News Article: February/March 2001

Local News

Tiger shark at Kelly Tarltons

-02-2001

A tiger shark that was accidently caught in a net at Otamure Bay, north of Whananaki, is now at Auckland’s Kelly Tarlton’s Underwater World. More

Not guilty?

-02-2001

Late last year both Nelson Dive Centre and instructor Andrew Stuart pleaded not guilty to charges laid by the Department of Occupation Safety and Health (OSH) over the accident at French Pass on 10 March 2000 where three divers died.

A further hearing is scheduled for 30 January 2001.

Warning on shellfish as bloom hits record levels

-02-2001

Health authorities in Northland have issued an urgent warning against eating shellfish after new sea water samples revealed record toxic algal bloom levels. More

Jewel theft

-02-2001

Jewel thief Keith Anthony McEwen deserves every day he spends in jail, says Rosemary Tarlton, widow of undersea adventurer Kelly Tarlton. More

Rubbish in the water

-02-2001

Environment Waikato have done some research on the length of time it takes for different types of rubbish to break down in water. More

Treasures of the deep

-02-2001

A memorable display at the New Zealand National Maritime Museum.

Objects from the Wahine, Niagara and Wairarapa are among the exhibits from the vessels featuring in this exhibition. More

VHF radio

-02-2001

The Ministry of Commerce’s system of annual license fees has been abolished for recreational vessels, and has been replaced with the Marine VHF Radio Operators Qualification – a qualification for users of marine VHF radios (for either fitted or handheld radios.

This qualification is achieved by attending a course (approximately four hours) at any one of the Coastguard Boating Education Services (CBES) course venues around the country, or by being directly examined by a CBES accredited assessor.

It is a legal requirement for users of marine VHF radios to have competed a VHF radio course in order to operate their radio on a day to day basis (an exception is made only in cases of radio use in an emergency situation). More

The New Zealand Boat Show

-02-2001

‘New Zealand’s biggest marine exhibition will now be known as The Hutchwilco New Zealand Boat Show’, said a very pleased boat show CEO, Ian Witters.

Due to the sponsorship from Hutchwilco the boat show would again feature a giant ‘lake’ in 2001. More

International News

Engine dealers stranded by default

-02-2001

OMC, one of the world’s biggest makers of outboard motors Johnson and Evinrude has filed for bankruptcy protection, leaving several dealers of its profitable New Zealand and Australian business without new product and parts or warranty protection.

The company’s latest reports show it losing $US59.5 million on sales of $US565.7 million.

The company’s larger dealers remain confident that OMC will find a buyer soon.

Blakexpeditions

-02-2001

The 36 metre polar exploration yacht Seamaster left Auckland on Saturday, 11 November 2000, headed for the notorious Cape Horn. More

Australia to ban shark finning by tuna fishermen

-02-2001

Australia has put a temporary ban on shark finning in its tuna fisheries, saying the practice of cutting off shark fins, which are considered an Asian delicacy, may threaten some shark species. More

Wandering mollusc has Aussies worried

-02-2001

New Zealand immigrants of a different kind are making their mark in Australia There is concern at the spread of the New Zealand screw shell, Maoricolpus roseus which was introduced to Tasmania about 70 years ago. More

Japan and USA agree on workshop proposal to examine whaling programme

-02-2001

Visiting US Commerce Secretary Norman Mineta agreed on 10 January with Japanese Agricultural, Forestry and Fisheries Minister Yoshio Yatsu that the two countries jointly propose a workshop at the Science Committee of the International Whaling Commission (IWC) on Japan’s so-called research whaling, Japanese and US officials said.
The two countries plan to make the proposal at the IWC annual meeting to be held in July in London so that the workshop can be held by the summer of 2002, a Japanese official said.

The US commerce secretary was quoted as telling Yatsu that Japan’s research whaling is not a bilateral issue between the United States and Japan, but an issue on which technical discussion should be carried out at the IWC.

Yatsu told Mineta that the Japanese government basically agrees to study ways of researching whales scientifically, the official said.

Yatsu was quoted as saying that killing whales is necessary to study their ages and stomach contents and that such research is valued by the IWC’s Science Committee. More

Rare dolphins losing fight for survival

-02-2001

Rare pink dolphins still grace Hong Kong’s murky waters. More

Seahorse survey

-02-2001

Survey Seahorse 2000 is getting a positive response to the survey project and the survey sheet returns, especially from the Dive New Zealand survey sheet distribution. More

Weedy seadragon census

-02-2001

Ocean Care Day 2000 in Sydney, Australia saw a team of divers from Abyss Scuba Diving set out to help in Dragon Search’s annual census of weedy seadragons. More

Wall discovery

-02-2001

The discovery of a sunken 600 foot / 183 metre long wall in a Bolivian section of Lake Titicaca is believed by archaeologists to either be the remains of an ancient temple or the terrace of an agricultural field. More

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