4:00 AM Thursday Feb 4, 2010

Squid expert Dr Steve O’Shea. Photo / Mark Mitchell

An Auckland scientist is attempting to break his own world record for rearing deep sea squid in captivity.

The project is a warm-up for Dr Steve O’Shea from AUT University, whose main goal is to one day raise a giant squid in atank.

The marine biologist, who is known for his squid research, smashed a 13-day record in 2000 when he was able to keep a squid from 300m below sea level alive for 150 days in captivity.

Dr O’Shea is using broad squid, sepioteuthis australis, as guinea pigs for his latest project. He has raised the squid before, in 2005, for up to 180 days until they reached their natural cycle.

Read full article from The New Zealand Herald.

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By Alice Neville
4:00 AM Sunday Jan 10, 2010

The threatened longfin eel is part of the commercial fishing quota system. Photo / Sarah Ivey

An endangered fish is on sale in Auckland’s popular seafood markets, prompting calls for a ban on trade in the species.

The longfin eel may not be as cuddly and endearing as the kiwi, but it is critical to New Zealand’s biodiversity, Maori regard it as a taonga, and now experts fear it is being overfished to the point of extinction.

The freshwater fish, known to Maori as tuna, were once plentiful. But because of damage to their habitats through deforestation, pollution and the damming of rivers they are in serious decline.

The Department of Conservation has classified them as endangered.

Yet, with the blessing of the Ministry of Fisheries, commercial fishing of the eel continues – a situation freshwater ecologist Dr Mike Joy described as a “travesty”.

Read full article from The New Zealand Herald.

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The whale whisperer: Andrew Armour strokes a sperm whale

Picture: Tony Wu/ Barcroft Media

Dive operator Andrew Armour has become known as the Whale Whisperer after forming a special bond with a colossal sperm whale that allows him to swim nose-to-nose with a true giant of the sea.

View incredible images from the Telegraph.

View more outrageously amazing photos on Tony Wu’s blog, including one of a sperm whale farting!

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4:00 AM Wednesday Feb 3, 2010

As she chopped up a stingray for fishing bait, a Mahia woman could never have imagined the dead creature would exact a painful and venomous revenge.

“I killed it on the Thursday and it got me on the bloody Friday,” she said.

From her hospital bed yesterday, the woman, in her late 40s, said she regretted leaving two barbed tails on the seat of her boat.

She recalls at the time thinking of Steve Irwin, the Australian wildlife celebrity killed by such a tail, and feeling sorry for him, but thinking no more of the discarded pieces. That was until one became stuck in her leg.

Read full article from The New Zealand Herald.

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Trip report by Mazdak Radjainia

You know there are a few spearos on the loose and most likely a competition going on when gas stations run low on blue Powerade. This is not an uncommon occurrence during the summer months but this competition would be different, and one to remember.

Spearfishing competitions have come a long way since the 1950s and environmental concerns have steadily changed and shaped rules to minimise the impact of such tournaments. This time the only thing the greenies had to add was: kill ‘em all! At this contest the fish target list included only one species: Ameiurus nebulosus, also known as the Brown bullhead catfish, an illegal immigrant that nestled in Lake Taupo without paying rent. It was time to introduce an apex predator who would look after these fellas. Soon after, Taupo’s tranquility was disturbed by approximately 50 camouflaged frogmen armed with polespears who graced the peaceful scenery. There were objections to spearguns in fear that spearos could target sport-fish and only the use of hand spears was sanctioned by DOC, one of the event’s organisers. For a guesstimated 1000 catfish, this restraint didn’t go far enough, putting big smiles on everyone’s faces. Most participants have signaled already that they don’t want to miss the sequel next year and I hope to see you there, if not before!

Email Spearfishing Officer Mazdak on spearfishing@akunidive.com.
Read more about the Lake Taupo Catfish Cull.

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