News
Cyprus getting a new artificial reef this weekend
Divers heading for Cyprus will have a new wreck to explore. An old war ship, the Kyrenia, has been donated by the government and will be the country’s latest artificial reef.
The boat, which will be scuttled on Saturday morning off the coast of Ayia Napa in Pernera, was donated to the municipality by the defence ministry. The project is co-funded from the fisheries budget by the EU and the Cyprus government.
“It is a very important project and a long-term demand by the municipality. The creation of an artificial reef in the Ayia Napa area will contribute to the recovery and protection of marine biodiversity, the upgrading of the ecosystem and the enrichment of the area’s tourism product,” said Ayia Napa’s mayor, Yiannis Karousos.
The boat will be the second artificial reef of the area, as another vessel, Nemesis III, was sunk in Protaras at 23 metres in 2013.
The Department of Fisheries and Marine Research said in an announcement that the vessel was cleaned and prepared for scuttling according to the Barcelona Convention for the Protection of the Mediterranean Sea against Pollution.
The Kyrenia will be the fifth vessel to be scuttled so far as part of the effort to upgrade the island’s diving tourism.
Other than the Nemesis III in Protaras, the Costandis and Lady Thetis were sunk in Limassol Dasoudi at 25 meters and 21-23 meters respectively, and the Laboe in Paphos at approximately the same depth. The vessels were purchased with funding from the Cyprus Tourism Organisation (CTO).
Cyprus’ most famous shipwreck, the Zenobia, a Swedish cargo vessel sunk in Larnaca in 1980, is one of the top five most popular diving attractions worldwide.
According to unofficial estimates, the number of diving tourists to Cyprus ranges from 35,000 to 50,000 annually.
The scuttling of the Kyrenia will take place at 11am on Saturday in the presence of Defence Minister Christoforos Fokaides and Agriculture Minister Nicos Kouyialis. The event is open to the public. On Saturday at 10.30am, boats will transfer those interested from the Ayia Napa harbour to the area where the scuttling will occur.
Source: cyprus-mail.com
Over the next 12 months, specialist scuba holiday company Dive Worldwide will be supporting Bite-Back Shark & Marine Conservation with donations collected from client bookings to any one of its stunning dive destinations around the world. The independently-owned operator expects to raise £3000 for the UK charity.
Manager at Dive Worldwide, Phil North, said: “We’re especially excited to work with Bite-Back and support its intelligent, creative and results-driven campaigns to end the UK trade in shark products and prompt a change in attitudes to the ocean’s most maligned inhabitant.”
Bite-Back is running campaigns to hold the media to account on the way it reports shark news along with a brand new nationwide education programme. Last year the charity was credited for spearheading a UK ban on the import and export of shark fins.
Campaign director at Bite-Back, Graham Buckingham, said: “We’re enormously grateful to Dive Worldwide for choosing to support Bite-Back. The company’s commitment to conservation helps set it apart from other tour operators and we’re certain its clients admire and respect that policy. For us, the affiliation is huge and helps us look to the future with confidence we can deliver against key conservation programmes.”
To launch the fundraising initiative, Phil North presented Graham Buckingham with a cheque for £1,000.
Visit Dive Worldwide to discover its diverse range of international scuba adventures and visit Bite-Back to learn more about the charity’s campaigns.
MORE INFORMATION
Call Graham Buckingham on 07810 454 266 or email graham@bite-back.com
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