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Articles
Wolcott Henry receives lifetime achievement award
Underwater photographer, Wolcott Henry was awarded a lifetime achievement award by the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation (NMSF) at its annual leadership awards dinner held on 7 June in Washington, DC. He was presented with the award in recognition for his many contributions to ocean awareness and conservation, his efforts to start the marine funders workgroup and his founding of the Marine Photobank. The latter provides high quality visual images for use by non-profit organizations in over 100 counties to show the impact people are having on the oceans.
Sony releases NEX-C3 camera and E mount 30mm f3.5 macro lens
Sony has announced the new NEX-C3 EVIL camera, a new 30mm f2.8 lens and a firmware update for the NEX-3 and NEX-5. The new camera features an Exmor 16.2 megapixel APS sensor, image previews on-screen, multi-frame 3D Sweep Panorama, Auto HDR functions, Handheld Twilight and Anti-Motion Blur modes and 720p HD video. The new SEL30M35 30mm f3.5 macro lens is suitable for use with all Sony EVIL cameras. It has a 1:1 magnification ratio and minimum working distance of 2.4 cm. This will make it a significant choice for underwater use. Lastly, both NEX-3 and NEX-5 cameras will have a new firmware release on 20 June.
The NEX-C3 will be available from August with a 16-55 zoom for $650 or a 16mm lens for $600. The SEL30M35 30mm f3.5 macro lens will be available from October for around $250.
Shark fishing banned in Mexican waters
Fish Information and Services (FIS) has reported that the Mexican National Commission of Aquaculture and Fisheries has decided to ban the fishing of all shark species in federal waters on both coasts in order to contribute to the conservation of the resource. The ban will be in place during the period of greatest reproductive intensity of the main species (between May and August) and in each region.
A spokesperson for the shark fishermen, Juan Campos Cárdenas, has stated that fishermen are willing to enforce the ban. The official figure of 30,000 tonnes of sharks caught annually in Mexican waters is considered a low estimate, with several organizations warning that overfishing has already reduced the numbers significantly.
Trailer for Muck Madness film on YouTube
Steve Fish and the team at Critters@Lembeh/Lembeh Resort have released a trail for their upcoming “Muck Madness” film on YouTube. The trailer spoofs the theme of “are you a good diver?” It is a part of Critters@Lembeh and Lembeh Resort’s proactive approach to educating divers about protecting the environment and the upcoming video is geared toward making muck diving easier whilst minimizing diver impact.
The full film will be released soon, and will appear here on Wetpixel first.
Report: Long Beach Scuba Show 2011
The 2011 Long Beach Scuba Show was held on 4 and 5 June, at the Long Beach Convention Center, California. The event is billed as the USA’s largest consumer dive expo. Amidst the stands were many suppliers with products and services that are of interest to underwater image makers. Wetpixel’s Abi Smigel Mullens was on-hand to capture the products and people at the show.
David Doubilet and Hal Silverman complete an image of U352
Photographers David Doubilet and Hal Silverman have had a composite of thirty-three images showing the full hull of the German World War II U-boat, U352, published in the UK Daily Mail. The submarine was sunk off North Carolina on 9 May 1942, and was the first U-boat to be sunk by US forces. The images were all shot with Nikon D3 cameras in Seacam housings. The wreck sits at 110 feet (34 meters) and the pictures show the extent to which it has been colonized to provide a home for marine life over the past 67 years. (Image courtesy of David Doubilet and Hal Silverman/National Geographic)
Lush Cosmetics launches anti-finning campaign
Lush Cosmetics will feature a week-long campaign at its twelve stores in Hong Kong and Maccau, which will include asking customers to sign postcards asking the Hong Kong government to ban shark fin soup from the municipality. On 14 June, Lush employee Alice Newstead will provide a photo opportunity by being suspended from scaffolding by hooks piercing her skin. On the same day a cast of international artists, including Wetpixel editor [Eric Cheng](http://www.echeng.com), will gather to express their concern about the plight of sharks and to emphasise their support for the campaign.
Lush have created a limited edition Shark Fin Soap, an seaweed and sea salt soap with a cardboard fin attached. All proceeds from sales of the soap will be donated to Sharksavers.
Guy Harvey promotes catch and release fishing tournaments
Underwater Times reports that shark conservationist and artist, Dr. Guy Harvey, has persuaded and assisted the organizers of the Ocean City Shark Tournament’s fishing competition to increase the value of the prizes in the catch and release division of the contest. Although there will still be two divisions that allow anglers to bring sharks to the scales, competitors tend to pursue whatever division has the biggest payout and the tournament directors are looking to make the release division cash and prizes so attractive that, by their own choosing, fishermen will voluntarily opt to release more sharks. The current prizes for the catch and release division are over $15,000.
A similar event held last month, the Second Annual Guy Harvey Ultimate Shark Challenge, was a catch and release only tournament held on the West Coast of Florida in Punta Gorda. The tournament, created as a model for catch and release only shark tournament formats, drew some 3,000 competitors and spectators and paid out over $15,000 in cash and prizes.