Asia Pacific Dive and Marine Ecology
News and Articles  
Whale shark watching in the Mergui Archipelago
Divers exploring Burma's largely uncharted waters are left as gape-mouthed as the mammoth whale sharks they encounter. There is indeed peace to be found in troubled Burma, and it's yours for the plucking in an undersea garden. (May 6, 08)
Sea Turtles almost gone from Thailand's Andaman coast
According to the Marine and Coastal Resources Development and Research Center, statistics showed the number of sea turtles coming to Thailand’s Andaman shores to lay their eggs has dropped dramatically. (May 6, 08)
Philippine Danajon Bank reefs targeted for conservation
Danajon Bank, a very rare geological formation because it comprises two sets of large coral reefs that formed offshore on a submarine ridge, has been targeted for conservation and fish harvesting. (May 5, 08)
Malaysian tourism board targets Hong Kong divers
Tourism Malaysia has targeted Hong Kong’s scuba diving enthusiasts with a campaign promoting the country’s scuba diving attributes. (May 5, 08)
PADI announces 2008 Asia Pacific Member Awards
PADI, (The Professional Association of Diving Instructors) Asia Pacific has announced the finalists of the PADI Asia Pacific Member Awards for 2008. (Apr 7, 08)
Divers help reduce starfish threat to Philippine coral reefs
Coral reefs off this town have been spared, albeit temporarily, from yet another ecological threat by the predatory Crown of Thorns starfish (COTs), thanks to clean-up operations by a group of divers. (Mar 6, 08)
Thailand's reefs to get protection from starfish and tourists
Programs will be established in Thailand's southern and eastern provinces this year to promote public awareness of the need to protect the region's amazing coral reef ecosystems. (Jan 22, 08)
China Dive Exhibition 2008
China Dive Exhibition (CDEX) is the only international dive expo in the largest consumer market of the world. Returning to Shanghai in 2008, CDEX takes you on a new journay into Chinese dive industry after a successful CDEX07 in Beijing. (Dec 11, 07)
Indonesia's polluted environment threatens Hawksbill Turtle
In December, nations will gather on the Indonesian island of Bali to discuss ways to deal with global warming and environmental damage. Indonesia is in many ways a test case for those efforts. (Nov 28, 07)
Fish vanishing from Southeast Asian oceans
Southeast Asia's oceans are fast running out of fish, putting the livelihoods of up to 100 million people at risk and increasing the need for governments to support the maintenance of fish stocks, an Australian expert said. (Nov 15, 07)
Philippines bans fishing to revive its biggest reef
The Philippines has tightened laws banning fishing and collecting of species on the country's largest coral reef to help it recover from near destruction. (Oct 4, 07)
Chinese poachers caught in the Philippines with endangered marine turtles
Local authorities patrolling the Sulu Archipelago in the southwest Philippines apprehended a Chinese fishing vessel with a cache of illegally caught marine turtles. (Sep 17, 07)
Indo-Pacific coral reef loss at unprecedented levels
Pacific coral reefs are dying at an unprecedented rate, scientists have found. Almost 600 square miles of reef have disappeared every year since the late 1960s - twice the rate of rainforest loss. (Aug 8, 07)
Over 5,000 crown of thorns starfish collected in Philippines
A countrywide drive in the Philippines to stop an infestation of coral-eating starfish has resulted in the removal of thousands of crown of thorns starfish (COTS) within the vicinity of the largest coral reef in the country and the second largest in the world, the Apo Reef in Sablayan, Occidental Mindoro. (Jul 5, 07)
Whaleshark draws tourists to remote corner of Philippines
The enormous grey whale shark glides effortlessly in the murky waters off Donsol in the eastern Philippines, its distinctive pale yellow spotted back and fins clearly visible as excited tourists prepare to enter the water from nearby outrigger canoes. (Jul 05, 07)
Verde Island diving... a gem in the Philippines
Philippines' Verde Island diving is a location where you can enjoy awesome scuba diving and when not on a dive wander the beach and discover pieces of porcelain from a Spanish Galleon shipwrecked centuries before. (Jun 29, 07)
Malaysia International Dive Expo 2007 held in July
The Malaysia International Dive Expo (MIDE) 2007 is a trade, consumer and conservation exhibition event gearing up for the second year at Putra World Trade Centre (PWTC), from the 6th to 8th July 2007. (Jun 14, 07)
300 year old coral found off Japanese coast
A huge coral mound thought to be about 300 years old has been found off the coast of Azuchi-Oshima Island near Hirado, local officials said. (Jun 14, 07)
Vietnam dive spot Nha Trang rapidly losing coral
With Vietnam's scuba diving capital of Nha Trang hosting a week-long maritime festival, a local marine biology expert said Tuesday the area could lose all of its coral within 30 years. (Jun 14, 07)
Diving the undiscovered reefs of Wakatobi
Situated in a small archipelago just Southeast of Sulawesi, a large Amoeba shaped island in the center of Indonesia, Wakatobi is truly a slice of paradise in the middle of nowhere. (Jun 12, 07)
Rare ancient Coelacanth caught in Indonesia
An Indonesian fisherman hooked a rare coelacanth, a species once thought as extinct as dinosaurs, and briefly kept the "living fossil" alive in a quarantined pool. (May 29, 07)
Dive photographers discover the delights of the Lembeh Strait
The world's full of triangles. There's the Golden Triangle, the Triangle of the Bermudas…and then of course, most relevant of all to us divers, there's the Macrolife Triangle, that blissful figure made up by the Malaysian islands of Lankayan and Kapalai and – at the northern tip of the Indonesian island of Sulawesi – the Strait of Lembeh. (May 23, 07)
Taiwan to ban whale shark consumption trade by 2008
Taiwan will ban the harvest and sale of whale sharks beginning in 2008, a decision that could have repercussions at the Georgia Aquarium and other facilities where the world's largest fish are displayed. (May 23, 07)
Wreck exploration project to go ahead in Japan
On the 2nd September 2006 the famous first class luxury liner Stella Polaris sank off the coast of Kushimoto, Japan. The ship sank to a depth of 72 meters, and has never been dived by commercial or scuba divers. (May 18, 07)
Reef protection project underway at Tioman island
Some 130 divers joined Regent of Pahang Tengku Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah to build artificial reefs near Soyak Island, one of the eight surrounding islands here, to protect and preserve marine life recently. (Apr 30, 07)
Malaysia to fix up famed dive island
Malaysia's Sipadan island, widely regarded as one of the world's top dive sites, is set to get a face lift, a senior official said, following criticism that its facilities were falling into disrepair. (Apr 26, 07)
Predator starfish threaten coral reefs in the Philippines
An infestation of the predatory crown-of-thorns starfish is decimating large tracts of coral reef throughout the Philippines. (Apr 12, 07)
Chinese appetite for reef fish emptying Asian seas
Turquoise fish with red dots stare at hungry tourists from a tank at a restaurant in Hong Kong, the capital of the world's live reef fish industry, a lucrative trade devastating reefs across the Pacific Ocean. (Apr 11, 07)
Turtle hatchery established in North Sulawesi
The North Sulawesi Watersports Association (NSWA) has long been aware that the Sea Turtles, which are attracted to the long sandy beaches of Bunaken Marine Park on Indonesia's Siladen Island, are on the brink of extinction. (Apr 10, 07)
Chinese turtle poachers apprehended in Malaysia
Malaysian authorities have seized several Chinese fishing boats off the northern coast of Borneo carrying cargoes of endangered marine turtles. (Apr 9, 07)
Divers escape Solomon Islands tsunami
Witnesses say it was like a huge explosion - a magnitude 8.0 earthquake and tsunami that hit the Solomon Islands in the South Pacific. Officials say at least 13 people were killed, but they expect that number to go up. (Apr 3, 07)
Taiwan sets up turtle reserve on disputed island
A green turtle reserve has been established on a disputed South China Sea island where fishing boats from surrounding nations hunt the endangered species, a local official said on Monday 12th. (Mar 13, 07)
Malaysian police seize Borneo 'bombed' fish haul
Malaysian marine police seized about 500kg of suspected bombed fish from a Bajau Filipino fisherman near the Safma market,
Kota Kinabalu, on Tuesday 6th. (Mar 8, 07)
Saipan dive shop sued over diver death in bad weather
A Japanese man filed a lawsuit in federal court against a dive shop over the death of his daughter who underwent a scuba diving course held during bad weather at the Grotto dive site in Marpi two years ago. (Mar 8, 07)
Rare primitive shark captured on film in Japanese waters
A species of shark rarely seen alive because its natural habitat is 600 metres or more under the sea was captured on film by staff at a Japanese marine park this week. (Jan 25, 07)
Chinese marine poachers jailed in the Philippines
Rangers of a world-renowned marine park won a victory on Monday when 30 Chinese fishermen were apprehended for poaching protected fish species and were brought to the provincial jail in Puerto Princesa. (Jan 4, 07)
Malaysia's turtle island faces uncertain future
The island of Pulau Upeh off the Malaysian State of Malacca has only one small sandy beach. But it happens to be one of the most important hawksbill nesting sites in the country. (Dec 11, 06)
Four undersea volcanoes discovered near Phuket
A team of Thai and German marine geologists has found four volcanoes under the sea about 200 kilometres away from Phuket, the team leader announced Monday. (Dec 11, 06)
Satellite tracking marine turtles in Vietnam
A new satellite tracking programme to monitor green turtle populations in Vietnam has been successfully launched at Con Dao Island. (Dec 7, 06)
Thai fisherman arrested with protected species
A Thai fisherman was caught with a boat load of protected fish while fishing off Koh Bon on Saturday. His haul included lobsters, clown fish, butterfly fish, moray eels and parrot fish, all packaged in about 20 bags. (Nov 30, 06)
Pristine dive sites in North Sulawesi spared
North Sulawesi, including areas of outstanding natural beauty above and below sea level such as Bunaken National Park, Lembeh Strait and Bangka Island, has been spared an environmental tragedy. (Nov 30, 06)
Palau sea turtles travel as far as Indonesia
Palau's sea turtles travel as far as Indonesia or perhaps even farther according to the latest report from local conservationists who had been using satellite transmitters that are mounted into the carapace (shell) of the endangered species to track their movements and habitat. (Nov 28, 06)
Philippine conservation policy to protect Asia's Coral Triangle
President Gloria Arroyo has enacted a new national conservation policy for the Philippines to protect the archipelagic country's unique and rich nature, with initial focus on the heart of Southeast Asia's Coral Triangle. (Nov 11, 06)
UN warns Asia faces marine pollution crisis
The rapidly growing economies and populations of East Asia are putting the region's marine ecosystem under increasing stress, the United Nations warned Monday. A new study finds 90 percent of Asia's sewage is discharged into the marine environment waters without treatment, threatening fisheries, mangrove forests, coral reefs and coastal wetlands. (Oct 26, 06)
Warship sunk in Pattaya to create artificial reef
The Thai navy has sunk a decommissioned warship near Koh Larn in Pattaya Bay to create a second artificial reef and marine breeding ground in honor of the King of Thailand's 60th year on the throne. (Oct 19, 06)
Thailand installs underwater tsunami memorial
Thailand's first underwater tsunami memorial was laid down on the seabed in Tonsai Bay, off Koh Phi Phi Don, in a ceremony on September 30. (Oct 12, 06)
Asia Dive Expo 2007 makes waves in Bangkok
The long-anticipated venue announcement for Asia Dive Expo (ADEX) 2007, which will be held from 27-29 April, has been revealed today by show organiser, Suntec Integrated Media. (Oct 3, 06)
Report: Indonesian coral reefs survive tsunami but not humans
The impact of a tsunami on a coral reef is minimal in comparison to human-caused damage according to a new study published in the journal Atoll Research Bulletin. (Sep 29, 06)
Davao coral reefs in poor condition
Less than 20 percent of coral reefs in the Davao Gulf are in good condition, an environment official in Southern Mindanao said in Wednesday's Ugnayan sa Royal Mandaya. (Sep 25, 06)
Over 50 new species discovered in Indonesia
Scientists combing through undersea fauna off Indonesia's Papua province said they had discovered dozens of new species, including a shark that walks on its fins and a shrimp that looks like a praying mantis. (Sep 22, 06)
Rebuilding the reefs in Thailand
For years coral reefs have been destroyed by both natural and man-made causes. Realising the importance of coral reefs both as a sanctuary and nursery grounds for all kinds of marine life and as a tourist attraction, several governmental and private sector organisations have initiated coral rehabilitation projects in many areas in the Gulf of Thailand and the Andaman Sea. (Sep 18, 06)
El Niño returns to the Pacific as ocean temperatures rise
Scientists at the NOAA Climate Prediction Center reported today that El Niño conditions have developed in the tropical Pacific and are likely to continue into early 2007. Ocean temperatures increased remarkably in the equatorial Pacific during the last two weeks. (Sep 14, 06)
Philippine oil spill spares 47,000 ha of coral
More than 47,000 hectares of hard coral in the coastal areas of southern Guimaras were found to have been spared from destruction by the oil spill, according to a team of scientists from Silliman University. (Sep 13, 06)
NAUI sponsors marine education program in Asia
NAUI Pacific Rim recently hosted twenty-five lucky students at the Coral Redang Resort in Terengganu, Malaysia to participate and study about marine life as part of its Student Marine Education Program. (Sep 13, 06)
More divers going to Sipadan illegally
An increasing number of divers are going to the environmentally sensitive diving haven of Pulau Sipadan, off the east coast of Sabah, illegally. (Sep 5, 06)
Oil company vows to clean up Philippine coastline after spill
An official of Petron Corporation said the company would not leave the Guimaras area until it completely cleans the sea and coastlines of the bunker oil that is leaking from a chartered tanker that sank off the Philippine island about two weeks ago. (Aug 25, 06)
Phuket underwater park ready for divers
Sculptures worth 4 million baht have been placed on the seabed at a depth of 15 meters close to Koh Racha Yai, Phuket, and are being promoted as a special “must see” site for divers in the coming high season. (Aug 24, 06)
Philippines evacuates residents after oil spill
Rescue workers in the Philippines will evacuate some residents living on a tropical resort island on Wednesday after an oil spill polluted a marine reserve and threatened the livelihoods of thousands of people. (Aug 16, 06)
Rays of hope in the Philippines
Nine manta rays were recently spotted for the first time in 20 years gliding through Basura, the internationally-renowned dive site in the Philippines. (Aug 16, 06)
Can Indonesia's devastated fishing grounds be saved?
With an estimated 94 percent its immense coral reef system in decline, Indonesia is beginning to grapple with what may be an impossible task: reversing what a government agency calls the “precipitous decline” of some of the richest fishing grounds in the world. (Aug 9, 06)
Leatherback turtle effectively extinct in Malaysia
The endangered leatherback turtle population is effectively extinct in Malaysia and has deprived the country one of its most charismatic tourist lures, says a United Nations Environment Programme report. (Aug 8, 06)
Malaysian PM angry at Sipadan development project
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi lashed out at Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Musa Aman for going ahead with the RM4.5mil clubhouse project at Pulau Sipadan despite his objection. (Aug 1, 06)
Andaman seabed to be mapped by scientists
Thai and German scientists will this week begin mapping the seabed of the Andaman Sea off the coasts of Phuket and Phang Nga to better prepare for similar disasters as the December 26, 2004 tsunami. (Jul 31, 06)
Vietnam to half fishing fleet for coral reef protection
Vietnam plans to almost halve its coastal fishing fleet by 2010 to protect fragile marine resources that have been badly depleted by over-fishing, local officials and foreign experts say. (Jul 27, 06)
Managing Taiwan's whale shark trade
By implementing the world's first whale shark harvest and monitoring system, Taiwan will halve its whale shark harvest quota from 60 to 30 individuals by 2008. (Jul 27, 06)
Survey reveals coral reefs under threat in Vietnam
Scientists in Vietnam are flabbergasted about the results of a survey conducted a week ago, which shows the serious recession of coral reefs in Ha Long Bay, Quang Ninh Province, a world natural heritage site. (Jul 20, 06)
Indonesia tsunami warning system not ready
Eighteen months after the devastating Indian Ocean tsunami, hundreds have died after a giant wave struck the Indonesian island of Java. Their deaths have raised questions about the failure of a promised Indian Ocean tsunami early warning system to sound an adequate alert. (Jul 19, 06)
Endangered coral reef fish seized in Indonesia
Indonesian airport authorities seized 36 humphead wrasse, the third seizure of this endangered fish species in the country this year alone. The live fish, harvested in Indonesia, were destined for Hong Kong. (Jul 13, 06)
Lankayan : Malaysia's paradise under threat
Lankayan is one of Borneo's best dive destinations thanks to its conservation area status. But the island paradise is fighting a continual war with poachers who could destroy the fragile balance of Lankayan's reefs. (Jun 28, 06)
A major step forward for marine protection in Indonesia
Following a growing trend to protect sensitive marine ecosystems, Indonesia has announced plans to create a marine protected area (MPA) over 1.2 million hectares off the eastern coast of the Derawan Archipelago in the Sulawesi Sea. (Jun 21, 06)
Andamans losing battle with marine poachers
The fragile maritime ecology of India's Andaman and Nicobar archipelago is under threat from widespread illegal fishing, poaching of rare species and the collection of rare coral, a top official said on Friday. (Jun 19, 06)
Coral collection continues in the south Philippines despite ban
Fishermen continue to gather and sell sea corals to local collectors and tourists in the southern Philippine port city of Zamboanga despite a government ban and efforts to stop the illegal activities. (Jun 14, 06)
Whale sharks put Philippine town on the tourist map
Cocooned in rural seclusion, Donsol, a placid little town, long kept a big but unintended secret: In the first half of the year, the sea swarms with the world's largest fish. (Jun 2, 06)
Koh Chang's first underwater cleanup a great success
We have all heard about the Similans and Surin Islands, Phuket and Koh Tao and about the diving in Western Thailand but more and more people are discovering a new dive destination in Thailand: Koh Chang or “Elephant Island”. (Jun 2, 06)
Sipadan contractor gets off with apology and clean-up
After all the hue and cry, the contractor who damaged the coral reef off Pulau Sipadan has been allowed to get off with an apology and the cost of cleaning up. (May 25, 06)
Japanese researchers using plates to save coral
In an effort to help coral grow in reefs amid rising water temperatures, researchers in Japan are using ceramic plates to provide a safe haven for fertilized coral eggs. (May 25, 06)
Bio-rock reef generation projects online in Thailand
Construction of Thailand's most technically advanced coral regeneration projects has commenced at various sites in the Gulf of Thailand and can now be actively monitored via the internet by anyone with an internet connection. (May 25, 06)
Malaysian minister threatens to close Sipadan
Deputy Chief Minister of Sabah Tan Sri Chong Kah Kiat Thursday said that he was seriously considering closing Sipadan Island if people were so concerned about the environmental damage to the island and its surrounding areas of late. (May 19, 06)
Barge wipes out Sipadan reef in tragic accident
Hundreds of meters of coral and turtles have been wiped out at Sipadan in a tragic accident involving a large barge and the local irresponsibility of whoever is managing the island. (May 17, 06)
Wrecks harming reefs, warn Taiwanese environmentalists
Lawmakers and green groups held a joint press conference to warn about the damage that sunken ships were doing to the nation's undersea coral reserves. (May 15, 06)
Thai company seeks to salvage submerged WWII weapons
A Thai marine-supply company based in southern Phuket is seeking permission to salvage what it believes are two British "human torpedoes" that have been lying in the sea near Phuket since World War II, local media Saturday reported. (May 9, 06)
Malaysian state drops rare turtle as mascot
A Malaysian state is to drop its symbol and sports mascot - the turtle - amid allegations by conservationists of embarrassment at the creature's demise. (May 1, 06)
Clownfish gets protection in Thailand
The Clownfish will be listed as a protected species under a new regulation to be issued by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment in Thailand. The species was largely known only to divers and aquarists before springing into public prominence with a starring role in the Pixar animated movie Finding Nemo. (Apr 28, 06)
Senator calls for protection of Philippine coral reefs
A top senator said now more than ever, the continued preservation and protection of local underwater resources should be ensured particularly coral reefs which add significantly to the attraction of popular dive sites in the country. (Apr 26, 06)
Japan to grow coral to claim disputed territory
Scientists are to implant coral “seeds” on an isolated reef 1,000 miles south of Tokyo in an effort to establish it as an official island, rather than just an ocean atoll. If they succeed they will secure the economic rights to 162,000sq miles of ocean that occupy a crucial strategic position and are rich in fishing. (Apr 26, 06)
Diving the Similans: The Khao Lak comeback
This resort town nestled on the southwest coast of Thailand, on the still-pristine Andaman Sea, has made a remarkable recovery after the tsunami of 2004. After near-destruction in that cataclysm, it now is striving to bring back the tourists it had in more prosperous times. Memories run deep, but the community is looking toward the future, and returning the area to its former glory. (Apr 25, 06)
Philippine tourism official warns scuba divers to stop harassing marine wildlife
"It is wrong to harass, chase, touch or hold" marine life while underwater, Tourism Assistant Secretary Cynthia Carrion said, reacting to a recent front-page photo carried by The STAR showing a diver "playing with a turtle." (Apr 24, 06)
Artificial reef project research underway in Pattaya
Underwater sites have now been surveyed to find the most suitable locations for sinking 60 disused railway carriages that will act as a reef and encourage the growth of marine life. (Apr 24, 06)
Local whale shark returns to Andaman dive sites
A popular whale shark nicknamed “Big Boy” has been spotted off Koh Surin, and around Richelieu Rock, Hin Daeng and Hin Muang, Pakdee Khruthanang of the Phuket Eco-Tourism Association told the Phuket Gazette today. (Apr 19, 06)
The majestic mantas of Purple Rock
The idyllic island of Koh Lanta lies on the Andaman coast in southern Thailand . It is striving for the popularity of neighbouring tourist destinations such as Koh Phi Phi and Phuket but has a long way to go, and this is what attracted me to spend a week or so there over the holiday season. (Apr 18, 06)
Chinese sea on verge of death
Industrial pollution on an enormous scale means eastern China's Bohai Sea could be "dead" within 12 years unless radical action is taken to stop toxic waste poisoning the water known as "the fish storehouse", top environmental advisers have told Parliament. (Apr 17, 06)
100 Andaman fish types to be protected in Thailand
Fishing for more than 100 kinds of fish off six south Thailand provinces on the Andaman Sea will be prohibited once a new ministerial regulation takes effect in the near future, a senior official at the Natural Resources and Environment Ministry said. (Apr 12, 06)
Greenpeace sounds alert over turtle deaths in India
More than 2,000 endangered Olive Ridley turtles have washed ashore dead in eastern India over the past three months, the environmental group Greenpeace said on Tuesday, blaming illegal fishing. (Apr 7, 06)
Malaysian state bans fins to protect coral
State authorities have banned the use of flippers in a bid to protect corals especially in the coastal waters off Pulau Redang and Pulau Perhentian. (Apr 7, 06)
British tourist dies after dive off Koh Samui
A British man died and his diving mate was injured during a diving expedition near the Erawan oil rig south of Koh Samui on Tuesday. A marine rescue team went to the oil rig to rescue the divers and their group, underwater treasure sightseers. (Apr 6, 06)
Sunken treasure at center of murky Indonesian scandal
Southeast Asia's richest underwater archaeological find in decades is stored under a leaky corrugated iron roof at a stable in Indonesia's capital, guarded by marines who claim a solitary gun between them. (Apr 6, 06)
China to turn Russian aircraft carrier into artificial reef
A Russian aircraft carrier converted into a theme park in the southern Chinese town of Shenzhen could find its final resting place as an artificial reef in Hong Kong waters. (Mar 29, 06)
Maldives breaks most scuba divers record
Maldives has made a new world record for “Most people scuba diving simultaneously” on a single site. (Mar 28, 06)
Race to build the world's first underwater hotel
The race is on to build the world's first underwater hotel. Two companies are hoping to start work within weeks on their projects — an £80m development in the South Pacific, and an even more lavish £330m scheme in the Persian Gulf. (Mar 27, 06)
Divers arrested for diving in Philippine protected sanctuary
Two German nationals and their Filipino guide were arrested last week and later fined for scuba diving inside a marine sanctuary off the coast of Brgy. Lipayo, Dauin, Oriental Negros. (Mar 26, 06)
Scuba divers adrift for 48 hours after boat breaks down in Philippines
Four scuba divers, three of which are foreigners, including three pumboat crew were rescued after the pumpboat they were riding developed engine trouble mid-sea between Bohol and Camiguin islands. (Mar 23, 06)
Dive Puerto Galera, a short history
Then and now, Oriental Mindoro's center of natural beauty was Puerto Galera, with its beaches, coves, superb natural harbor where the Spanish ships took refuge during storms, marine life, corals, scuba diving sites, falls and bay. (Mar 21, 06)
Tsunami rebuilding threatens Asian coral reefs
Coral reefs that survived the devastating Indian Ocean tsunami are coming under threat from rushed rebuilding efforts in the region, two international environmental groups have reported. (Mar 21, 06)
Filipino fishermen resort to destructive dynamite
Local fishermen in the once tranquil Babuyan Islands in Cagayan province, citing poor catch in recent months, have resorted to dynamite blasting to salvage metal from shipwrecks surrounding the islands. (Mar 20, 06)
Twenty two Japanese dive students rescued at sea
Twenty-two Japanese scuba diving students were rescued off Okinawa Sunday evening and early Monday morning by volunteer rescuers and several local and U.S. military agencies after they were stranded in the East China Sea during foul weather conditions that suddenly swept in the area. (Mar 16, 06)
French Polynesian coral reefs go online
Internet users will soon be able to access a French research institute's Coral Reef Atlas for French Polynesia, a printed work published confidentially for professionals a year ago. (Mar 3, 06)
Overfishing in the Philippines threatens whale sharks and local fisheries
A one-year study conducted by WWF shows that 32.5 per cent of commercially-important fish species are being overfished, threatening the livelihood of thousands of fishermen and an important whale shark population. (Mar 3, 06)
Fiji's coral reefs under threat
Beneath the aquamarine waters of the picturesque Coral Coast-mecca of Fiji tourism-corals are dying. The coral reef is becoming blighted by blossoming blotches of brown. They mark locations where algae thrives, where corals once grow along 60 kilometres of Viti Levu's south coast. Pollution from hotels and villages has become a fatal combination. (Mar 2, 06)
2006 - The year of the turtle in Asia
March 1st marks the official start of the Year of the Marine Turtle within the Indian Ocean and South-East Asian region. (Mar 1, 06)
Coral reef discovered off coast of Thailand
A coral reef spanning several hundred acres and teeming with fish has been discovered off the coast of Thailand and should be given protected status, the World Wide Fund for Nature said Wednesday. (Feb 23, 06)
Shark diving at the shopping mall in Thailand
Bangkok has become one of Thailand's dive spots with the introduction by Siam Ocean World, the aquarium located underneath the Siam Paragon shopping centre, of a 'Dive with the Sharks' programme. (Feb 21, 06)
Malaysian wreck looters stealing artifacts worth millions
Following the lead of dive industry-endorsed scuba diving looters Leigh Bishop and Brad Sheard, criminal gangs are stealing artifacts worth millions of dollars from shipwrecks in Malaysian waters. (Feb 16, 06)
Hundreds of endangered coral reef fish released in Indonesia
Hundreds of humphead wrasse were released back into the waters of the Bunaken National Marine Park after being confiscated from a fisherman who was intending to illegally sell the internationally-protected fish species abroad. (Feb 13, 06)
Blasts from the past: Bikini Atoll 60 years on
Today Bikini is a lonely but impressive diving site, a circle of 23 coral and sand islands in warm, clear, azure waters. But in July 1946, the first of a series of US atomic-bomb tests there set off a costly and perilous nuclear arms race. It was a dangerous game but six decades later, newcomers want to play.
(Feb 12, 06)
Two Japanese divers rescued off Palau
Two Japanese divers survived the threat of dehydration, hypothermia, sunburn and sharks while drifting for more than 30 hours in the open waters of Palau earlier this week. (Feb 9, 06)
Exotic Indonesian fish smuggled into UK airport
Hundreds of exotic fish which were smuggled into the UK are being looked after by experts at London Zoo. Almost 1,000 Banggai cardinal fish and clown fish were found hidden in a cargo of legally imported fish which arrived at Heathrow Airport from Indonesia. (Feb 8, 06)
Thai fishermen fear for future stocks
Concerns are rising over fishermen using illegal ring nets and other illegal fishing practices that are damaging the environment and reducing the fish and squid population. (Feb 6, 06)
Rare megamouth shark netted in the Philippines
Hundreds of residents of Bayawan City in southern Oriental Negros woke up yesterday to the sight of the biggest fish they ever saw following the accidental capture by fishermen of a rare five-meter megamouth shark. (Jan 31, 06)
Artifical reef project gets underway in Phuket
Phuket's Bangtao Bay, has commenced the seeding of the bay area with concrete structures to promote the development of an artifical reef. (Jan 30, 06)
Cargo Ship runs aground at Philippines' Apo Reef National Park
Strong winds and rains caused by a low pressure area drove a Manila-bound Indonesian vessel from Malaysia to run aground at the Apo Reef Natural Park, a protected area in Occidental Mindoro. (Jan 27, 06)
Turtle nesting areas declining in Thailand
Sea turtle numbers are continuing to drop in Thailand as new dangers, including tourism and the accidental capture by commercial fishermen, add to the threat, said a senior government official. (Jan 17, 06)
Tabu waters: Protecting Fiji's Great Sea Reef
Fiji is leading the pack of coastal nations by committing to the establishment of a network of marine protected areas (MPAs) by 2020. The area, covering 30 per cent of its territorial waters or 39 million hectares, will be the largest system of underwater sanctuaries in the world. (Jan 11, 06)
Coral planting project to save Singapore's reefs
In a massive undersea reforestation project, corals are being replanted in a bid to save the reefs in Singapore's waters. (Jan 11, 06)
Where the dictators don't go: sub aqua in Burma
Burma is an unforgettable paradise - if you stay 30 meters below the sea surrounding the Mergui Archipelago. Todd John enjoys exceptional scuba diving in a country otherwise indisposed. (Jan 10, 06)
Thailand bids to become regional dugong conservation center
Thailand has made a bid to act as the central coordinator for conserving the rare dugong, or sea cow, within the Asian region. (Jan 10, 06)
Chinese treasure ship to reveal its secrets after 800 years
Stormy waves cut short the voyage of the Chinese merchant vessel as it left a southern port laden with exquisite porcelain 800 years ago to sell its wares along the ancient trade route known as the Marine Silk Road. Now Chinese scientists want to awaken the ship from its slumber in the silt 20 nautical miles off the coast of Guangdong. (Jan 6, 06)
Final report on Thailand post tsunami reefs issued by NEAQ
In the aftermath of last year's cataclysmic tsunami in Thailand and Indonesia, Dr. Greg Stone of the New England Aquarium co-led an expedition to survey the damage caused to the coral reefs there. (Jan 5, 06)
Indonesian ocean poaching doubles
The number of Indonesian boats caught fishing illegally in Australian waters has more than doubled in a year. A total of 607 illegal boats were seized last year, compared with 289 in 2004, according to figures released yesterday by federal Fisheries Minister. (Jan 4, 06)
[ Asia Dive News Archive 2006 ]
[ Asia Dive News Archive 2005 ]
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