Shark diving help lures tourists: Gow

 "Fiji’s spectacular shark diving continues to play a pivotal role in luring international travellers for local tourism, with stakeholders committed to ensuring continuous efforts for its conservation.

Speaking at the Fiji Hotel and Tourism Association’s Dive Expo in the Mamanuca Islands yesterday, chair of the Dive Committee Stuart Gow said the thrill of this activity has helped spread the tourism dollar over the country by divers wanting to experience a variety of diving activities."

Local diving suppliers network with international agents and suppliers during the Fiji Hotel and Toursim Association Dive Expo on the Plantation Island Resort yesterday. Photo:LITIA MATHEWSELL

Shark diving help lures tourists

Fiji Airways new A330s

Fiji Airways – Look to the sky and say ‘BULA’!

The first A330 arrives home here in Fiji TODAY and before touch-down, will do a fly-by over certain locations in Fiji (take a look at the fly-by scheduled route below) – so look up to the sky as soon as you hear a plane overhead  and join us in shouting ‘BULA’ to welcome her home.

Flying under a new name and with a new brandmark, the new A330s represent the first aircraft designed exclusively for Fiji and Fiji’s national airline.

The aircraft began her inaugural journey from the Airbus’ manufacturing centre in Toulouse, France. Pausing briefly in Hong Kong, she will arrive at Nadi International Airport to a crowd of people eagerly waiting to see her touch down.

Air Pacific is rebranding and re-launching as Fiji Airways, which sees the airline return to its 1951 name of ‘Fiji Airways’.

‘We are delighted that the Airbus A330 was chosen as the “canvas” on which to launch the airline’s new brand ‘Fiji Airways’, said John Leahy, Airbus’ Chief Operating Officer – Customers. The A330s will feature comfortable seats with excellent legroom and in seat power and entertainment in Pacific Voyager/economy, and TV size entertainment screens and angled lay flat beds in Tabua/Business Class, proudly representing FIJI in the high end arena alongside the other big name international airline’s.

Full details here: Fiji Airways – Look to the sky and say ‘BULA’! 

We did it! Celebrating Historic Decisions for Sharks and Rays | Project AWARE

An outpouring of support from the scuba diving community for critical CITES protections

This is a significant and historic achievement for marine species in general, specifically manta rays which are the first Elasmobranch species to be listed under CITES on the first attempt”

Ania Budziak, Project AWARE Associate Director, Science & Policy

Five species of highly traded sharks, both manta rays and one species of sawfish were listed under CITES at the conclusion of CoP16 held this month in Bangkok, Thailand. Delegates from 170 countries considered 70 proposals affecting more than 300 species, including eight of some of the most vulnerable sharks and manta rays.

We did it! Celebrating Historic Decisions for Sharks and Rays | Project AWARE:

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Dive trip from Warwick Fiji Resort 11th March 2013

Brand New Yachting and Cruising Guide to Fiji Launched!

Great diving section in here!

 In celebration of the growing yacht tourism industry in Fiji, a new and comprehensive guide to the shores and marinas of Fiji has been published this week, A Mariners Guide to FIJI Shores & Marinas. 

The 244-page guide has been the brainchild of two local women entrepreneurs, Andrée Matson Yee and Heidi Williams-Moy.

Andrée, the Art Director, stated, “It’s like an in-flight magazine, but for tourists sailing here rather than flying. The guide is designed for people who have the time and resources to explore; people with no timetable or deadline, people who can reach the farthest islands easily, transporting with them their supplies and accommodation that makes visiting places that would otherwise be restricted, possible.”

See: FIJI Shores and Marinas

Marine life increases in Fiji MPA

Great articlke by Kirsty in this week';s Fiji Times!

+ Enlarge this image

Reef check team enters the tabu tara area. Picture: Supplied

A MARINE park in Waitabu, Taveuni, has recorded a significant increase in fish and marine species. 

The development comes after the communities of Waitabu, Lavena, Wai, Vurevure and Bouma expressed interest in finding out how the new, seven-month-old tabu tara area directly outside their villages was affecting fish numbers and coral growth. 

A group of dedicated marine lovers came together to take part in their annual marine survey. 

Host and Island Spirit director Kirsty Barnby said more marine species were sighted compared to last year's survey. 

For beche-de-mer (sea cucumber), she said a healthy increase from 107 to 176 were recorded in the tabu tara area this year. 

"Baby beche-de-mer are breeding in the tabu tara area and as a result, juveniles are being seen in the tabu tara for the first time — 156 were recorded in the tabu tara area," Ms Barnby said. 

For the first time, she said levels of coral have increased and seaweed levels were decreasing in the tabu tara area. 

"Due to the increase in coral, 300 ika loa lailai (small surgeon fish) were noted in the tabu tara. 

"They feed on seaweed which in turn aids coral growth," Ms Barnby said.

Full article here: Marine life increases - Fiji Times Online

Being a Responsible Diver

It is important to support operations that care passionately about our precious underwater environment.

Divers are some of the strongest and most effective advocates for coral reef conservation.

As a responsible diver, consider our comprehensive list below when choosing which operator to dive with.

See this great article on Fiji Shores and Marinas:  Being a Responsible Diver

Fiji Scuba Diving

Fiji Scuba Diving is out!

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GoPro Strengthens Entire New realease of GoPro CineForm Studio

GoPro's CineForm Studio line of editing tools makes it easy to create professional quality clips from your GoPro®  ontent or prep for more advanced editing with Adobe Premier, Final Cut Pro, Sony Vegas, etc. 

From simple adjustments like slow motion control and clip trimming to more advanced color correction and 3D editing, CineForm Studio is a powerful tool for all GoPro® content creators.

CineForm Studio features:

• Keep your GoPro® cameras and BacPacs current with the latest software updates
• Easy playback and trimming of your GoPro® video clips
• Frame rate adjustment for slow motion
• Quickly create videos from your timelapse photos
• Convert GoPro® H.264 MP4s into editor friendly CineForm AVI or MOV files
• Apply real-time, non-destructive image adjustments that don't require re-rendering as changes are applied.
• Adjust video white balance, exposure, contrast, saturation and framing
• Support for ProTune and push-button color presets
• Process and adjust videos captured with the GoPro's 3D HERO System
• Export MP4/MOV for web sharing, including pre-formatted 3D content for YouTube and 3D TVs
• Preview 3D content on supported 3D monitors and TVs
• Support for other H.264 MOV/MP4 sources such as Canon and Nikon DSLRs

GoPro has a new version of its CineForm Studio lineup that it hopes will help build a bridge between professional video pros and the enthusiasts who use its rugged US$300 HD cameras. 

With the newest revisions, the free version of CineForm Studio adds features like support for H.264 footage from non-GoPro cameras using an MOV or MP4 wrapper (this works in 2D only; 3D is only enabled for GoPro  ameras in the free version) and automatic recognition of 3D formats for YouTube uploads.

The US$299 "Premium" version adds all of the functionality from CineForm's First Light color-correction application plus support for a much wider range of video cameras, including 3D modes, and the $999 "Professional" version expands support for pro stereo rigs by adding independent eye control to the mix.

Cinematographers might remember CineForm as a key player in early HD acquisition, as cheaper HDV cameras that recorded to MiniDV tapes were commonly used by shooters as a bridge from SD to HD work, totally frustrating editors whose gear wasn't able to handle the new, highly compressed video format. Plenty has happened since then.

CineForm developed a robust lineup that included color-correction and 3D image-manipulation tools before being snatched up by GoPro, which got to know the company when it used Neo3D to cut together a stereoscopic demo shot with HD HERO cameras for NAB 2010. But CineForm's David Newman, now GoPro's  senior director of software engineering, told StudioDaily that what CineForm does really hasn't changed that much.

"In the early days of HD, we at CineForm were trying to solve what was not being currently serviced by Avid, Adobe and Apple, providing a solution that would allow independent filmmakers to produce content with the cameras they had, even though they had to wait some time for their NLE to add native support," Newman said. "The funny thing is, we continue to deal with next-generation cameras. For the new single-body cameras that shoot MVC [Multiview Video Coding] 3D, we can transform that into CineForm 3D, which works in any NLE. You have an editor, you have a new camera, and you need a way to marry those together. That's where CineForm comes in."

Full article here

Shark Defenders: SHARK STANLEY

Shark Stanley and his friends were playing on the reef,

When down came a net that swept them away. 

But at last when they escaped, they saw to their grief, 

Their home had no sharks! Leaving it barren and grey. 

Now Stan and his buddies are searching the ocean 

From Bali to Brazil and Bangladesh to Belize

For friends to stand up and cause a commotion 

Because the world needs sharks to help save the seas! 

“Hello friend! My name is Shark Stanley and I am traveling around the world to find friends who will support shark and manta ray protections at the upcoming Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) meeting in March.  If you would like to help me with this mission, you can print a picture of me - or my friends Manta Reina, Pierre le Porbeagle, and Waqi Whitetip - cut us out, and take a photo with us anywhere you wish. Then please send us this photo along with your name and where you are from!  My supporters are compiling your photos from around the world to share on their blog and web pages, and sending them to governments voting at CITES to get their support!  Help us reach our goal of finding 50 organizations and celebrities to partner with me, and to collect at least 5000 photos from all 177 CITES countries!”

Send Photos:
Upload your photos to Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram tagged with@SharkDefenders, #SharkStanley, and the country where you live (i.e. #USA, #Fiji, #Brazil, etc).

AND 

Email your photos to info@sharkdefenders.com for us to compile into a unique petition. You can also send your photos directly to your country’s CITES representative (follow this link and look up your country).

Partner:
If your organization would like to partner with Shark Stanley at CITES, write a story about us on your blog or website with a link to this page , then email us your logo and five photos of your friends with Shark Stanley to info@sharkdefenders.com.  We'll post your logo and link to your website on a special sponsors' page.

Shark Defenders: SHARK STANLEY

Beautiful views, great diving, wonderful people - Review of Matava - Fiji's Premier Eco Adventure Resort, Kadavu Island, Fiji - TripAdvisor

The diving here is brilliant, fabulous coral, lots of life and Mantas on Manta reef! On the first dive we saw 16 Mantas over the cleaning station and on the second dive they were all still there feeding - it was magic. The second visit was not so amazing but we still saw mantas. 

The reef dives are very varied and the visibility can be fabulous in the channels. Great dive crew.  

Accommodation is well spaced on the hill side - fantastic views, spotless rooms and well maintained grounds. We arrived two days late thanks to Air Pacific but nothing was too much trouble for Maggie to fix to ensure we enjoyed our stay with them and for our onward travel in Fiji, even phoning the next day to make sure we had got there OK.  

We had a package of activities and we were really glad we did them all - we should have planned the week better as we ended up cramming a few of them in towards the end. The spa was excellent, the beach picnic a delight, dinner on the deck was lovely and the local visits were great. All the staff were really friendly and it's a really well run place that we would love to visit again.

• Stayed December 2012, traveled as a coupleBeautiful views, great diving, wonderful people - Review of Matava - Fiji's Premier Eco Adventure Resort, Kadavu Island, Fiji