 June 2007 Printer-Friendly Chamber Day & Evening a Big Success  Chamber Day 2007 proved to be a huge success, raising $95,375 for the Catalina Hyperbaric Chamber on May 2.Participating dive boats included the Bottom Scratcher, Cee Ray, Great Escape, Magician, Mr. C, Pacific Star, Psalty V, Sand Dollar, Sea Bass, Second Stage, Sundiver, and Sundiver II. 250 divers participated in the daytime part of the event, which included two dives at Catalina and a tour of the Chamber facilities. Once on land, participants talked to rescue personnel from Baywatch and the L.A County Sheriff‘s Department, took a peek inside a Coast Guard helicopter, and went inside the Chamber, where they were pressurized to a depth of one foot. Another 129 people—a new record—signed up for the Flying Dutchman, the Ghost Ship of Chamber Day. Although they didn’t actually get to “dive,” those participating in the Dutchman will receive a special t-shirt with the Dutchman logo on the back and a list of all of their names arranged in the form of a skull on the front. As darkness fell, close to 500 divers converged on the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach for Chamber Evening. They had full run of the facility with an hour to wander around, another hour for dinner, and then the various presentations and acknowledgments that round out the evening, capped off by the presentation to Chamber Director Karl Huggins of the mock check with this year’s amount. There’s still one more thing to come as the Chamber Day Committee is still hard at work on putting the finishing touches on “Through the Lens: A Chronicle of Chamber Day 2007.” This is a collaborative work culled from the contributions of 43 photographers who took shots both above and below the water on May 2. The soft-cover high-gloss book will be close to 100 pages long, full color, and will cover all aspects of the event. The book is expected to be available for pick-up at the Chamber booth at the SCUBA Show June 2 &3. For those who haven’t yet ordered one, you can still get it for a $75 contribution to the Chamber. Chamber Day bills itself as the largest single-day scuba charity event in the United States (and perhaps the world) and certainly lived up to that billing this year. Next year’s event will take place on Wednesday, May 7, so mark your calendars now. MPAs In Place Central Coast, North Coast Next The California Fish and Game Commission has adopted regulations in a landmark decision to create a new suite of marine protected areas (MPAs) designed for California’s central coast (between Pigeon Point in San Mateo County and Point Conception in Santa Barbara County). This move effectively launches the state’s Marine Life Protection Act (MLPA) Program, which is designed to better conserve marine resources for their long-term sustainability, while also enhancing outdoor recreation and ocean research opportunities along the coast. “With our action California has embarked upon something historic and extraordinary,” said Richard Rogers, president of the commission. “With this vote we have taken the first step to return our ocean waters to the place they used to be—an ocean full of sustainable abundance.” The commission voted unanimously in favor of its preferred alternative: 29 MPAs along the central coast representing approximately 204 square miles (or approximately 18 percent) of state waters, with about 85 square miles (approximately 7.5 percent of the Central Coast Study Region) designated as “no-take” state marine reserves along the central coast. The newly established MPAs represent the culmination of a two-year public process with nearly 60 public meetings held for stakeholders and scientists, as well as the oversight of the MLPA Blue Ribbon Task Force, convened by Secretary for Resources Mike Chrisman. The California Department of Fish and Game, the lead agency charged with managing the state’s living marine resources, will be responsible for implementing the MLPA Program, including all enforcement, research and monitoring activities. The implementation date is expected to be sometime this summer. Recreational and commercial fishing seasons that open in May and June, including some salmon and ground fish fishing seasons, will not be affected by the new MPA regulations until after the implementation date. DFG will inform the public of the implementation date when it becomes known, and will publish and distribute materials specifying the location and any associated fishing restrictions for each MPA. The MLPA Web site, www.dfg.ca.gov/mlpa contains the most up-to-date information concerning the new central coast MPAs. Even before the central coast MPAs were approved, preparations had begun for the second phase of the MLPA Initiative process, which will focus on the north-central coast from Pigeon Point in San Mateo County to Alder Creek (near Point Arena) in Mendocino County. Over the next year, stakeholders, scientists, task force members and MLPA Initiative staff will again engage in a cooperative effort to craft MPA alternatives for the new area. Lessons learned from the previous process will be incorporated, options will be proposed, reviewed, and adjusted, and ultimately the commission will choose a single option for implementation. Among the earliest actions taken in the second phase of the MLPA Initiative process was the appointment of a new Blue Ribbon Task Force in late February. The task force directs funding for the project, prepares information and recommendations for coordinating the management of MPAs with federal agencies, and oversees an iterative process with regional stakeholders and scientists to develop alternative marine protected area proposals. To introduce interested parties to the second phase of the MLPA process, five public workshops were held in March 2007 from Gualala to Half Moon Bay. More than 175 people participated in the workshops, where questions were answered and input was received on the initiative process. Nominations were also accepted in April 2007 for members of two advisory groups, the Regional Stakeholder Group and the Science Advisory Team. The Regional Stakeholder Group will provide local knowledge, evaluate existing MPAs, develop MPA proposals and discuss MLPA process issues with various constituent groups. The Science Advisory Team will provide scientific knowledge and expert opinions for use in developing MPAs, and will review draft documents, MPA proposals, and scientific papers using established scientific guidelines. MLPA Initiative meeting information is posted on the MLPA website at www.dfg.ca.gov/mlpa. Bozanic Wins DAN/Rolex Diver of the Year Award  Jeff Bozanic, Ph.D., renowned dive educator, researcher and trainer of numerous diving specialties, has been named the 2007 DAN/Rolex Diver of the Year.In making the announcement DAN President and CEO Dan Orr cited Bozanic’s thousands of hours of volunteer service to help promote Divers Alert Network (DAN). “Since he became an instructor, originally with the National Association of Underwater Instructors (NAUI) and other organizations of specialty diving, Jeff has been tireless in his efforts to improve diving safety, especially in the areas of cave diving and technical diving education,” Orr said. “For the past 23 years, he has indeed been an unwavering friend of DAN.” Bozanic, DAN’s first lifetime member, has actively supported and promoted DAN membership, student membership and insurance; he has written articles and provided photographs for Alert Diver magazine and provided timely technical advice to its editors. “Jeff has a lengthy résumé, including promotion of cave diving safety and education, promotion of safety and education in scientific diving and the promotion of general diving education,” Orr said. “He is widely published in all these areas, and he is a prolific speaker and instructor in many facets of diving and related safety concerns.” Bozanic has conducted wide-ranging research, including participation in 23 expeditions and projects ranging from faunal research in the inland and marine caves of Palau to evaluating the reliability of dive regulators and computers in polar waters at McMurdo Station, Antarctica. In addition, as a dive locker technician at McMurdo and Palmer Stations, Antarctica, Bozanic participated in biological, hydrological, ice and pollution research, collecting preliminary data using Doppler monitoring of research divers. He has penned more than 150 articles, and he has written or provided technical reviews for many magazines and diving textbooks. Notably, he co-authored the Antarctic Scientific Diving Manual and has written chapters for texts for the National Association of Cave Divers and National Speleological Society Cave Diving Section. A certified hyperbaric technician, Bozanic is also an associate member of the Undersea Hyperbaric and Medical Society. He is an active volunteer for the Catalina Hyperbaric Chamber in California. While he served as a board member of the International Underwater Cave Rescue and Recovery Inc. , Bozanic assisted law enforcement agencies in investigation of underwater accidents, rescue attempts and recoveries. He has spearheaded the collection and dissemination of data related to technical diving incidents and fatalities. While he provides technical development of underwater equipment and devices, he also offers consultation regarding diving accidents, diving safety and diving equipment failures. Bozanic is a director of Island Caves Research Center; a nonprofit charitable institution that sponsors scientific investigations in submerged caves in coastal settings. Since 1984, he has operated Next Generation Services Inc., in Huntington Beach, Calif., teaching diving to recreational divers and training divers in entry-level courses through instructor-level courses in basic, advanced and technical diving specialty certification courses. Among many dive industry commendations, Bozanic has received the NAUI Outstanding and Continuing Service Awards, the Silver Wakulla and Abe Davis Awards for safe cave diving, and the SSI Platinum Pro 5000 Award. In 2002, he joined the NAUI Hall of Honor. He holds doctorate degrees in education and oceanography, an MBA and a master’s degree in environmental education. Bozanic will be a featured speaker at SCUBA Show 2007 at the Long Beach Convention Center, June 2-3. New Shark Web Site Shark Diving International has launched their new web site, SeeSharks.com. Being an international company, the new site is translated into several languages, so shark fans from all over the world can enjoy the new web site. So far, it has been translated into French, German, Italian, Russian and Japanese. The new site is much easier to navigate in order find the information you need. You will also be able to download and view new videos and many of the photos the shark fans have sent in over the years. Updated Sport Fishing Regulations Available The 2007 Ocean Sport Fishing regulations booklet is now available online at www.dfg.ca.gov/regulations and wherever fishing licenses are sold. Toxic Algae Killing Marine Animals A naturally occurring toxic algae that may be contaminating shellfish could also be the cause of death of numerous marine mammals and seabirds found along the Southern and Central California coast. The Department of Fish and Game (DFG) and the California Department of Health Services (CDHS) are advising the public that dozens of marine mammals, including dolphins and sea lions, have been found beached from San Diego north to Santa Barbara. Those animals may have become ill by eating small fish containing the toxin. A large number of dead or ill seabirds recently found may also have been affected by this toxin. Domoic acid is a nerve toxin produced by a particular species of microscopic algae that filter feeders like mussels and small finfish such as sardines feed on and concentrate the toxins. CDHS has issued several warnings to consumers advising them to avoid eating all sport-harvested species of bivalve shellfish. The quarantine area is in effect for the state’s entire coast, including bays and estuaries. Swimming in waters with the algae is not hazardous. The public is advised to contact CDHS for updates on shellfish biotoxins, quarantines and other information. The CDHS “Shellfish Information Line” is 1-800-553-4133. Catalina Fire Has Little Effect For Divers The massive Catalina brush fire that threatened Avalon will have little long-term effects on divers visiting the popular island. From May 11th through the 14th visitors were prohibited from coming to the town of Avalon. This impacted divers looking to dive the popular Avalon Underwater Park or those customers wanting to use the town’s dive charter boats. Dive charter boats venturing to Catalina from the mainland were not affected. All operations, including ferry service, dive stores, boats, restaurants and hotels were operational within just a few days. The only long-term effect of the fire of concern to divers is at the Catalina Hyperbaric Chamber. Power to the chamber has been compromised but was fully restored with back up generators. Phone service, however, is not expected to be restored for two to three weeks. At least until early June the direct phone line to the Catalina Hyperbaric Chamber will be inoperable. In the mean time, in case of an emergency, you will need to phone the L.A. County MAC (Medic Alert Center) at 323-869-0578, and then push 8. Tell them you have a hyperbaric emergency. They will then contact the hyperbaric physician on-duty and they will also alert the Coast Guard. The Coast Guard will contact the Chamber by radio and the Chamber will then use their satellite phone to contact the MAC or you directly to co-ordinate everything. (If you’re out on the water, you should be able to contact the Coast Guard &/or the Chamber directly by hailing on channel 16.) © Copyright 2007, all rights reserve, by Saint Brendan Corporation, P.O. Box 11231, Torrance CA 90510, mail@cadivingnews.com. No part of this may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system/website, or transmitted in any form by any means without prior written permission of the publisher. IMPORTANT NOTICE: The contents of this publication/website are opinions of the individual writers. The publishers of California Diving News and its contributors assume no responsibility for any mishap claimed to be a result of use of this material. Diving is an adventure sport and with it comes inherent risks. Improper use of diving equipment or improper diving techniques may result in serious injury or, in extreme circumstances, death. Readers are admonished to use their own best judgement in each individual situation. |
