Dive Industry Association, Inc.

Editorial – June 2015

Posted on June 30, 2015 by Gene Muchanski

Building A Working Model
by Gene Muchanski, Editor
The Dive Industry Professional

The Diving Business Community can take a tip from the construction business. The first thing home builders do when starting a planned community project is build three Model Homes. It shows prospective buyers what they can expect when purchasing a home from the builder. They normally have a Good, Better and Best category and each model home showcases many of the decorating options available in the homes. So why don’t we have “Concept Shops” and “Concept Products” in the diving industry?

The Dive Industry Foundation is looking for a website to showcase it’s “OPERATION: DIVE LOCAL” project. We have design in mind and kind of know what features we need to showcase diving to the general public and capture contact information from divers worldwide. We already have a trade database of over 5,000 people who work in the industry and we have tens of thousands of Divers who may or may not still be active in our recreation. We want the site to be user friendly and interactive with certified scuba divers and people who want to learn to dive, buy gear and remain active in diving.

The website will show divers and non-divers how to; 1) Get certified or advance their training. 2) Buy gear. 3) Meet other divers, and 4) Stay active in the recreation. It will also showcase the Best of Scuba Diving and diving related activities.

So far, we have spoken with numerous web designers, software salespeople, and social media “experts” who will build us the system we need but have nothing like it in their current inventory. What is strange about this whole project is that no one has a working model of their “Good”, “Better” and “Best” website w/CRM. Where are the working models from these “experts”. I know the Plummer’s Wife doesn’t have one and neither does the Cobbler’s Kid. What I would like to hear is “This is what we have, this is how it works, this is how much it costs, and here is when you can have yours.” I also expect to see a working “Showcase Model” that is owned and operated by the designers and their company. And if your company has been in business for longer than six months, I’d like to know how many paying customers they currently have and how they got them.

My logic for wanting a working showcase model is based on the fact that I can drive 15 miles from where I live now, look at a model home this afternoon, and know what my new house will look like when it’s built, the actual site it will be built on, how much it will cost, and when it will be ready for occupancy. If this can be done with a $400,000 house, it should be able to be done with a $5,000 – $10,000 web site.

This “Concept Shop” idea can be elevated to another level with a little thought and imagination. If you are an Equipment Manufacturer, Training Agency or Resort Destination, show the industry how great your products are by showing the industry what buying your products has done for your customers. Do you have the best Retail Dive Centers in the Industry because your products and services are giving them a competitive edge over other dive centers? Are your Dealers more profitable and productive because of the programs, products and services you sell them? If they are, then the rest of the industry needs to know about it. If not, then this could be the beginning of a very important lesson for you.

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Chammyz – Summer Stock Liquidation Sale

Posted on June 16, 2015 by Gene Muchanski

CHAMMYZ SUMMER BLOWOUT !
Excess Stock Liquidation Sale
BUY 12 – GET 12 FREE SALE – Limited Products

220Z – Shirt Jac w/zipper

200B – Shirt Jac w/buttons

900 – Vest w/Hood

900 – Vest w/Hood (Sand)

700 – Ladies “Hottie” Shorts

6000 – Ladies Wrap Skirt

Shirt jacs with buttons – 200B series
Shirt jacs with zippers – 200Z series
Baggy Shorts – 500 series
Unisex Boxer Shorts – 600 series
Ladies “Hottie” Shorts – 700 series
Vests with Hoods – 900 series
Vests with Collars – 910 series
Ladies Wrap Skirts – 6000 series

Web Special: http://chammyz.com

Contact: Jody Munro, Director of U.S. Sales
email: jody@chammyz.com
Web: www.chammyz.com

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SharkCon 2015

Posted on June 2, 2015 by Gene Muchanski

SharkCon 2015
July 11-12, 2015
Florida State Fairgrounds
Tampa, Florida

SharkCon is an Ocean Festival / Water Sports / Conservation Event with a focus on education with all of the fun of a comic con. The show will have speakers from the Discovery Channel, National Geographic, Authors and more. This year we have the following scheduled to speak: Mark Simmons, Robert Hueter, Ellen Prager, Jillian Morris Brake, Duncan Brake, Jose Castro, Derek Burkholder, Marie Levine, Mick Foley, Wyland) and two very special headline speakers (announcement to follow). We have exhibits from Mote Marine Laboratory, Florida Aquarium, Busch Gardens, Exotic Animal Rescue, Tampa Bay Watch, and Fish and Wildlife. Do we have something for the kids? We have a 22 foot shark slide (adults are welcome too), Octopus bounce house, shark tooth sand dig, coloring projects, fossil exhibits, animal interactions, bucking shark ride, sidewalk chalk display, and mascot photo opportunities. We are also going to have clinics, on standup paddle boarding, setting up a saltwater fish tank, (scuba demos – see below), how you can help with conservation, kayaking, and more. Tickets are $14.95 for adults and $4.95 for kids (16 and under). Deals are available on Groupon for the next few weeks.

We really want to increase the presence of the scuba diving industry at this years show. We feel the best way to inspire a love for the ocean is to get underwater. Shark-Con 2015 is looking for a strategic scuba industry sponsor. Email spencer@shark-con for more details. We are looking for any ocean related vendors. Those vendors are guaranteed a high traffic location.

Finally, nobody will want to miss the shark weddings. We have two shark weddings scheduled. The bride will walk down the aisle to the Jaws Theme. She will be surrounded by her wedding court which will include, Mermaids, Mermen, and ocean mascots. The couple will recite their vows under a set of megalodon jaws from our SharkCon mascot “Bay”. These are official ceremonies with couples getting married for the first time (no vow renewals).

You can buy tickets now at http://shark-con.com/event-registration/?regevent_action=show_shopping_cart

Our website is www.sharkcon.com and our Facebook page is https://www.facebook.com/SharkCon

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In Support of Local Diving

Posted on May 30, 2015 by Gene Muchanski

by Gene Muchanski, Editor
The Dive Industry Professional

“In Support of Local Diving”

No other topic in the diving community has received as much lip service as “Local Diving” in the past thirty years. I think it all started when the great baby-boom generation graduated from college and got full time jobs. We had more money to spend on diving but yet less time to actually go diving. Weekends were now reserved for mowing the lawn and raising a family. The local quarry, river or lake was no match for the allure of exotic tropical diving resorts that we read about in Skin Diver Magazine. For those of us who continued to teach diving, we became numb with fifteen foot check-out dives at the same local beach, week after week after exhausting week. So when it came time for our well deserved annual vacation we headed straight for Grand Cayman, Cozumel, Belize, Palau and Truck Lagoon instead of the local quarry or beach.

Fast forward thirty years and we are still talking about the decline of local diving and the advancing age of the diving population. But here is something we never considered – all diving is local diving, and we take it for granted. When I lived in California, my Naval Reserve Diving Unit flew to Hawaii every year for our annual active duty. I can tell you from personal experience how frustrating it was trying to get my fellow Navy Divers stationed in Hawaii to go diving with us on the weekend. They had been in the water five days a week and were looking for something else to do on the weekend. We Californians couldn’t think of a better place to be on Saturday and Sunday then in that clear, warm Hawaiian Waters.

Aside from the fact that there is amazing diving all around the world, local diving is what gets us into diving and keeps us diving. Part of the problem, of course, is that the travel industry spends a ton of money advertising their businesses. They have sophisticated marketing budgets designed to capture your one week annual vacation. And with the baby-boomers retiring, 52 weeks if they could afford it! That’s a lot of discretionary income. The other problem we have is the exact opposite of one sector spending a ton of money on advertising. The businesses that have the most to gain from local diving are not spending anything on advertising! Dive Equipment Manufacturers, Dive Boat Operators, Dive Centers, Dive Clubs, Scuba Instructors and Certification Agencies all have the potential for financial gain by promoting local diving. In fact, how well we promote local diving in the next ten years will determine if the industry will survive or fail.

What we’ve learned: I’ve been a certified Diver for 48 years and have worked full time in the industry for 34 years now. As an industry, we’ve learned a number of things about the diving community. It’s a tightly knit group of adventurous, outgoing and independent people. The majority of us got involved in the recreation and then the industry early in our career inspired by Sea Hunt, Jacques Cousteau or one of our close friends who was a diver. Before Jacques Cousteau and Skin Diver Magazine there was no Dive Travel Industry to speak of. Everything was about local diving – the shops, the clubs, the dive sites. NAUI had a local Branch System that created and maintained a local diving community that has never since been equaled. Diving Instructors were strong opinion leaders in the community and made excellent Ambassadors for the recreation.

The birth of the “National Diving Industry” in the 1960’s and has given us more opportunities for expansion and recognition while at the same time eroding our roots and humble beginnings. It has taken the spotlight off of local diving (our strength and origin) in search of something more exotic and meaningful. The good news is that the pendulum is swinging back to our local roots. In the age of Social Media, which is anything but social, we are noticing that the strength of our industry is still deeply rooted in our local divers. Our Retail Dive Centers are still the epicenter of activity in our diving communities. Local Scuba Instructors are still the respected Opinion Leaders of our Industry. Hundreds, maybe thousands of Dive Operators are the relentless guides to our weekend dives. We dive more when prompted by these Opinion Leaders.

What has changed in the mix is the emergence of new Local Diving Champions. At the top of my list is Industry Influencer Rick Stratton, Editor and Publisher of Scuba & H2O Adventure. Through his company, the Dive News Network, Rick was the first person in the industry to report national diving news by regions. Starting with Northwest Dive News and then Northeast Dive News, Rick continued with Midwest Dive News, Southeast Dive News and Southwest Dive News. The transition of the regional magazine concept continued until the publication recently became Scuba & H2O Adventure; a national publication divided into regional sections.

The Solution: The Dive Industry Foundation, The Dive Industry Association and the Dive News Network have agreed to partner on a campaign to promote Local Diving. We call it OPERATION: DIVE LOCAL. The scope of the campaign focuses on Local Diving promoted by Local Ambassadors. The heart of the promotion will be the formation of Local Chapters consisting of Ambassadors, Volunteers, Sponsors, Donors, Advertisers and “Friends of the Industry.” The promotion of activities will center around local chapters that are part of a Regional Territory. Regions in and around the United States are defined as Northeast, Northwest, Southeast, Southwest, Midwest, South Central, the Bahamas, and the Caribbean.

Partnerships: Regional Summit Conferences are being planned to coincide with Regional Dive Shows such as Beneath The Sea, Our World-Underwater and the Scuba & H2O Adventure Show in Seattle, WA, to name a few.

Promotion: OPERATION: DIVE LOCAL is looking for Industry & Media Partners to promote local diving activity. Dive News Network has already offered its support. Regional News will be carried by Scuba & H2O Adventure Magazine and its Social Media Outlets. The Dive Industry Foundation is giving OPERATION: DIVE LOCAL space on its blog web site at www.diveindustry.org

Funding: Sponsorship and Donation arrangements may be made with Dive Industry Foundation on their web site at ww.diveindustry.org/donate via PayPal or Square.

For more information contact:
Gene Muchanski, Executive Director, Dive Industry Foundation
Phone: 321-914-3778
email: gene@diveindustry.org
Web: www.diveindustry.org
Facebook: www.facebook.com/divefoundation

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Editorial – May 2015

Posted on May 29, 2015 by Gene Muchanski

by Gene Muchanski, Editor
The Dive Industry Professional

“Promoting Local Diving”

What started out as an editorial quickly turned into a full feature article. This month’s newsletter article, “In Support of Local Diving” describes the new trend in the diving community as a return to the promotion of local diving. The Dive Industry Association, in partnership with Dive News Network has begun a search for local diving ambassadors that will work with us put the spotlight on people and events in their region. We are starting with a regional breakdown similar to the format used in Scuba & H2O Adventure Magazine. In the United States, Local Diving is showcased in the Northeast, Midwest, Northwest, Southwest and Southeast. Plans are underway to also include South Central and The Bahamas & Caribbean.

Ideas for a grassroots campaign to promote Local Diving is based on what we know about past successes and failures in the diving industry over the past 50 years. We have seen the birth, growth, success, and sometimes demise of large Regional Dive Shows. The big four that come to mind are; Beneath The Sea, Our World-Underwater, Sea Space and Scuba Show. We’ve seen trade shows like Surf Expo grow every year while adapting to its market whereas The Super Show folded after conducting a show that drew over 80,000 qualified buyers in its last year. We’ve seen organizations like the Women Divers Hall of Fame grow in numbers, respect and popularity every year while many clubs and training agencies grew smaller and less significant. We remember how connected NAUI Worldwide was in the day of Branches and Branch Managers. The socio-political aspect of a strong branch of local industry professionals is one worth emulating. We’ve also seen the gathering of industry leaders at Luncheons sponsored by the Dive Industry Association and its Media Partners at the Tacoma Shows. Most recently we were encouraged by the Northeast Diving Summit conducted at Beneath The Sea by the New Jersey Council of Diving Clubs this past March.

Grassroots organizations are being formed to include Ambassadors from Retail Dive Centers, Dive Operators, Dive Clubs and Instructors. Manufacturers, Travel Businesses, Service Providers and Training Agencies could help by pledging to become financial Sponsors of the campaign. Each grassroots organization will hold Summit Meetings at least once a year in conjunction with major dive shows or travel and adventure shows held in their region. Rick Stratton has already volunteered to host a Northwest Diving Summit at the 2016 Scuba & H2O Adventure Show in Seattle. Plans are underway to establish a Florida Diving & Watersports Conference in the next 1-2 years.

The Dive Industry Foundation ( non-profit 501(c)3 ) is currently working with Tourist Boards, Convention & Visitors Bureaus, local Chambers of Commerce, and various national organizations to secure partnerships and sponsorships to promote local diving on a local, regional, national and international basis.

A web site has been set up to organize the local promotional effort and secure funding. Interested Sponsors and volunteer Ambassadors can follow the progress on our Blog at www.diveindustry.org and our Facebook Page at www.facebook.com/divefoundation beginning on June 1, 2015. You can become an Ambassador, Sponsor or “Friend of the Industry” by volunteering your time, money or manpower to the Foundation.

If the light at the end of the cave is indeed the return to promotion of local diving, this may be the time in our recreation that we will look back on and be glad we started the ball rolling.

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Assistance Sought For Inaugural Third Coast Mermaid Festival

Posted on May 4, 2015 by Gene Muchanski

Diveheart
Jim Elliott, founder/president

Not willing to take a second seat…or in this case, second set of fins to our neighbors to the east or west, Diveheart is planning Chicagoland’s first-ever Third Coast Mermaid Festival for the summer of 2015. The event, which will be the culmination of the effort of people, corporations and organizations from throughout the Midwest, will help raise funds for and awareness about Diveheart. A not-for-profit organization based in Chicagoland, Diveheart provides scuba diving instruction and opportunities to individuals with disabilities and wounded veterans. The zero gravity environment of being under water provides dramatic physical and psychological benefits.

“Mermaids have captured the imagination of children of all ages for generations. Diveheart helps individuals with disabilities to ‘imagine’ the possibilities in their lives,” said Jim Elliott, founder/president of Diveheart. “Planning a mermaid-themed event to support Diveheart is a perfect match.”

Coordinators of the Third Coast Mermaid Festival are determined to out-do similar efforts in New York, south Florida, and elsewhere. “There have been events celebrating the magic of mermaids around the world. Why should everyone else have all of the fun?” said Elliott. “As the largest city on the Great Lakes, (which by the way have more coastline than the east or west coast) Chicago is poised to hold the largest mermaid festival in the world. “

Diveheart is seeking help to build what will be a fabulous event. Types of assistance being sought include, but are not limited to: organizing and running the event, theatrical/performing arts experiences, assistance in securing a prime Chicago venue, fundraising and promotional savvy and corporate sponsorships. “We invite everyone to be part of the incredible and inspiring journey that will capture the hearts, minds and imagination of children of all ages and abilities,” said Elliott.

The initial planning meeting of the event will be held at Navy Pier in Chicago on May 18^th, 6-9 p.m. Please RSVP by calling 630-964-19833.

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Ben Buchan Selected to be 2015 Australasian Rolex Scholar

Posted on May 2, 2015 by Gene Muchanski

It is a great pleasure to announce that Mr. Ben Buchan, from New South Wales, Australia has been selected to be the 2015 Australasian Rolex Scholar of the Our World-Underwater Scholarship Society.

BEN BUCHAN | BIOGRAPHY:

I grew up on the Central Coast of New South Wales, and have lived within 10 minutes of a beach since I was 11 years old. For as long as I can remember, I have had a deep fascination with the marine environment, and have always had the desire to learn as much as possible.

I gained my open water diving certification at the age of 15 as part of my marine studies class at high school, which is when I became addicted to diving. Upon the completion of my Higher School Certificate in 2010, I started my Bachelor of Marine Science in 2011 at Macquarie University, North Ryde. Through my studies, I became more passionate about the marine environment and I was offered the opportunity to volunteer in Cambodia in the initiation of a coral reef regeneration project with Reach Out Volunteers.

For an entire month in January of 2012, I stayed on an island called Koh Rong in Cambodia, in a tiny village that had not had any western influence. The reef around this village was so degraded from the use of non-sustainable fishing practices, including the use of dynamite. Over this month, the team I was part of removed over 100 nets from the surrounding reef, and focused on teaching the village proper and sustainable fishing practices. It was through this time I realized the significance that education and public awareness has on the conservation of continued protection of the marine environment. I left Cambodia with the desire to share my knowledge and experiences of the ocean with as many people as possible.

Back in Australia, I continued my commitment to Reach Out Volunteers, and begun recruiting other students to volunteer in a range of environmental and community development projects around the world. In 2013, I became a scuba instructor, and have since been able to share my passion and knowledge of the marine environment with my students that have been from all around the world.

As part of my university degree, I secured a volunteer position at Manly SEA LIFE Sanctuary, and was involved in many aspects of animal husbandry from feeding, cleaning, and monitoring life support systems from rescue animals. I had the opportunity to work with animals from small fish and invertebrates, to large sharks, turtles and stingrays. Here, I had the unique opportunity to share the importance of marine conservation with a diverse audience.

Before my final semester or university in January of 2014, I returned to Koh Rong in Cambodia to again assist in the continuation of the coral reef regeneration project. I was inspired by the new attitude of the village towards the marine environment, and overwhelmed by the increased health of the surrounding reef. Over the course of January of 2014, I certified 35 volunteers for their open water course, and as a team, we deployed artificial reef pods to aid in the growth of this reef system. Now, there are over 100 artificial pods surrounding this growing reef, and the project continues today, with volunteers constantly traveling to aid in the program.

In June of 2014, I graduated with a Bachelor of Marine Science, and begun working as a Shark Dive Coordinator at Manly SEA LIFE Sanctuary, having the unique opportunity to not only introduce people to the diving experience, but get them up close and personal with large Grey Nurse sharks, education them about the importance of shark conservation.

I have since begun my Master of Marine Science and Management at Macquarie University, and am currently focused on the social behavior of sharks. I am currently living on Heron Island as a dive instructor, again having the opportunity to share my passion for diving, and the marine environment, with a particular focus on the importance of the Great Barrier Reef system. I look forward to the opportunity to add to my list of experiences, and participate in a number of important marine projects throughout the scholarship year.

Posted in Charity, Industry, Non-Profits, Press Release, Scholarships | Tagged Associations, dive industry, Dive Industry Association Members, Scholarships, scuba, scuba diving | Leave a comment

2015 NAUI Board of Directors Nominations Now Open

Posted on May 1, 2015 by Gene Muchanski

2015 Board of Directors Nominations Now Open

Nominations are now being accepted for the 2015 Board of Directors Election. To be considered all nominations must be received by the Election Coordinator at NAUI HQ no later than 5:00 PM ET on August 17, 2015 and include as much contact information as possible for the nominee and the nominator.

For the 2015 election, NAUI is seeking individuals that have experience in the following areas: a- Department Director Level at a university with extensive experience teaching NAUI Scuba programs. b- Dive Industry leadership and participation as a member and representative at DEMA, RSTC and other dive industry organizations.

We are seeking individuals that have the time and expertise to help NAUI grow in the diving industry and take on a more influential leadership role.

Please send your nominations via email to election@naui.org or by mail to: Election Coordinator, NAUI Worldwide, 9030 Camden Field Parkway, Riverview, FL 33578 or by fax to +1 (813) 628-8253.

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Editorial – April 2015

Posted on April 29, 2015 by Gene Muchanski

by Gene Muchanski, Editor
The Dive Industry Professional

“Making A Difference In Your Industry”

Working in the diving industry on full-time or part-time basis makes you an Industry Professional by default. Regardless of your job in the industry, you owe it to yourself to make the most out of your profession or your hobby. The better our industry is perceived by the general public the better it is for all of us. In a sense, that makes us all Industry Ambassadors. It doesn’t matter what role you play in the diving community; Instructor, Retailer, Dive Operator, Resort Owner, Sales Rep, Training Professional, Manufacturer, Travel Professional, Non-profit personnel, or one of the thousands of business support people who work in the industry, we all have a duty to make our profession better.

It’s not hard when you think about it. Each sector has a specific function in the industry. Instructors learn the art of teaching their skills to new and experienced divers. They get better at what they do by staying active in their association and getting as much diving experience as possible. When they learn of new and better ways to teach diving, they should share their opinions with their employers and their certification agencies. An Instructor is a front-line ambassador in the industry and their experience and opinion is important.

Retail Dive Center Owners and Employees are the heart beat of our community. Most importantly, Dive Centers are most often the first point of contact a non-diver has with our industry. How the general public perceives scuba diving and other the other diving related activities rests on the shoulders of our Dealer Network. Dive Retailers need to be many things; Professional Retailers, Scuba Diving Experts, Training Professionals, Equipment Repair Specialists, Dive Travel Specialists, Recreational Coaches and FUN Advocates. On the Professional Trade side they are the Mentors to new divers attempting to make a living or a career out of scuba diving. They are sources of information to Industry Analysts (Surveys, Trends, Best Practices). They are dive equipment testers and evaluators (hopefully not proto-types). And most of all Retail Dive Centers are Key Influencers. If a Retailer likes or doesn’t like a Sales Rep, his influence can make a difference in that person’s career. If a Retailer doesn’t like a line of equipment or a training standard, his influence added to the influence of other Retailers can change a company’s sales policy, buying terms or training standards.

Each and every sector in our community has duties, responsibilities, and a degree of influence. Some people may not like this, but opinions are a good thing. They should be formulated and expressed often. When Industry Professional discuss their profession in a positive, well intended forum, it makes everyone think about what we are doing and many things can be learned because of it. Board Directors in our diving associations need to spend more time listening to Opinion Leaders in our community and less time trying to pursue their own agenda. Good Directors are Directors who know how to listen. There is a lot of experience in the field and it’s easy to tap into. You only have to ask.

So who can make a difference in our Industry? Everyone can. Where can you be the most influence? Start right where you are now. When is the best time to start? Now.

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Daniel Copeland Selected as 2015 European Rolex Scholar

Posted on April 29, 2015 by Gene Muchanski

It is a great pleasure to announce that Mr. Daniel Copeland, age 23, from North Wales has been selected to be the 2015 European Rolex Scholar of the Our World-Underwater Scholarship Society.

DANIEL COPELAND | BIOGRAPHY:

Daniel Copeland, 23, has always enjoyed learning about, understanding and experiencing different aspects of the natural world. Despite this underlying passion, and a childhood living along the coast of North Wales, his plan throughout most of high school was to follow a path in electronic media and graphic design. It wasn’t until he took his first breathes underwater during an introductory ocean dive in a harbor in Malta, that Daniel’s love for the underwater world rapidly bubbled to the surface. During that dive, he was captivated by an unlikely encounter with a colorful and curious cuttlefish – an experience that changed the direction of his life forever.

Over the next few years, Daniel gained his PADI Open Water diving certification in Turkey, enrolled in an Open University, self-taught course in marine science, and embarked on a month-long expedition to Ecuador. Here he was fortunate enough to experience the rich marine biodiversity of the Galapagos archipelago, snorkeling with sea lions, sharks and penguins during a week tour of these famed islands. He was hooked! A career revolving around the underwater world was now the only path for him.

Daniel took a year out from education to further his diving skills and continued travelling to foreign shores. He spent three months immersed in the scuba culture of Thailand’s islands, where he was trained as a PADI Divemaster and to service Aqualung regulators. Daniel then headed to Mexico’s Yucatan peninsula, to experience an unforgettable introduction to cenote diving, and to unexpectedly attend the world’s second largest underwater wedding!

Daniel completed his degree in Zoology at the University of Sheffield in 2014. Although he was distant from the sea, Daniel managed to keep the underwater world a constant during his studies. He became a member of the university’s sub-aqua club, serving on the club’s committee and participating in the organization and management of various dive trips around the UK. Through the club he was trained as a drysuit and Nitrox diver, and later began teaching fellow students as a BSAC Assistant Diving Instructor.

In 2012 Daniel interned at the Marine Discovery Centre at Landaa Giraavaru in the Maldives, where he assisted the resident biologists with their turtle rehabilitation, coral reef propagation, and fish breeding programs. It was here that Daniel also helped the Manta Trust collect photo ID data of manta rays within Baa Atoll and the world famous Hanifaru MPA. He went on to assist other scientists studying marine megafauna, including tagging whale sharks in Tanzania and supporting another manta ray researcher in Indonesia. His final year research project focused on gender differences in the skin morphology of lesser-spotted catsharks, whilst his dissertation assessed the effectiveness of ecotourism in the conservation of elasmobranchs.

Throughout his experiences, Daniel has enlisted different ways of sharing his passion for the underwater world. He has organized stands and given public presentations on manta conservation at several UK dive shows, and recently helped to manage a Scottish festival dedicated to basking sharks. Putting his existing media skills to good use, he has collaborated with marine NGOs to spearhead multiple online campaigns to garner public support of protective legislation for sharks and rays, reaching an audience of more than four million people. After developing a keen interest for underwater photography and videography, he placed 2^nd in an amateur wildlife film competition ran by a popular UK natural history TV channel, with a one-minute film on blue sharks.

Over the years, Daniel’s desires have developed from pursuing a career in the underwater world, to developing one where he also plays a part in conserving it. Despite the armada of anthropogenic impacts that threaten our oceans, Daniel believes that the biggest challenge is inciting the world to care about these threats in the first place. His goal is to gain a better understanding of how to reconnect people with the ocean using a variety of different strategies – after all, a world that continues to be disconnected from its marine environment will have no interest in fighting to protect it. Daniel is honored to be appointed the OWUSS European Rolex Scholar for 2015, and believes it will provide an invaluable opportunity for him to learn how he can play a role in rekindling a love for our blue planet.

Posted in Industry, Non-Profits, Scholarships | Tagged Dive Industry Association Members, Scholarships, scuba, scuba diving | Leave a comment