PRESS RELEASE
Divers Sponsor Grass Roots Marine Science on Remote Equatorial Reefs
In the most ambitious collaboration between tourists and scientists
to date, divers on Fiji's premier live-aboard, NAI'A, recently explored
the uninhabited and unknown Phoenix Islands in the Republic of Kiribati.
As well as documenting pristine coral reef communities and burgeoning
reef fish populations, the divers and biologists dodged the affections
of dozens of sharks on every dive and discovered shorelines thick
with nesting seabirds and turtles.
"It was exciting diving - every site a complete unknown, all
of us felt truly like pioneering explorers," said Expedition
Director, Cat Holloway.
"We quickly got to a point where rolling backwards into fewer
than 20 close patrolling sharks meant a slow dive!"
Working with a team of four top New England Aquarium (NEAq) marine
biologists, the underwater photographers, videographers, and amateur
naturalists have produced this remote equatorial region's first report
on marine diversity and abundance. Coral reef biologist, Dr David
Obura will present the results at this year's Coral Reef Symposium
in Bali. Project leaders will present a science and management plan
to the Kiribati government early in 2001.
This voyage was the first in a planned series of NEAq/NAI'A Primal
Ocean Project Expeditions to identify and protect the Earth's final
unblemished underwater frontiers.
"There are just a few isolated places left on this planet where
we have any hope of seeing ocean environments in pre-historic rawness,
free of the destruction of development and over-fishing," said
NEAq Director of Conservation, Dr Gregory Stone.
"We found such a wilderness in Phoenix. But the threats to coral
reefs are everywhere."
The NEAq scientists assisted by NAI'A expeditioners completed biological
surveys and 46 research SCUBA dives among the islands of Nikumaroro,
McKean, Sydney, Canton, Enderbury, Hull and Phoenix.
The National Geographic Society sponsored the use during this research
voyage of deep-sea camera equipment pioneered by Emory Kristof. Deployed
seven times to 3000 feet deep, the video camera filmed the first confirmed
six-gilled sharks in the region. In fact, these sharks violently tore
the baiting pole from the rig! The team also filmed the deep-sea Pacific
sleeper shark in the waters around Sydney Island.
Not for the faint-hearted, the journey covered about 3000 nautical
miles over 23 days - 10 of which were spent completing the two open
ocean passages between Fiji and the Phoenix Islands. The project,
including the scientist's berths, were sponsored by NAI'A passengers
from the USA, Kandy Kendall, Bruce Thayer and Mary-Jane Adams.
Joining team leader and marine mammal/deep sea specialist, Dr Gregory
Stone, were coral reef ecologist Dr David Obura, ichthyologist, Dr
Steven Bailey and Austen Yoshinaga covering algae, reptiles and birds.
The World Wide Fund for Nature also sponsored the trip and sent Marine
Conservation Officer, Sangeeta Mangubhai to assist.
NAI'A owner/cruise director Rob Barrel shot underwater footage while
Australian cameraman, Alex Morrison documented topside. With more
than 1000 miles between the team and any even basic health services,
diving and emergency medicine specialist, Dr Craig Cook was aboard
to respond to injuries and emergencies. The only such case being a
slash from a surgeonfish sustained by Kiribati Fisheries Department
representative Tuake Teema.
For underwater photographer and veteran of 75 live-aboard diving journeys,
Mary-Jane Adams, the NAI'A Phoenix Rising 2000 Expedition was an unforgettable
highlight of 25 years of diving.
"It was a wonderful experience - I would go again in a minute,"
said Adams.
NAI'A's passenger supported research and discovery voyages are proving
more and more popular with divers who seek the thrill of the unknown
and share a desire to further scientific understanding and conservation
efforts in our oceans. As well as the Phoenix Rising 2000 Expedition
to Kiribati, the Fiji-based live-aboard this year hosted an exploratory
season in Vanuatu and completed a fifth research winter among humpback
whales in Tonga.
For more details and/or photographs from the expedition, please contact
Cat Holloway at NAI'A.
| NAI'A Contact Details | |
| USA Toll Free | 1-866-776-5572 |
| Fiji Tel | (+ Country Code 679)-345-0382 |
| Fiji Mobile | (+ Country Code 679)-997-0996 |
| Fiji Fax | (+ Country Code 679)-345-0566 |
| USA
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NAI'A |
| Fiji
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NAI'A PO Box 332 Pacific Harbour Fiji Islands |
Mary-Jane Adams, CA