Innholdsfortegnelse for Issue 2 - 2016 i Asian Diver

ADEX Keynote Speaker Amanda Vincent DIRECTOR AND CO-FOUNDER OF PROJECT SEAHORSE Amanda Vincent has a PhD in marine biology from the University of Cambridge and was Darwin Senior Research Fellow at the University of Oxford from 1994 to 1996. She is considered the leading authority on seahorse biology and conservation, and in 2000 was named a Pew Fellow in Marine Conservation. She also serves as lead scientific advisor and chair of the seahorse working group for CITES. April 16, Saturday 10:50am–11:15am April 17, Sunday 11:30am–11:45am Main Stage The Tale of the Pregnant Male: Seahorse Sex and Conservation Seahorses are very cool fishes, but luckily we are finding ways to make things better... April 16, Saturday 2:50pm–3:20pm Scuba360 Business Forum Saving Seahorses Means Saving the Seas Business can be a notable…

ADEX FILM FESTIVAL FOR KIDS Two Ocean Minutes with Jim Toomey by Jim Toomey Marine Litter The True Value of the Ocean Sharks and Ocean Health Polyps in Peril Two Miles Deep COLOUR & WIN! Show off your artistic skills in our colouring competition and stand to win great prizes! Winning entries may even get published in Asian Geographic JUNIOR! PUZZLE FUN! Challenge yourself with some amazing puzzles that tell us stories about the ocean! SEAHORSE ON YOUR FACE! Show your support for seahorses. Get a seahorse painted on your face with edible paints! MEET THE MERMAIDS! Come and splash around with mermaids at the ADEX swimming pool. Bring your own swimming costumes. And don’t miss the other mermaids performing in the dive tank throughout the show! WANT TO BE…

ADEX Ambassador of Freediving 2016-2017 Dada Li CHINA Dada Li is more than a talented and beautiful mermaid and underwater model, she is also a highly respected AIDA international freediving instructor and AIDA judge. April 16, Saturday 6:50pm–7:10pm Main Stage My Freediving Journey: Mermaid Dreams Come True Freediving is one of the most fascinating things that ever happened in my life, like a magic key opening the door to another world. When I enter the ocean, another me in my body awakens and I become the mermaid of my childhood dreams. April 17, Sunday 10am–12:30pm Swimming Pool Freediving Workshop (Sold Out) Christian Redl AUSTRIA/MALDIVES Christian Redl, also known as the “Iceman”, is considered to be one of the foremost freediving specialists of his generation. He holds several world freediving records,…

MEET THE MERMAIDS ADEX 2016 is thrilled to have real-life mermaids performing at the event again! Visitors can see these mythical creatures come alive as they swim and perform in the ADEX dive tank. DIVING FOR THE DISABLED Demonstrations by Diveheart Foundation on how the disabled can also be involved in the scuba diving industry! UNDERWATER ARTIST Watch Guinness World Record Holder Alexander Belozor paint underwater at the ADEX dive tank! Don’t miss it! HAE-NYEO DIVERS For the first time, catch the remarkable Hae-Nyeo divers at ADEX 2016! They will be showcasing their breath-hold skills for everyone to witness at the ADEX dive tank! ADULTS SCUBA TRYOUTS Experience diving for the first time with professional diving instructors at ADEX! APRIL 15, FRIDAY 10:30am–11:35am Diving for the Disabled by Diveheart 11:35am–12pm…

MARINE CONSERVATION We report on the business side of a variety of issues ranging from marine parks to shark finning to livelihoods for coastal communities. SUSTAINABLE MARINE TOURISM We cover strategies, campaigns, and other initiatives to support sustainable marine tourism, and provide useful information to help your business become more sustainable. BRANDING AND MARKETING IN ASIA PACIFIC Thinking of introducing a revolutionary idea or brand to the scuba diving world? We explore marketing opportunities for branding in Asia Pacific. SCUBA GEAR We plunge into the exciting world of equipment, showcasing masks, fins, wetsuits, and regulators, and focus on the latest technology, cutting-edge concepts, and all things related to scuba gear. UNDERWATER PHOTOGRAPHY AND VIDEO EQUIPMENT Is your business involved in manufacturing, selling or distributing cameras, housings, lenses, lights, and accessories?…

*Present this ticket to have the ticket price deducted from anything you buy at the UW360 booth! Terms and conditions apply…

1 Seahorses have an upright body posture that makes them very different from other fishes 2 The body is constructed of a series of interlocking bony plates that provide physical rigidity 3 As they have a small digestive system, which processes food quickly, they have to eat a lot to maintain energy 4 Pectoral, dorsal and anal fins allow the seahorse to swim… but only very slowly. Seahorses are the slowest-swimming fish in the sea 5 They have a long prehensile tail. Prehensile is a term used to describe the ability of an animal’s tail or limb to grasp. The tail is very important as a seahorse requires it to grip tightly to a holdfast; a holdfast being the structure (such as a sponge or seagrass) that they live on.…

You might not expect pygmy seahorses to have distinct personalities, but I can attest to their fascinating and sometimes quirky behaviours MINIATURE MYSTERIES I could never have foreseen what fascinating subjects these diminutive fish would make. Setting out to discover the private lives of pygmy seahorses, I embarked on my doctoral research, studying the biology and conservation of pygmy seahorses, based on what we already knew of the larger seahorses. Male pregnancy had already been confirmed from dead specimens, but their natural behaviours on the coral reefs of Southeast Asia remained a mystery. Ultimately, my notes after a research dive read more like an E.L. James novel than scientific records, but I was able to uncover many of these mysterious animals’ darkest secrets. You might not expect pygmy seahorses to…

BESIDES CLOWNFISH, seahorses are probably the fish best known to non-divers. Even though many people are unsure about what they really are (fish!), everyone seems to know and love them, fascinated by these strange and beautiful creatures. Seahorses are found everywhere in popular culture: movies, toys, necklaces, tattoos, chocolates, and so on. This is not a recent trend either; seahorses played an important role in the mythology of cultures as early as the Phoenicians and Ancient Greeks. In Chinese medicine the mythological allure of seahorses is becoming their downfall. Every year, up to 25 million seahorses are caught, dried and ground up into powder as remedies for various ailments, supposed cures that have no scientific or medical basis. Though the majority comes from bycatch in shrimp fisheries, it does not…

MAKE WISE CONSUMER CHOICES Avoid eating shrimp Shrimp trawling and farming are some of the most destructive activities in our ocean, causing vast amounts of vital seahorse habitats to be lost every year. Use fewer plastic products Ten percent of all the plastic we use and throw away ends up in the ocean, breaking down into tiny microplastics that are absorbed into the food web. The key is to prevent plastics from getting into the ocean in the first place! Eat sustainable seafood Choosing sustainably caught and responsibly farmed seafood is a simple and effective action we can take to protect our ocean and the creatures that call it home. Get to know where your seafood is from! Visit www.projectseahorse.org/get-involved Become a citizen scientist 1 Anyone can join! Whether you’re…

Now, midway through my time here, I couldn’t be more pleased with my decision to fly halfway around the world to join the family of volunteers and staff! Fifty-six minutes into a seahorse survey, and no seahorses. How unfair that such beautifully impressive creatures are also so agonisingly elusive! I glance to my left to see my buddy painstakingly scanning the seagrass bed beneath us… with just four short minutes left to survey, I can tell he’s as anxious as I am to find this almost mystically dragon-like fish. We’re told in our survey training that seahorses are the masters of camouflage, effortlessly vanishing into their surroundings, but all of a sudden this is turned on its head and it seems as if every strand of seagrass has become a…

For well over a century, women of the South Korean island province of Jeju have made their living by freediving, with minimal equipment, to the depths of the ocean to harvest seaweed and shellfish. Diving to well over 10 metres in chilly waters, and lasting between two to three minutes on a single gulp of air, over 100 times a day, the Hae-Nyeo, or sea women, are often seen as myth-like mermaids. For as long as Koreans can remember, the Hae-Nyeo have dived the waters surrounding Jeju, and have become emblematic of the very characteristics of the society that inhabits the far-flung island; reflecting the independent spirit, iron will and determination of its people. Brought to you by Read more about Hae-Nyeo at www.uw360.asia…

ADEX Ambassador for Dolphins AG Saño PHILIPPINES AG, a conservationist and widely published professional photographer, began his career as an assistant to art mentor Fernando Sena. He established Dolphins Love Freedom, which aims to protect dolphins and whales. AG has also undertaken assignments and environmental work with reputable NGOs and institutions and co-founded www.balyena.org, a nonprofit marine mammal conservation group. ADEX Ambassador for Coral Reefs Anuar Abdullah MALAYSIA Founder of Ocean Quest Southeast Asia, and author of the book Coral Reef Rehabilitation Anuar’s projects include management of a coral sanctuary, a coral propagation education programme and empowering the public in coral conservation. April 16, Saturday 11:40am–11:55am UW360 Zone Fascinating Facts about Coral Rehabilitation Gregory Burns USA/SINGAPORE Gregory Burns is an internationally acclaimed athlete and artist who began scuba diving and…

SINGAPORE PAVILION Organised by the Blue-Green Alliance and National Parks Board, the inaugural Singapore Pavilion celebrates the Sisters’ Islands Marine Park, Singapore’s first marine park, and showcases key milestones in Singapore’s marine biodiversity and conservation efforts. Learn more about our rich marine life at our interactive booths and activity stations! MARINE BIODIVERSITY EXHIBITION Discover the rich marine biodiversity in our local waters and find out more about the Sisters’ Islands Marine Park and its interactive dive trail! Learn about efforts in marine conservation by various groups and agencies since the 1900s! PHOTO BOOTH Join us at our photo booth where you can don dive gear and appear like you are diving underwater or pose as a seahorse. Stand a chance to win a prize with your most creative pose! STATIONS…

POSTED BY: OLIVER JARVIS, MARCH 8, 2016 Topics: Travel Tuesday Situated in the heart of Southeast Asia, Cambodia may not strike the seasoned diver as being a potential diving Mecca. For so many years it has remained relatively unheard of in terms of marine tourism, but for those who have geared up to encounter its underwater world, they have resurfaced with a sense of awe... Camera FRIDAY Photographer of the Month (February) Alex Mustard uw360 NEWS Cyclone Winston: Fiji Ravaged on Land, Underwater Paradise Survives TRADE360 BECOME A CORPORATE MEMBER FREE • Basic Corporate Member SGD200 • VIP Corporate Membership DIVEAHOLIC BECOME A DIVEAHOLIC MEMBER FREE • Basic Diveaholic Membership $$$ • VIP Diveaholic Membership MEMBER BENEFITS • Deals and Promotions Share this:…

BY MRT Suntec Singapore is easily accessible by MRT: The nearest MRT Stations are Esplanade Station and Promenade Station via the Circle Line, which will bring you directly to Suntec Singapore. Alternatively, take the MRT to City Hall Station; followed by a five- to ten-minute walk via an underpass to Suntec Singapore. BY BUS Suntec Singapore (Convention Centre): 36, 70M, 111, 133, 133A, 162M, 518, 518A, 700A, 857, NRI, 97, 97A, 70A, 106, 502, 502A, 502B, 518, 551, 578, 581, 577, 580, 575, 576, 579 Opp Suntec Singapore (Convention Centre): 36, 36A BY CAR/MOTORCYCLE There are 4 access routes to Suntec City by car: • Raffles Boulevard (from Bras Basah Road) • Temasek Avenue • Rochor Road exit from East Coast Expressway (ECP) • Nicoll Highway ADEX ADMISSION FEES NON-DIVERS…

Seahorses are notoriously challenging to spot, but here are some of the places where you have a pretty good chance of finding these miniature masters of disguise! Their chameleon-like ability to change colour to match their surroundings, and even, over time, to grow skin filaments to blend into their abode, keeps them well hidden from predators and the prying eyes of curious divers. They don’t swim well, so you will most often see them bobbing around in a gentle current, with their prehensile tails delicately entwined around a gorgonian, a sea fan, or buried in seagrass. Man-made objects such as piers, and old, static fishing nets are also favourite haunts. We are so fortunate to have so many opportunities to see these fascinating creatures right on our doorstep, if we…

PROJECT SEAHORSE, the marine conservation group I lead, has been pioneering seahorse research and conservation for many years. We were the first scientists to study seahorses in the wild, discovering, for example, that some species form long-term monogamous pairs. We were also the first to uncover the vast global trade in these animals. Even now, we’re amazed by how much there is still to learn about seahorses. We need your help to study and protect them! AN URGENT NEED FOR ACTION With their horse-like heads, monkey-like tails, kangaroo-like pouches, and chameleon-like eyes, seahorses are among the strangest and most iconic fish species in our oceans. While seahorses appear to be very different from other fishes in the sea, they are indeed fish. They belong to the same class as all…

I have seen how divers can make a big difference simply by sharing their seahorse observations Saving seahorses starts with research – research that you can easily get involved in! Scientists and volunteers around the world, people just like you, are working towards a common goal of collecting data that will mean better protection of these charismatic little creatures. And they are all waiting for you to join them. Here are three of their stories… SEAHORSES ARE SUCH INTRIGUING and charismatic creatures. Yes, they are fish, but at first glance they don’t much look like it. They are masters of camouflage and they are biologically unique – the only animal species where the males give birth. The more you learn about seahorses, the more fascinating they become. As a diver,…

THEY SAY THAT good things come to those who wait. But after what happened in December last year, I’d say that some really cool things happen to those who are in the right place at the right time. As part of my graduate work with Project Seahorse, a marine conservation group, I was doing research on White’s seahorses (Hippocampus whitei) and their habitats near Port Stephens in New South Wales, Australia. On my team’s fourth day of diving, we encountered a very pregnant male seahorse clinging to some seagrass. As I measured him, I noticed that a tiny tail was sticking out of his brood pouch. Now, for those who aren’t familiar with how seahorses reproduce, it’s the males who carry, nourish, and give birth to the young. The female…

LEARN • When it comes to providing our readers with vital information, we always turn to the experts, who impart their insight and knowledge on a range of oceanic subjects • Every day we learn something new about the dive industry – how it changes, survives and thrives. We seek new gaps in the market to create unique ideas to support the industry – take a look at the Scuba360 Business Forum as an example LEAD • Through our unique creations, we aim to fill the gaps in the diving industry – finding undiscovered dive sites, connecting you with operators and running large events • Helping the dive industry grow, we are constantly adapting to the market and seeking ways to reward divers for their…

2016–2017 Lee Yoon–Mi (South Korea) Lee is a South Korean actress and entrepreneur. She won the top prize in the Super Elite Model Best Talent Awards in 1998, and made her entertainment debut in 2003 as a member of the K-pop girl group THE S (›››). Afterwards, Lee ventured into acting, appearing in successful television dramas, and also playing a lead role in the stage musical The Golden Days in 2011. After learning scuba diving in Saipan in 2010, she fell in love with the ocean and has since been captivated by its beauty. Lee regularly sponsors children through Compassion International, an organisation founded in 1952 to help children orphaned by war in South Korea. 2011–2012 Denise Keller (Singapore) Model & Former VJ 2012–2013 Sarah Hishan (Malaysia) International Human Rights…

ADEX Ambassador for Mermaids 2016–2017 Hidy Yu HONG KONG Hong Kong actress and model Hidy Yu is our ADEX Ambassador for Mermaids 2oi6. Previously Miss Scuba International Ambassador and NAUI (National Association of Underwater Instructors) Worldwide Ambassador, HidyYu is also a qualified dive instructor for NAUI. She has been modelling since the age of 18, and has participated in three action movies (Kick Ass Girls, ?QiIf, Special Female Force, in production). Her hobbies include diving, boxing, and ultra trail running. April 15, Friday 4:45pm-6:45Pm Swimming Pool Sp lash Around with Mermaids April 27, Sunday 3: 5pm-3:3opm Dive Tank Mermaid Performance Dada Li CHINA Dada Li believes she might have been a mermaid in a previous life, addicted to the feeling of freedom the ocean offers. Seeking to realise her vision,…

SUF Get a chance to meet freedivers Chris Kim, Michelle Ooi, Jonathan Chong, the women’s underwater hockey team, and the underwater rugby team as they display their skills at the ADEX Swimming Pool! KIDS SCUBA TRYOUTS Children above eight years old can get to experience diving for the first time under the close supervision of professional diving instructors at the ADEX pool. MEET THE MERMAIDS Kids can meet and take photos with their favourite mermaids as they swim and splash around in the swimming pool! Visitors can also see these mythical creatures come alive as they swim and perform in the dive tank. FREEDIVE WORKSHOPS We bring you some of the top freedivers, Christian Redl and Dada Li, who will be conducting workshops for participants wanting to freedive for the…

MOBILE APP ADEX 2016 IN THE PALM OF YOUR HAND Getting your hands on everything ADEX this year has never been easier. Take all the deals and the dish on your favourite ADEX speakers wherever you go and never lose out on the best experiences ADEX offers every year! ADEX SCAN ADEX Scan works exactly like the AR Scan. Scan the areas of the Big Blue Book where you see the ADEX Scan logo and watch inspirational videos and more! ACTIVITIES Unsure what’s going on at ADEX? Check out our activities page. We will be giving you a breakdown of what’s available at ADEX! • POOL SESSIONS • MERMAID SHOWS OFFICIAL STORE You can find everything from books by renowned divers to UW360’s merchandise like mugs, bags and much more! LUCKY DRAW…

IT’S NOT A HORSE OF COURSE Seahorses are unusual little marine creatures that belong to the fish family “Syngnathidae”, which includes seahorses, pipefish, sea dragons and pipehorses. They occur throughout the oceans of the world (except in the coldest seas at both poles) and can be found living in a variety of habitats including seagrass meadows, coral reefs, sponge gardens, and even on artificial structures such as jetties. In seahorses, it’s the male that becomes pregnant, carrying the young in a pouch-like opening THE MALES HAVE IT Now one of the most fascinating things that make the seahorse so unique is their reproductive biology. In seahorses, it’s the male that becomes pregnant, carrying the young in a pouch-like opening. The female deposits her eggs into the male’s pouch, which contains…

Some regions are known for having high seahorse diversity, where lots of different species can be found, such as Indonesia, the Philippines and northern Australia. Seahorses are naturally rare in the wild and if you find more than a handful on a dive then you are obviously a talented seahorse spotter! The spotted seahorse, Hippocampus kuda, can be found occurring in seagrass beds The thorny seahorse, Hippocampus histrix, is often found amongst sponges and on sea pens Juvenile tiger-tail seahorses, Hippocampus comes, are found in shallow waters living in algal habitats while adults prefer to live on hard coral reefs Most species are found in shallow coastal habitats in less than 20 metres The juvenile White’s seahorse prefers small yellow gorgonian fans to live on, and as they get older…

WITH A STAR like the seahorse in your family, you'd imagine the other members might not be able to shine. But for the family Syngnathidae this couldn't be further from the truth. Pipefishes, pipehorses and seadragons, of various shapes and sizes, are all worthy of the spotlight. Like a celebrity fly-on-the-wall documentary, we’re continuously discovering bright new starlets ready to steal the show at any moment. Seahorses are famed for their enduring partnerships; the situation with the other members of the sygnanthid family, however, is less rosy. DISCOVERING DRAGONS IS NOT JUST A PIPE DREAM It's become rather a cliché that we know more about the Moon than we do about our oceans. We continue to be surprised by new species and behaviours, even amongst the relatively well-known syngnathids. Last…

Trawling is among the biggest threats to seahorses and other coastal marine animals. Coral reefs and seagrass beds are being lost and degraded, reducing the total area of viable habitats for seahorses. Bottom trawling, habitat loss and degradation are particularly problematic throughout Asia Pacific. Many species found throughout Asia Pacific are exhibiting decreasing population trends due to habitat degradation and exploitation to supply the aquarium and traditional medicine trades. 48 seahorse species are listed on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 12 species of those listed are “Threatened”, half of which are species found in Asia Pacific 27 species are “Data Deficient”. We don’t know enough about them to even assess their conservation status yet Because of their camouflage abilities and huge geographical range, seahorses are difficult to study…

Since I was little, the ocean has been such an awe-inspiring presence in my life and has given me a sense of hope and wellbeing, a unique comfort in that everything follows a purpose. It is Nature in its purest form, survival at its most primitive, and beauty at its most elegant. It brings with it a sort of allure and wonder, with its unparalleled strength and might which truly make it Earth’s final frontier. IF YOU’D ASKED ME three years ago, I would have said diving is just a hobby. Although I loved the ocean, work came first and it took up most of my time. Then, about two-and-a-half years ago as luck would have it, I was given an opportunity to move from the US, and the kelp…