As we move into the summer months we see the sea temperatures warming up and the marine wildlife starting to increase in numbers. The weather has been quite good up until now and as a result the underwater visibility has been very good.

Now that we have two functioning boats we can start thinking about venturing further out to find dive sites. However, there is still a bit of work required on the boats and the Pajero needs constant attention. Our equipment officers Billy and Mike have been particularly busy this season and any help would be greatly appreciated.

Events this month:

As new events come in they will be added to this list

1. Fringing Reefs
2. Barrier Reefs
3. Atolls

Birdwatchers on a day trip off the west Wales coast spotted two killer whales instead.

The 40-strong group were training their telescopes and binoculars out to sea at Fishguard when they spotted a 6ft fin cutting through the water.

There have been reports of the mammals off the coast before but they are still a rare sighting.

Cliff Benson, who was among the party from the mid Pembrokeshire section of the Wildlife Trust South and West Wales, said it "blew your socks off."

Killer whales can grow up to 28 feet long and eat seals, dolphins and other whales.

Mr Benson said: "We did not expect to see anything at first because some jet skis shot by and scared most of the birds away.

"But then somebody saw a big fin and there were about 40 of us all with telescopes and binoculars so that got us looking for things. Suddenly there were several big fins out there.

"The first ones were definitely Risso's dolphins, which are bigger than the usual flipper-type dolphins.

"Then somebody saw an even bigger fin about six foot tall and the white eye patches and white flanks of what everybody recognises from the Free Willy films - an orca or killer whale.

"There were two of them, possibly a male and female.
"They were about a mile off the coast. You would not have seen them without telescopes or binoculars, but they are there. It blows your socks off."

As well as killer whales, several species of shark have been recorded in the coastal waters, including the enormous basking shark, according to the Pembrokeshire National Park Authority.

It said pilot whales and sun fish had also made appearances but sightings were relatively rare.

Now, before its too late, there is an opportunity to save one of the greatest marine environments left on earth.

The Chagos Archipelago represents a magnificent conservation opportunity that could be of lasting benefit to humanity.

There can be few places on this planet that represent better value for leveraging spectacular returns.

What is needed is vision and a leadership initiative by Britain to create the Chagos as an iconic, pristine area held in trust for the future of the world community.

The Chagos Archipelago also known as the British Indian Ocean Territory is an area of 210,000 square miles and is located about 300 miles south of the Maldives.

STOP PRESS: (see adjacent article)
LONDON 01:04:2010 — Secretary of State David Miliband today designated the Chagos, Archipelago as a no-take marine reserve.

This declaration will make it the largest marine protected area in the world, an area twice the size of the U.K.

The combination of tropical islands, unspoiled coral reefs and adjacent oceanic abyss makes this area comparable in global importance to the Great Barrier Reef or Galapagos Islands.

Sharks are widely regarded as a predatory 'eating machines' that don't discriminate between fish or humans. This irrational fear has earned them a reputation as being dangerous and worthy of contempt.

As a result, sharks have taken on trophy-like qualities for the people that hunt and eat them. This lust for money and a taste for the exotic has landed sharks in deep trouble.

Right now, sharks are among the most valuable and vulnerable animals in the sea.

Massive consumer demand for shark fins and other shark related products have created an industry motivated by high return.

Shark fins have become one of the world's most precious commodities reaching figures of up to $256 per pound. It was recently reported that the dorsal fin of a whale shark alone fetched $15,000 at market.

It is barely surprising then that more than 125 countries around the world now trade in shark products contributing to an uncontrollable surge in the number of shark taken from the oceans. In a little over 50 years the slaughter of sharks has risen 400 per cent to approximately 800,000 metric tons per year.

By 2017 it is anticipated that 20 species of shark could become extinct due to hunting, indiscriminate fishing techniques and, ultimately, man's greed.

Currently more than 100 million sharks are taken from the seas each year - a rate at which they simply cannot survive.
They cannot survive this onslaught because, unlike many other fish, most large sharks don't reach sexual maturity until seven years old or even later, and then only give birth to a few pups each year.

Right now, they are simply being caught and killed faster than they can reproduce.

Bite-Back and its supporters together can encourage consumers to make informed choices, change their habits and actively motivate and inspire establishments that sell shark products to stop.

When we stop buying shark meat and fins, they'll stop fishing for it.

See the Bite Back Campaign for more information on how you can help reduce the trade in shark meat and other threatened species.

In late 2009 Parliament will enact the Marine and Coastal Access Bill. This new law will establish a new network of marine conservation zones to protect species and habitats of national importance.

The Welsh Assembly Government has the aim for the Welsh marine environment, as set out in the Environment Strategy for Wales, to ensure clean seas that will enable healthy and functioning ecosystems that are biologically diverse and resilient.

In order to achieve this aim, however, it is vital to understand what is biologically significant in Wales’ marine environment, in order than conservation zones are correctly sited to achieve the conservation aims intended.

Throughout 2009, volunteer SCUBA divers have surveyed the biology of the Pembrokeshire coast, through the Marine Conservation Society’s Seasearch programme, in a weekly programme of intensive marine surveys.

In this open public lecture, Ms. Vicky Swales (Seasearch Instructor) will present the results of the 2009 marine surveys and discuss the significance of the biogeography and importance of marine species for Wales. The likely impact of the Marine and Coastal Access Bill on Wales, and the introduction of Marine Protected Areas will also be discussed.

Anyone with an interest in marine biology, marine biogeography and SCUBA diving is more than welcome to attend.

Date: Wednesday 14th October
Venue: Room GT9012,
Glyntaf Campus,
University of Glamorgan
Time: 19:30
Contact: Simon Jones, sdjones2@glam.ac.uk
or 01443 654 490

BATHERS are being warned about the possible presence of Portuguese man o’war jellyfish on Pembrokeshire’s beaches.

During the last week, four of the creatures — which carry a poisonous sting in their trailing tentacles — have been found washed up on Amroth beach in the south of the county with another six found on the water’s edge.

Lifeguards spotted two more just along the coast on the South Beach in the popular resort of Tenby with another three being spotted in Mill Bay near St Anne’s Head at the mouth of the Milford Haven waterway.

The notices, which are being erected by the county council at more than 30 of Pembrokeshire’s Blue Flag and Green Flag beaches, warn of the possible presence of Portuguese man o’war jellyfish.

Swimmers are also advised to stay in lifeguarded areas where possible.

Anyone seeing a jellyfish is advised to inform the lifeguard or contact a beach warden on 07770 574242 or 07721 861005.

Council spokesman, Len Mullins, said: “The Portuguese man o’war is a rare visitor to these shores and the chances of swimmers actually encountering one in the water while bathing are extremely slim.

“However they do possess a sting said to be ten times stronger than an ordinary jellyfish and swimmers should be aware of their possible presence.”

Treatment for the sting – which leaves whip-like, red welts on the skin – involves washing with salt water and then applying ice to dull the pain.

Anyone unfamiliar with the biology of the venomous Portuguese man-of-war would likely mistake it for a jellyfish. Not only is it not a jellyfish, it's not even an "it," but a "they." The Portuguese man-of-war is a siphonophore, an animal made up of a colony of organisms working together.

The man-of-war comprises four separate polyps. It gets its name from the uppermost polyp, a gas-filled bladder, or pneumatophore, which sits above the water and somewhat resembles an old warship at full sail. Man-of-wars are also known as bluebottles for the purple-blue color of their pneumatophores.

The tentacles are the man-of-war's second organism. These long, thin tendrils can extend 165 feet (50 meters) in length below the surface, although 30 feet (10 meters) is more the average. They are covered in venom-filled nematocysts used to paralyze and kill fish and other small creatures. For humans, a man-of-war sting is excruciatingly painful, but rarely deadly. But beware—even dead man-of-wars washed up on shore can deliver a sting.

Muscles in the tentacles draw prey up to a polyp containing the gastrozooids or digestive organisms. A fourth polyp contains the reproductive organisms.

Man-of-wars are found, sometimes in groups of 1,000 or more, floating in warm waters throughout the world's oceans. They have no independent means of propulsion and either drift on the currents or catch the wind with their pneumatophores. To avoid threats on the surface, they can deflate their air bags and briefly submerge.

Gulf of Mexico

Like autumn leaves floating in a sunlit pond, this vast expanse of magnificent stingrays animates the bright blue seas of the Gulf of Mexico.

Taken off the coast of Mexico's Holbox Island by amateur photographer Sandra Critelli, this breathtaking picture captures the migration of thousands of rays as they follow the clockwise current from Mexico's Yucatan peninsula to western Florida.

Measuring up to 6ft 6in across, poisonous golden cow-nose rays migrate in groups - or 'fevers' - of up to 10,000 as they glide their way silently towards their summer feeding grounds.

They migrate twice yearly: north in late spring (as pictured here) and south in late autumn.

There are around 70 species of stingray in the world's oceans, but these cow-nose rays (Rhinoptera bonasus) have distinctive, highdomed heads, giving them a curiously bovine appearance.

But despite their placid looks, they are still armed with a poisonous stinger, which can be deadly to humans (even though sharks, their main predators, are more likely to provoke them).

The stinger, a razor-sharp spine that grows from the creature's whip-like tail, can reach almost 15 inches in length and carries a heady dose of venom.

It was a similar stinger that killed the hugely popular Australian naturalist Steve Irwin in 2006.

But even equipped with this powerful punch, cow-nose stingrays are shy and non-threatening in large 'fevers'. Even when isolated, they will attack only when cornered or threatened.
Unlike other stingrays, they rarely rest on the seabed (where unsuspecting humans can step on them) and prefer to be on the move.

They migrate long distances, and can be found as far south as the Caribbean and as far north as New England.

They use their extended pectoral fins to swim, and often turn upside down, curling their fin tips above the surface of the water - leaving terrified swimmers convinced that they have seen a shark.

Their flexible fins also come in handy when rustling up food. By flapping them rapidly over the seabed, they stir up sand and reveal crabs, shellfish and oysters, which they then feed on using their powerful, grinding teeth.

Their particular fondness for shellfish has made them public enemy number one with oyster fishermen.

But despite this, their numbers are exploding, thanks in part to rising sea temperatures. They mate every winter, and females produce a litter of five to ten young.

Stingrays (which are related to skates and sharks) have never been widely fished for food, mainly because of their rubbery flesh.

But barbecued stingray and dried fins are common in Singapore and Malaysia, while pickled stingray remains a traditional favourite in Iceland.

April is a month to celebrate in Sharm as the summer season finally arrives.

Each year from April to September divers are sometimes lucky enough to have the company of manta rays on the local dive sites.

So far this April there have been numerous manta ray sightings up and down the coastline. No longer is 'Ras Mohammed' or 'Tiran' the most popular choice, the 'local' dive sites are the place to be!

Manta rays, easily distinguished by their large mandibles, are the biggest winged creatures that inhabit the oceans. The largest known specimen measured more than 7.6 metres across with a weight of about 2,300 kilos. But here in Sharm a smaller, yet still impressive 3-4 metres is more common.

Mantas feed mainly on plankton filtered from the water passing through their gills as they swim. Incidentally their top speed is only 7 miles per hour and for those of you that have had the chance to dive with them before, you'll know it seems like they are going much faster.

Scuba diving with a manta ray is an amazing experience, often ended with a cheer of delight from the divers upon reaching the surface.

They are quite curious animals and they are often known to approach scuba divers, either enjoying the interaction and playing with our bubbles or simply wanting to see what is happening.

These magnificent creatures are also frequently seen feeding near or at the surface so those snorkelling also might be lucky enough to catch a glimpse.

When diving with manta rays it is very important to remember that they are wild animals and should be observed only. The less action a scuba diver takes to scare a manta ray, such as chasing it to get a better look or to get that perfect picture, the more likely it is that the manta ray will hang around giving an unforgettable experience.

Happy manta ray spotting this summer in Sharm!

Britain has created a 210,000 sq mile marine nature reserve around the Indian Ocean’s Chagos Archipelago, making it the largest area yet designated for the protection of marine species.

The group of some 50 islands, a British protectorate, lies 1000 miles south of India. It features 220 coral species, including the world’s largest coral atoll.

Twice the size of Britain, the new reserve is fully protected, with all commercial fishing and extraction banned.

Rich in fish species, the Chagos Islands are an important breeding ground for important populations of oceanic sharks, dolphins and green and hawkbill sea turtles.

Protection from fishing will give these and other creatures, some of which are on the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Red List of endangered species, a chance to regroup.

In addition, because the Chagos Island reefs recovered well from El Nino-instigated coral destruction in the late 90s, they represent a key base by which to judge the recovery of other affected coral areas.

The decision by Britain to protect the Ghagos Islands came after a four-month public consultation on the islands’ management. More than 275,000 people and organisations from around the world participated.

Its establishment will double the global coverage of the world's oceans under protection which desperately need better protection.

In 2010, the International Year of Biodiversity, the UK has secured a conservation legacy which is unrivalled in scale and significance, demonstrating to the world that it is a leader in conserving the world’s marine resources for the benefit of future generations.

Partners have included the Chagos Conservation Trust, The Pew Environment Group, the Marine Conservation Society, the Royal Botanical Gardens in Kew, The Royal Society, The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB), The Zoological Society of London (ZSL), The Linnean Society of London and Prof C Sheppard.

After the Chagos Archipelago, the world’s second-largest marine reserve, established by President George W Bush in 2006, lies around the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands.

At 140,000 square miles, it is a shade larger than Australia's Great Barrier Reef Marine Park.

London: The Shark Trust awards; Huw Irranca Davies, UK Minister for Marine and Natural Environment, the status of ‘Shark Champion’.

The Minister received a Shark Champion award today in recognition of the UK’s prohibition on the removal of shark fins at sea, and the associated requirement that UK vessels around the world must land sharks with their fins naturally attached.

The Shark Trust Director of Conservation, Ali Hood, said: "This award to Mr Irranca Davies and his counterpart in Scotland Mr Lochhead, is the first of its kind to policy makers and reflects the decisive action in addressing the issue of shark finning. It also recognises the UK's ongoing efforts in urging all EU Member States to follow their lead.”

The Shark Trust has advocated for a change in the EU Shark Finning Legislation since it’s adoption in 2003. Hood went on to say: "An end to special fishing permits and a requirement to land sharks with their fins naturally attached greatly improves the opportunity for effective shark management. It also marks significant progress towards implementation of aspects of the EU Community Plan of Action for Sharks."

On receiving his award Mr Irranca Davies said: “Sharks are some of the most vulnerable species on Earth and action must be taken to protect them. I am proud that my decision has allowed the UK to lead the way in Europe by ending the permits which allow fins to be removed at sea.

Now all UK registered vessels will have to land sharks with their fins attached wherever in the world they are fishing. Not only will this end the wasteful practice of removing fins and discarding the bodies at sea, but we’ll also be able to get better scientific evidence to help conservation.

“I am grateful to the Shark Trust for their support as I continue to push in Europe to end the issuing of these permits for all European countries.”

Shark finning remains the single greatest threat to shark populations. The decision to prohibit the removal of shark fins at sea influences not only UK vessels within EU waters but also overseas. With an active fleet of UK pelagic longline vessels in the Indian Ocean and around the coast of Africa catching significant numbers of pelagic sharks legislation of this nature is vital to enable effective shark fisheries management.

A large cargo vessel has gone hard aground on Woodhouse Reef, in the northern Red Sea.

The 260m-long, Hong Kong-flagged CSCL Hamburg hit the reef, between the Sinai coast and Tiran Island, on the morning of New Year’s Eve, while en route to Singapore.

Diving operators and others are relieved that, so far, there appear to have been no leakages from the hull.

Damage is reportedly limited to the bow area, but could be severe as the ship ran on to the reef at a speed of about 20 knots. There were no injuries to crew or loss of cargo.

The extent of damage to corals has yet to be assessed, and the diving community waits to learn what impact the grounding will have on diving in the area, in terms both of any salvage operation and of damage done to the reef.

John Kean, a Sharm El Sheikh-based PADI and TDI diving instructor and author of the book SS Thistlegorm, saw events unfold from a dive boat some way off, before moving in for a closer look.

“The ship passed the first reef, Jackson, at 10am and instead of continuing past Gordon Reef, the last of the four reefs in the Tiran Straits, it went between the middle two reefs, Woodhouse and Thomas,” he told Divernet.

“The gap here is less than 80m. The ship, with a beam of 32.3m, struck Woodhouse Reef just 50m from its end but went hard on to the top by a distance of around 25m.”

Kean later learned that, according to early reports, the ship deviated when its third officer, temporarily in charge of the bridge, turned to port to avoid a small craft.

It was thought that the officer either over-steered the vessel or underestimated its ability to turn back on to a safe course.

The Straits of Tiran are popular with scuba divers coming out of Sharm El Sheikh, for the scenic drift diving that can be had in the vicinities of Woodhouse, Jackson, Gordon and Thomas Reefs.

Fortunately no fuel or oil leakages appeared to have occurred, and that pumps were at work to deal with water ingress which was limited to the bow area, due to the ship’s watertight compartments.

New pages have been added to this web site with reference to the byelaws governing the landing of fish and shellfish by divers.

During a recent committee meeting the subject was discussed at length and it was decided that it would be helpful if the regulations were published on the site for the benefit of the membership.

The regulations are enforced and penalties for breaching the regulations can be severe and include large fines and/or confiscation of boats.

The new links are as follows:

South Wales Fisheries Committee Byelaws

South Wales Fisheries Guidance Leaflet

EU Minimum Fish Sizes (PDF)

Prime Minister Gordon Brown has confirmed that the Government is preparing the long-awaited "Marine Bill" for introduction early in the fourth Session of Parliament - possibly within a matter of weeks.

This follows ongoing campaigning by wildlife organisations MCS, RSPB, WWF and the Wildlife Trusts, including: a full page advertisement calling for the Bill in national newspapers; an "Early Day Motion" put forward in parliament; and support for the Marine Bill and Marine Reserves by BBC presenters Kate Humble and Simon King.

It also coincided 25 years to the day with the Marine Conservation Society's inaugural registration as a UK charity.

The Marine Bill is vital to enable the designation of Marine Conservation Zones to protect nationally important wildlife such as pink sea fans, eel grass beds, seahorse, maerl and basking sharks. At present less than 0.001% of our seas are highly protected from damaging activities.

A 10-year-old moratorium banning shark fishing in parts of the Maldives has been extended to cover the whole island group.

Since its adoption in 1998, the moratorium covered seven atolls - but now it extends to 12 nautical miles off any Maldives land mass.

The Maldivian Government has taken the step in the face of evidence that shark populations in the area have come under threat from fishing practices, with takes exceeding sharks' abilities to reproduce.

Abdullah Nasir, the Fisheries Ministry's Permanent Secretary, said: "The fisheries law clearly tells us that we can protect any marine species if we feel that it's threatened or endangered for any reason."

The Maldives is a draw for diving tourists, attracted by its reputation for healthy populations of sharks, in particular hammerheads.

Acknowledging that the islands' shark groups are "very important for tourism", Nasir added that his ministry was "working towards" enshrining the moratorium permanently in law, with the aim of banning shark-fishing and the export of shark products within the next year.

Conservationists have welcomed the move - but caution that effects should be monitored. Maldivian reef ecologist Marie Saleem, while welcoming the Government's announcement, said that reef shark populations will require careful assessment to determine the effect of the moratorium and any subsequent statutory ban.

The following snippets are from the Wildlife Trust marine news section. Some information about seasearch courses and dives in Wales are at the end.

• Latest issue of MPA News, including Skomer, MPAs for migratory species and more.
  click here

• Does Scotland really need a Marine Act?
  click here

• Scottish consultation on wave and tidal energy.
  click here

• Climate change at the coast – CoastNet conference.
  click here

• Bass Minimum Landing Size petition. The recreational sea angling lobby has proposed that the Minimum Landing Size (MLS) for the taking of bass should be increased to 45cm which is the size at which each fish will have spawned at least once. The commercial industry is generally against this move. Defra had recognized the importance of increasing the MLS and last year announced an interim increase to 40cm starting 6th April 2007 with a view to a larger increase in 2010. A last minute meeting with the commercial sector has put a hold on any increase. There is a petition at the No. 10 Downing Street website to increase the MLS to 45cm.
  click here

• Plans for Olympic Marina on Dorset coast.
  click here

• Fishing off Sussex costs a trawler skipper £10,300. The owner and skipper of the Brixham beam trawler Angus Rose, was fined a £6,500 with a further £3,800 costs, by Brighton magistrates on March 29th after pleading guilty to 17 log book offences and fishing inside the protected six mile limit off Hastings.
  
  In an interview submitted to the court, Mr. George admitted to Marine Fisheries inspectors that he never filled his log book until the end of a fishing trip. The rules state that he is required to do so by midnight every night.
  
  Prosecuting for the Marine Fisheries Agency and the Sussex Sea Fisheries Committee, David Buck, said a large vessel like the Angus Rose fishing inside the six mile limit had a damaging impact on the marine environment and in-shore fish stocks.
  
  Magistrates said it was clear that the Angus Rose had consistently fished within the six mile limit and there was no excuse for it because sophisticated equipment on board showed Mr. George exactly where he was.
  
  Mr. George claimed the log book offences were “minor clerical errors” and his encroachment inside the six mile limit was because he was short-handed and tired. ”Magistrates said that after previous warnings, a small fine and a conditional discharge in the past it was time to impose a significant financial penalty.
  
  Paul Johnson, senior MFA fisheries officer based at Shoreham said: “This case shows the Marine Fisheries Agency and the Sussex Sea Fisheries Committee working in partnership to enforce the rules which are designed preserve the inshore marine environment and fish stocks.”

• Waitrose promotes sustainable fish. click here

• New EU Fisheries Discards policy. click here

• Latest issue of emarine. click here
  including PhD on Citizenship and the Marine Environment.

• Education: marine mammals and noise. Canadian lesson plan on the impacts of noise on harbour porpoises. click here

• Shark fishing upsets ecosystem and damages shellfisheries. click here