Dive Picton, in the Marlborough Sounds of New Zealand

Huge Aquanaut Sale Month!
Posted on Sat 04 April, 2009

April is Sale Month here at Dive Picton- there are some awesome savings to be had on Suunto Computers, Aqualung Regulators and Seaquest BCD's. We have underwater cameras, memory cards, waterproof mp3 players and heaps more! Click on the link on the homepage to download the latest flyer!

Also have some massive reductions on Wetsuits, some great Dive Cylinder packages and we can do interest free finance on the lot!

Open every day from 8am -6pm including everyday in Easter!

See you there.

Ben and Dale

Check Out the New Suunto
Posted on Mon 30 March, 2009

Wow- Suunto have just releaed the new HelO2 mixed gas computer and dive planning software- it is awesome!

Check out this link to the Suunto site!

Will be back with pricing and availability soon!

Ben

Marlborough Sounds Fishery Forum!
Posted on Mon 23 March, 2009

Hi Everyone-please see below the comments regarding the

Blue Cod Ban!

The New Zealand Recreational Fishing Council along with TAS FISH are holding the Marlborough Sounds Fishery Forum at Waikawa (NEAR PICTON) on Saturday March 28th.

The forum is being opened by the Minister of Fisheries Hon. Phil Heatley and will include presentations by David Scranney (MFISH Nelson), Lou Hunt, Glen Carbines and Rob Davidson –see brochure attached

This meeting is an opportunity for divers and marine conservationists to not only take-in presentations from these marine scientists to understand what went on here but also a prime opportunity to lobby for permanent no-take marine reserves. It is clear that much of the situation with respect to the blue cod fishery can only be confidently talked about in the presence of data collected by Rob Davidson via his extensive long term monitoring inside the Marine Reserve around Long Island-Kokomohua. Areas where the study of animals can be conducted without them being continuously removed are essential for understanding what is so about the marine ecology. It is safe to assume that everywhere else in The Sounds the ecology has been modified by fishing. Clearly the fisheries management tools that were in place failed and had there been more reserves we may have seen a collapse of the blue cod in this area sooner or not at all. The fishery has now being closed for four years which may only be a band aid.

The Kokomohua (Long Island) Marine Reserve is an example of the foresight and determination of the Marlborough diving community back in the day when Marine reserves were preposterous notions, especially they said, in an area many deemed infinitely bountiful. It would be interesting to see if those folks would still write the same submission opposing a marine reserve today.

Permanent no-take reserves are essential for biodiversity maintenance, science and the protection of large specimens that any fishing restrictions of any nature will always fail to protect and should be necessary just in case. For ecological reasons hitherto not understood, it appears from recent research conducted inside and outside marine reserves that crayfish recruit to areas only where large adult crayfish already live (Dr Roger Grace, pers comm). We also know that socially complex sex changing (protogynous-proto=first gynous =female ) fish such as blue cod can only be socially adapted when the system is not being constantly modified by the removal of individuals through fishing mortality. It appears the constant removal of large males causes premature change to male on part of remaining females and this creates an artificial and premature removal of reproductively important females.

From science conducted at Tarawharanui, Mimiwhangata and The Poor Knights Islands we know that: temporary closures, size limits and introducing special fishing methods (eg., barbless hooks) simply don’t work to ensure a) these socially important requirements can be met and b) or that any recovery of populations can occur. There must be other important reasons we haven’t determined for maintaining entire ecosystems in no take permanent marine reserves.

In the case of Marlborough Sounds any permanent no-take marine reserves must form a network of representative areas such as inner sounds, outer sounds, islands and exposed/sheltered coasts so that the planktonic offspring that almost all marine species (including blue cod) produce have the opportunity to settle and recruit to places other than where they originated. This way crayfish that spend around 3 years in the plankton are offered some protection as settling juveniles as well as adults. Networks also provide greater opportunities for protection of itinerant or migratory species. A network also spreads the load and provides insurance against natural or man induced disaster (tsunami, oil spill) in one area. Kokomohua Marine Reserve as the only marine reserve in the sounds is extremely vulnerable. Any network of marine reserves in any part of our coast must also offer protection to special and rare species or communities eg., Hookers Sealions, the Kermadec Islands

Marine Reserves do not function as fisheries management tools. Fisheries management tools are only designed to slow spread or eliminate the greed that pervades the marine resources of Aotearoa that sit outside of marine reserves. As the curve for all of our fisheries continues to decline and a somewhat embarrassing situation in the sounds with blue cod, it is so important to have a comprehensive network of marine reserves everywhere around the coast that are permanent absolutely no-take and large.

In order to understand any ecological system WE MUST INSIST THAT WE ALWAYS SET ASIDE AREAS WHERE WE SIMPLY DO NOTHING-LEAVE IT ALONE. In science this is called a “control” against which actual and real effects can be compared or measured. For our marine biodiversity marine reserves could be an insurance policy and for our kids it should just be. As Bill Ballantine says, even a five year old can understand that taking a little bit of the whole and setting it aside and leaving it alone is a good idea.

Marine Reserves, National Parks of the Sea

End of another Great Week!
Posted on Sun 22 March, 2009

This weekend saw some great Diving in the Cook Strait, south of the Tory Entrance. Dale found a fantastic new site on Friday whiole exploring the coast- heaps of fish, octopus, caverns, swim throughs and of course the odd cray fish! We went back again on Saturday to be greeted by a bigger swell but still great diving- there is some fantastic rock formations out there just waiting to be discovered.

Today the Koi beckoned again with the resident sea horse showing himself again. Congrats to John Witton who revived his lust for diving after 12 years!

Looking forward to another week of Diving and will talk soon.

Ben

Christina is leaving us!
Posted on Thu 19 March, 2009

Hi Everyone!

Hope you’re having a lovely March! Unfortunately Christina is moving on and leaving us without her smiling face. However we are having one last hurrah on Friday night (tomorrow) if you’d like to bid her farewell.

We are cooking up a storm with the bbq at 6pm at the dive shop, then off for a few brewskies post food. Even if you’re just in town and want to catch up for a yarn, pop on by – who knows who you might meet....

Hope to see you all there.

Cheers

Dale and Ben

P.S. Lermontov still looking sweet yesterday with a murky layer on top making way for 6-8m vis underneath and double that inside. Love that ship! Planning a end of April 3 day lermie trip so keep an eye out for that and will update you next week with some technical diving options with the great Pete Mesely.