Author: Kathryn Curzon

There was a time when putting my face underwater brought on panic attacks and the feeling I would die, which…

With a growing media focus on the plight of our oceans, it is easier than ever to learn about marine conservation issues and get involved. There are many dedicated organizations out there, from worldwide charities to smaller, community-based initiatives. No matter what your preference or ability, there is a way to pitch in and help. Here are our picks for five top shark charities that working to preserve our oceans.

With a growing media focus on the plight of our oceans, it is easier than ever to learn about marine…

Jacques do Vos is an underwater photographer who regularly gets into the water with these magnificent creatures, most recently in Norway. Enjoy the stunning video of his experiences above.

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to freedive with orcas? Jacques do Vos is an underwater photographer…

A group of Australian divers are changing the world of tankless diving by introducing the AirBuddy. This portable system offers up to 45 minutes of dive time for one diver up to 12 metres of depth and is both lightweight and small; consisting of just a battery-powered air compressor, a regulator and hose. The 12-volt battery takes 3.5 hours to charge using a standard electrical socket.

A Spanish biologist and amateur beekeeper, Federica Bertocchini, has discovered a plastic-eating caterpillar that could be the solution to global plastic pollution. The caterpillar’s ability to consume plastic was accidentally discovered during routine bee hive maintenance and it’s has since been studied by Bertocchini and her peers at the University of Cambridge. Their findings have been published in Current Biology in April 2017.

Amateur beekeeper accidentally discovers plastic-eating caterpillar that could solve global plastic pollution. A Spanish biologist and amateur beekeeper, Federica Bertocchini,…

Greenpeace dumped a 2.5 tonne ocean plastic sculpture outside Coca-Cola’s headquarters in London during April 2017. The sculpture, made from sand and waste Coca-Cola bottles, was created in protest of the company’s role in ocean plastic pollution.

Greenpeace protests Coca-Cola’s role in ocean plastic pollution with giant sculpture outside their London headquarters. Greenpeace dumped a 2.5 tonne…

China’s largest airline, China Southern, has banned the carriage of shark fin on all its cargo and passenger flights.

A Virgin StartUp-backed company, ARC Marine, is creating an artificial reef at premier UK diving site Vobster Quay in 2017. They aim to protect the globally endangered white-clawed crayfish, which is threatened with extinction in the next twenty to thirty years.

A Virgin StartUp-backed company, ARC Marine, is creating an artificial reef at premier UK diving site Vobster Quay in 2017.…

Researchers working in Queensland, Australia have discovered humpback whales breach to communicate with other pods of whales over 4 km (2.5 miles) apart. Wanting to know why these whales breach when migrating, researchers observed 94 different groups of whales during their migration to Antarctica. Their findings were published in Marine Mammal Science in November 2016.

Richelieu Rock, a dive site that is part of the Mu Koh Surin marine park in Thailand, has been destroyed. The site was recently captured on film, which showed the area covered in dead fish and with cracked areas of coral. The reef was known as one of the best diving sites in the world.

The Samoa and Tonga Sevens teams have been raising awareness for shark conservation with the Hong Kong Shark Foundation (HKSF), Hong Kong Rugby Union (HKRU) and Tuen Mun Sharks Mini rugby club. They joined forces to share the plight of sharks during the Cathay Pacific/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens in April 2017.

The Samoa and Tonga Sevens teams have been raising awareness for shark conservation with the Hong Kong Shark Foundation (HKSF),…

Open University have launched a new Marine Litter MOOC, or Massive Open Online Course. Starting in May 2017, this course seeks to encourage people to take action to address the global problem of marine litter.

Open University have launched a new Marine Litter MOOC, or Massive Open Online Course. Starting in May 2017, this course…

Blue Marble Private are offering diving expeditions to the Titanic wreck site in May 2018. For $105,129 per person, tourists can explore this world-famous wreck off the coast of Newfoundland, Canada during an eight-day expedition.

Blue Marble Private are offering diving expeditions to the Titanic wreck site in May 2018. For $105,129 per person, tourists…

New Zealander Freeman White has created a stunning shark mural as a tribute to the late Rob Stewart. The mural was created as part of the Seawalls: Artists for Oceans festival in Napier during 20th – 25th March 2017 and is one of twenty large-scale murals around the city.

New Zealander Freeman White has created a stunning shark mural as a tribute to the late Rob Stewart. The mural…

Vancouver Park Board has voted on 9th March 2017 to ban the importation and display of live cetaceans at Vancouver Aquarium. The vote came after two nights of debate and thousands of public submissions concerning the welfare of captive cetaceans. The ban will come into effect by amending a Parks Control bylaw in 2017.

Vancouver Park Board has voted on 9th March 2017 to ban the importation and display of live cetaceans at Vancouver…

Indonesia’s Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs, Luhat Binsar Pandjaitan, has announced up to one billion dollars will be pledged to reduce Indonesia’s plastic waste by seventy per cent over the next eight years. The announcement was made at the 2017 World Oceans Summit in Nusa Dua, Bali. Luhat confirmed that Indonesia will be focussing on plastic alternatives and education initiatives to achieve their goal. Their plan is part of the global UN Clean Seas campaign to reduce major marine waste sources by 2022.

Wellingtonian Dave Mullins has set the New Zealand freediving record at the Cressi New Zealand Depth Nationals, Lake Taupo, on 18th March 2017. Diving to a depth of 105m, using a single mono-fin, he has beat the previous record of 93m set by Austrian Herbert Nitsch.

Wellingtonian Dave Mullins has set the New Zealand freediving record at the Cressi New Zealand Depth Nationals, Lake Taupo, on…

The family of Rob Stewart, a Canadian filmmaker and shark conservationist, filed a wrongful death lawsuit on 28th March 2017 at Broward County, Florida. The lawsuit has been filed following the death of Rob Stewart during a dive off the Florida Keys in January 2017 and seeks unspecified damages.

The family of Rob Stewart, a Canadian filmmaker and shark conservationist, filed a wrongful death lawsuit on 28th March 2017…

The South Island of New Zealand is known for its diverse and spectacular landscapes including remote national parks, golden beaches, World Heritage status rainforests, glaciers, and Mount Cook. Made famous by The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit, it is a popular holiday destination for those seeking outdoor adventures and adrenaline highs.

The South Island of New Zealand is known for its diverse and spectacular landscapes including remote national parks, golden beaches,…

New Zealand is known for its wilderness areas on land but it is also home to 36 marine reserves and a spectacular array of dive sites. With accessible coastlines and hundreds of offshore islands, there are opportunities to dive wrecks, subtropical reefs, explore arches and dive within kelp forests, to name but a few. It is also possible to dive with rays and sharks, given that 26 species of ray and 113 species of shark have been recorded in New Zealand waters. There is something suitable for all dive preferences and abilities and here are our top picks of diving the North Island.

New Zealand is known for its wilderness areas on land but it is also home to 36 marine reserves and…

A conservation virtual running event has captured the public’s attention and turned from a solo event into a global one, with runners around the world signing up to participate.

Māui’s dolphin, a subspecies of Hector’s dolphin found off the west coast of the North Island, is the rarest marine dolphin and has approximately just 63 individuals remaining in the wild. This critically endangered dolphin needs all the help it can get to recover from fisheries bycatch.

Māui’s dolphin, a subspecies of Hector’s dolphin found off the west coast of the North Island, is the rarest marine…

The phrase muck diving was coined by Bob Halstead when he described diving off black sand beaches in Papua New Guinea. This unusual type of diving has gained great popularity and involves diving sites with sandy or silty bottoms, in search of the critters found there. Some of the best sites for muck diving are volcanic areas and sea grass beds.

Summer is fast approaching here in New Zealand, which means more people in the water enjoying the beautiful coastline and lakes whilst exploring their favourite dive sites.

Summer is fast approaching here in New Zealand, which means more people in the water enjoying the beautiful coastline and…

Yoga has numerous health benefits for divers including increased flexibility, muscle strength, improved breathing and good circulatory health. All of which can contribute to better and safer diving with good buoyancy control.

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The waters of New Zealand are home to a number of colourful moray eel species and conger eels, which can be dived with in places such as the Poor Knights marine reserve in Northland. Spending time with eels isn’t restricted to scuba diving though, as the land of the long white cloud is also home to the Longfin eel; a freshwater species only found in New Zealand and declining in numbers.

The waters of New Zealand are home to a number of colourful moray eel species and conger eels, which can…

Australia has experienced a tragic week with the loss of six people who died scuba diving or snorkelling in Australian waters.