News
Submersible Explores Vancouver Glass Sponge Reefs for First Time
The Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society (CPAWS) began a week long expedition earlier this week to the glass sponge reefs of Vancouver, BC’s Howe Sound in a 3-person submersible, the first mission undertaken to explore what scientists have dubbed “living fossils.”
Glass sponges are found worldwide, but they are unique to BC in that they continue to grow over the skeletons of dead sponges to create enormous deep water reefs along the continental shelf. Their “glass” skeletons are formed through high levels of dissolved silica in the water, and they thrive on the nutrient-rich cold water upwellings that are typical to the region.
The first glass sponge was discovered in 1986, when scientists unwittingly came across a 9,000 year old specimen standing 8 stories high. Until then, scientists had no idea the species was still extant; they only knew glass sponge reefs as fossils from 160 million years ago. Subsequent research has revealed that glass sponge reefs proliferate the waters around British Columbia, with more than 280 square miles of reef revealed and scientists expecting to discover more.
Source: www.aquaviews.net
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
Free Octopus with every purchase of a SCUBAPRO regulator system
Just in time for the spring season, divers can save money with the FREE OCTOPUS SPRING PROMOTION! Until July 31st SCUBAPRO offers an Octopus for free
with every purchase of a regulator system!
Get a free S270 OCTOPUS with purchase of these combinations:
MK25 EVO or MK19 EVO with A700
MK25 EVO or MK19 EVO with S620Ti
MK25 EVO or MK19 EVO with D420
MK25 EVO Din mit S620Ti-X
Get a free R105 OCTOPUS with purchase of the following combinations:
MK25 EVO or MK19 EVO with G260
MK25 EVO or MK17 EVO with S600
SCUBAPRO offers a 30-year first owner warranty on all regulators, with a revision period of two years or 100 dives. All SCUBAPRO regulators are of course certified according to the new European test standard EN250-2014.
Available at participating SCUBAPRO dealers. Promotion may not be available in all regions. Find an authorized SCUBAPRO Dealer at scubapro.com.
More information available on www.scubapro.com.
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