictable.

Cognitive loss. Defects in memory, understanding and concentration are obvious risks in diving.

This is best evaluated by social, school and job performances. If these skills are intact, there is probably no reason to restrict diving. Diving in itself does not worsen the effects of head injury.

of risk for the diver cannot be performed. There may be an interaction between the medication and high partial pressures of nitrogen, producing an unexpected side effect such as anxiety or panic.

Fitness & Diving: Alertness is important; medications while diving can affect a diver’s alertness; Increased pN2 (partial pressures of nitrogen) causes narcosis and can be expected to increase the drowsiness side effect of many drugs such as antihistamines and medications for motion sickness.

What to do: Read the package insert of the drug you are taking; Ask your doctor; Africandiver.com

Pay attention. The medication may affect you in an unexpected way. Ask again; If you start a new medication, or change medications, don’t dive until you have had a couple of days to feel it out. If your medication makes you drowsy on the surface, expect it may have greater effect at 75 fsw. In this case, you should either not dive, or discontinue using the medication. Always check with your physician before stopping a prescription medication.

Head Trauma “Head trauma” refers to a head injury sufficient to cause prolonged unconsciousness or persisting brain dysfunction. Mild head injury without unconsciousness rarely has lasting effects.

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Migraine Headache A migraine headache is a periodic, usually one-sided, throbbing ache, sometimes preceded by warning signs and symptoms and of variable severity.

Migraine, though dreaded, is common. More than half the people in the world will have some experience with migraine during their lives, and about 5 percent will see doctors. A few of these will suffer significant disruption of their activities.

Fitness & Diving: Migraine poses little danger to divers. Even those with frequent migraine do not usually experience an increased incidence while diving.

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Very complex migraine, with visual loss or paralysis, might lead to confusion in diagnosing a diving accident. However, little data exists to suggest that migraine poses a significant hazard to divers.

An elevated level of carbon dioxide in the blood, which occurs with decreased ventilation and breath-holding / hypoventilation, can theoretically precipitate a migraine headache because carbon dioxide (CO2) causes vasodilation in the brain. Increased levels of oxygen in the blood (which occurs in diving as well as in hyperbaric chambers) has been used with variable success to treat severe migraine, because it is a powerful brain vasoconstrictor.

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Very complex migraine, with visual loss or paralysis, might lead to confusion in diagnosing a diving accident. However, little data exists to suggest that migraine poses a significant hazard to divers. Severe and incapacitating migraine headaches while in the water would create a hazard for the individual. People with severe and incapacitating migraine should probably not dive.

Multiple Sclerosis (MS) This immunologic disease occurring in young and middle-aged people is characterized by episodes of neurologic dysfunction, often separated by remission. The extent of disability is quite variable.

Treatment has improved in recent years.

Fitness & Diving: There is no evidence that diving in itself has an effect on the disease. About 20 AfricanDiver.com

years ago an unsuccessful effort was made to treat MS with hyperbaric oxygen. Patients neither suffered nor benefited from this treatment series.

Persons with MS are advised not to exercise to the point of exhaustion and to avoid becoming chilled or overheated. Diving candidates with MS should respect that advice.

In each individual case, consider whether the candidate can handle the physical load and master the water skills. Diving candidates should talk to their neurologist about diving.

cord at the c4-5 level, so a fracture at or above that level will likely paralyze the diaphragm. A fracture at the mid-thoracic (chest) level will paralyze the legs, while a fracture at c5-6 will cause severe paralysis of the arms as well.

Diving in itself does not cause further injury unless the diver gets decompression sickness involving the spinal cord. In that case, because the spinal cord is already damaged, there may be an increased risk of residual disability, even after prompt treatment.

Paraplegia

There are reliable programs (e.g., associations of disabled divers) designed to accommodate diving candidates with such problems. These programs emphasize the importance of avoiding DCS by careful diving practices.

As with multiple sclerosis and other CNS considerations, deciding on whether to dive with paraplegia requires a case-by-case decision.

Decide after consultation with your physician.

DAN Southwest Regional Coordinator Dr. Hugh Greer is a practicing diving medicine neurologist and former Underwater Demolitions Team (UDT) officer.

Paralysis (paraplegia) or weakness (paraparesis) of both legs may result from spinal cord injury such as accidental fracture, decompression sickness, muscle disease such as poliomyelitis or a brain injury such as cerebral palsy or stroke.

Fitness & Diving: Diving fitness depends on the cause and the extent of disability in each individual case. Considerations include: The extent of physical disability that may determine whether the candidate can perform the required water skills. High spinal cord injury (closer to the head) may compromise breathing.

How? Respiratory signals come from the spinal

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Featured Photographer Sean Sequeira 62

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A silly snorkelling accident encouraged me to undertake a scuba diving course. I presumed that by gaining knowledge of the discipline of diving, I would learn more about the sea.

As with most of us, this curiosity elevated me to diving instructor status 5 years later.

However, struggling to remember the fish I admired, after each dive, I acquired a secondhand Nikonos 5. This was my ticket to being eternally shackled by debt for an ever increasing jungle of photographical accessories. I have progressed from a Nikonos to a Nikon F100 and now have embraced a digital camera.

I have dived myself into specialised underwater photographic fields and have a particular attraction for photographing sharks. My annual pilgrimage to Seal Island in False Bay has yielded better results with each time I return. Increased exposure to an opportunity in the Bazaruto Archipelago, has given me the chance to build my portfolio from the area. While spending a day on the beach in an area called BD, I witnessed fishermen dump Reef Shark carcasses de-finned on the beach without even moving an eyelid at our presence. Shark deprivation exists in even the most innocent and remote parts of our continent.

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My photos are regularly published in Submerge and Alert diver and I have also won accolades at various competitions.

I reside in Krugersdorp with my wife and two daughters.

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Winter Shootout

Images by Bryan Hart

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Africandiver.com

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The Sony Winter Shootout has grown in stature over the past five years, and is now a popular and anticipated event on the South African diving event calendar.

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The 2010 Sony Winter Shootout will be taking place from the 22nd to the 24th of July 2010.

This year, the event will be hosted by the Durban Undersea Club (DUC) in Durban.

The Sony Winter Shootout has grown in stature over the past five years, and is now a popular and anticipated event on the South African diving event calendar.

History of the Competition: The Winter Shootout was formally a SCUP (Scubanet Club for Underwater Photography) competition. Due to the interest in the competition, and no other opportunities for underwater photographers to compete amongst each other within the club, it was decided in 2007, to extend the competition to shooters outside the club. SCUP has since been dissolved, but the competition remains in existence under the guidance of Charles Scalliet.

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The competition has grown year on year. The first year of the competition had 8 entries and only consisted of novice and intermediate categories, whereas the 2009 competition boasted 43 entries with categories: novice, intermediate, advanced, rare, difficult, shells and reef offered to entrants.

The Shooting Area: The designated shooting area for the Winter Shootout has, in previous years, been limited to Aliwal Shoal. This year, entrants will be able to dive on anyone of the available reefs and wrecks between Umhlanga Rocks and Aliwal Shoal.

The dive sites in this shooting area are all easily accessible, and have a variety of accommodation options ranging from camping to hotels. This, together with the array of non diving activities on offer in and around Durban and the KZN South Coast, allows entrants to include the family when entering the competition.

Winter in KZN is traditionally characterised by warm, clear days with no wind and calm oceans, making May to July the best time of the year to dive Durban and South Coast.

The area South of the Tugela River to Umkomaas, has an array of rivers, sewage outlets and, in the case of Durban, a very busy port with a dredger - all responsible for dumping large amounts of sediment into the water. However, in Winter, the lack of rain, wind and swell in KZN allow for visibility to be on average 15m to 20m.

Whereas the aspect of back scatter and “clean green� water are prevalent when diving off any of the dive sites in the allocated shooting zone, the opportunity to photograph wrecks, sharks, caves and whales, gives the photographer endless opportunities in terms of subject matter.

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The Rare and Difficult categories look to acknowledge photographs taken of subjects that are not common to the specific area, as well as photographs that are technically difficult to capture. Only the judges can copy your entry into the Rare or Difficult categories, based on their combined knowledge of what is really rare in the area, as well as what is a difficult shot to capture. All entries, from novice to advanced are taken into account for the Overall winners in these categories.

Shells is a new category that was introduced in 2009. This category has two sub categories that enable competitors to take photos of shells above or below the water.

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What’s new this Year: The timing of the competition also coincides with the Sardine Run, which if it presents itself this year, can defiantly add a new dimension to the competition as well as an incentive to be in the ocean during this time!

taking as many photos as possible and altering the shot to produce a satisfactory photo.

Judging Format:

• Novice / Beginner: less than one year underwater photography experience and NO external lighting.

The Winter Shootout does not follow the standard competition format as followed by many international photographic competitions.

The competition is designed to reward good photographs, rather than test ones photo editing abilities. A photographer is encouraged to take more time in planning and capturing the photo, as apposed to the approach of Africandiver.com

Categories differentiate competitors by their experience:

• Intermediate: less than 5 years underwater photographic experience.

• Advanced: any photographer that that has more that five years underwater photographic experience.

The extension of the diving area to Umhlanga has opened up an array of photographic opportunities for competitors. Dive sites like NO.1, Caves , Blood Reef , T Barge, Fontao and Coopers are all unique reef systems that host subjects from Great Whites to Harlequin Shrimps!

The Durban Undersea Club is perfectly situated on the beach in front of Vetches’ Pier in Durban.

Competitors will be able to enjoy a meal at the highly acclaimed restaurant, as well as enjoy drinks at the picturesque bar overlooking the sea. Other facilities include: Nitrox and air fills, secure parking, beach access as well as close proximity to Ushaka Marine World.

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Photographic competitions in South Africa serve a major role in show casing our countries reef systems and the amazing animals that inhabit them. The images produced from the competition expose the diversity of the life in our oceans and emphasise the need to preserve them. The Winter Shootout aims to promote conservation, but at the same time differentiate itself as a photographic event that is for all levels of underwater photographers with the focus on having fun!

Prizes, details on operators and accommodation are being updated weekly on the webpage.

• www.wintershootout.co.za 74

• For more information on the club, as well as the Durban Dive Sites, visit www.duc.co.za

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Cormac - 082 552 0770 Paul - 083 391 8961 Fax: 086 503 7177 PO Box 67779 Bryanston 2021 Published by African Diver Magazine cc, PO Box 67779 Bryanston, 2021, South Africa, Tel 082 552 0770 or 083 391 8961, fax 086 503 7177 email editor@africandiver.com. www.africandiver.com

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