2009 Dive Pioneers

Alice Newstead

Dive Pioneer Photo: 

Martin Wyness

Dive Pioneer Photo: 

Declane and Paul Devane

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Rob Stewart

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Julie Andersen

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Richard Brock

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Captain Paul Watson

Motto: 
We're not stopping!
Position: 
Direct Action Conservationalist
Nationality: 
Canadian
Academy's Month of Recognition: 
February
Recognition for: 
Saving whales in Antartica by physically stopping illegal Japanese Whaling vessels
Purpose of Achievement: 
To halt all whaling in the Southern Antartic Whale Sanctuary

All commercial whaling was ruled illegal in 1986 by the International Whaling Commission. So commercial whaling is illegal. What Japan is doing though is they're targeting endangered whales in an established international whale sanctuary in violation of that commercial moratorium. And they're in violation of the Antarctic Treaty, the convention of the International Trade of Endangered Species, and they're also in contempt of the Australian Federal Court, which ruled they couldn't take whales in the Australian Antarctic Territory.

Result of Pioneer's Contribution: 
This year the Japanese whalers had to extend their season by two weeks and still they were 305 whales short of their quota. That meant that they had to get 750 whales just to break even, and they got 650. But they're out of a quota of almost 1000. The year before it was 500 whales, so we've been able to halve their quotas every year, and we've cost them in the neighborhood of about $50 to 60 million U.S. dollars a year. They're now in debt to the Japanese government in subsidies to about $80 million U.S. dollars, so they're hurting real bad. Our objective is to bankrupt them, and I think we're on the road to doing that.
Why start the project: 
To enforce marine mammal protection and conservation with an immediate goal of shutting down illegal marine wildlife harvesting operations.
Next Ambition(s): 
Well it's not just whales. We've got a full-time presence in the Galapagos Islands with a patrol boat, a surveillance vessel, a K-9 unit, and a network. We're working in partnership there with the National Park Rangers and the Ecuadorian Federal Police to stop poaching operations. We've seized tens of thousands of illegal shark fins and we've arrested dozens and dozens of poachers. I think we seized about 65 boats so far. We're working there exclusively to protect sharks, lobsters, and sea cucumbers. We're also trying to stop illegal fishing in the Mediterranean; we're taking fishing companies to court in Brazil; we just won a couple of lawsuits there. We're trying to stop the dolphin slaughter in Iki Island, Japan, the pilot whale slaughter in the Farrow Islands in the North Atlantic, the seal hunt in Canada and in Southern Africa. We're operating worldwide focusing on a wide range of marine species ranging all the way from plankton to the great whales. In fact, last year we shut down Planktos, which is an operation that wanted to dump a hundred tons of iron filings near the Galapagos to stimulate a plankton bloom, without having any environmental impact studies as to what the effect would be. We were able to shut them down. So it's not just whales.
Supportive Organisation: 
Founder of the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society
Dive Pioneer Photo: 
Help Wanted: 
Become part of the Sea Sheperd on-shore support crew by raising moneyy and awareness
Biography: 
In 1975, Watson served as First officer under Captain John Cormack on the voyage to confront the Soviet Whaling fleet. In June 1975, Robert Hunter and Paul Watson were the first people to put their lives on the line to protect whales when Paul placed his inflatable Zodiac between a Russian harpoon vessel and a pod of defenseless Sperm whales. During this confrontation with the Russian whaler, a harpooned and dying sperm whale loomed over Paul's small boat. Paul recognized a flicker of understanding in the dying whale's eye. He felt that the whale knew what they were trying to do. He watched as the magnificent leviathan heaved its body away from his boat, slipped beneath the waves and died. A few seconds of looking into this dying whale's eye changed his life forever. He vowed to become a lifelong defender of the whales and all creatures of the seas. In June 1977, Paul Watson resigned from the Greenpeace Foundation because of disagreements with the emerging bureaucratic structure of the organization. Patrick Moore had replaced Robert Hunter and was opposed to direct action campaigns. Moore had informed Watson that he would not be allowed to lead another seal campaign.Paul left Greenpeace because he felt the original goals of the organization were being compromised, and because he saw a global need to continue direct action conservation activities on the high seas by an organization that would enforce laws protecting marine wildlife. To answer that need, that same year, Paul founded the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society - dedicated to research, investigation and enforcement of laws, treaties, resolutions and regulations established to protect marine wildlife worldwide. In December 1978, with the assistance of the Fund for Animals, Paul purchased a North Atlantic trawler in Britain and converted her into the conservation enforcement vessel Sea Shepherd. Paul continues, to this day, keeping marine wildlife safe by burning villages, and threatening wildlife pirates with hot pie filling, as he has armed his vessel completely with hot pie filling in each cannon.
Dive Certification: 
Advanced Open Water

Delphine Robbe

Motto: 
“I prefer to see Tuna in the sea than on a plate” – Delphine
Position: 
Marine Biologist
Nationality: 
French
Academy's Month of Recognition: 
January
Recognition for: 
Initiating the development of BioRock Technology on the Gilis
Purpose of Achievement: 
To regenerate the fringing reefs of the Gilis and initiate an anti-erosion programme

WHAT'S HER MISSION?

Result of Pioneer's Contribution: 
I am happy to announce that we have regenerated nearly 1.5 kilometers of coral reef. I could not have done this without the help of the Gili Eco Trust, SATGAS (Indonesian Security Force that assists in protecting the areas from being damaged/illegal fishing etc.), the Professors and students of Mataram University, Lombok; And more importantly the expats and Indonesian businesses on the isles. In 2006 we conducted the Fourth Indonesian Biorock Training Workshop for scientists/students/divers/artists from all over the world. There were 35 participants. A total of 10 structures were built and installed East-South of the island. Since then many more structures have been put up. In 2008 we organized workshops for 52 students/marine biologists/diving instructors/Indonesian businesses and restaurateurs. We are now registered to certify divers in PADI Biorock Speciality. Recently, CNN filmed a documentary on the work done on the reefs. This is very heartening as the international community will see how Indonesia is coping with its environment and help will come from all quarters.
Why start the project: 
After one year since my arrival in 2004 on Gili T, I started the Biodrock Project with Foud Kadachi and Laurent Lavoye because I was concerned about the state of the coral reefs around the Gilis. There was too much dead coral, pollution and above all no one was doing anything worthwhile to protect, preserve and sustain the reefs.
Next Ambition(s): 
To complete the development of the new reef structure
Supportive Organisation: 
The Gili Eco-Trust
Dive Pioneer Photo: 
Help Wanted: 
Donations and raised awareness of the BioRock programme. Taking part in the next BioRock Workshop
Pioneer's Message to Academy Members: 
The seas sustain all life on the planet. Help us to preserve it by not plundering its natural resources and polluting its world. I appeal to you to become true vegetarians – no meat or seafood. This will help stem the savage rape of the seas, thereby giving us an extended lease of life.
Biography: 
Delphine Robbe, Agronomist, Co-Founder of the Bio Rock Project, Gili Trawangan, Indonesia. Delphine was born in Paris. She studied in France and Canada obtaining her Masters in Agronomy Engineering followed by fieldwork in Madagascar in 2002. After that she traveled for over a year and a half in South East Asia, India, Mexico, Costa Rica, Israel, Gautemala etc. and then came to Indonesia in 2004 to do a Dive Master and Instructor Course at Big Bubble, Gili Trawangan (Gili T). Here she met her present employer, Anna Walker who was instrumental in setting up the non-profit organization, Gili Eco Trust, with Anthony Clubbey and Maurice Stevens of Manta Dive. In 2005 Delphine founded the Bio Rock Project in Gili T with Foued Kadachi and Laurent Lavoye.
Dive Certification: 
PADI Master Diver Scuba Trainer

Simon Liddiard

Position: 
Founding Father of diving the Gili Islands & Scuba Diving World Record Holder
Nationality: 
British
Academy's Month of Recognition: 
February
Recognition for: 
Setting a World Record Deepest dive on a self-contained scuba apparatus.
Purpose of Achievement: 
To test himself to his limitations.
Next Ambition(s): 
To discover the wrecks of Balikpapan
Supportive Organisation: 
Blue Marlin Dive
Dive Pioneer Photo: 
Help Wanted: 
Raising money for the Gili Eco-Trust's Bio Rock programme
Dive Certification: 
TDI, IANTD, PADI Technical and Recreational Course Director

Graham Buckingham

Position: 
Marine Conservationist
Nationality: 
British
Academy's Month of Recognition: 
August
Recognition for: 
Halting the sale of shark fin soup & cartilage capsules in major UK retailers
Purpose of Achievement: 
To stop the supply & demand of shark fin products in major restaurants & retailers

WHAT'S THE SCOOP?

After a year-long relentless campaign, Graham Buckingham is proud to announce that Holland & Barrett, the country's largest chain of health foods stores, will stop selling shark cartilage capsules. It is the latest big business to bow to pressure from Graham's organisation, Bite-Back in their pioneering email campaign and helps take the team's ambition to make Britain 'shark-free' another step closer to reality.

In total, more than 3,000 supporters sent Bite-Back campaign emails directly to Holland & Barrett's head office requesting the item to be discontinued.

Next Ambition(s): 
To stop the 70 restaurants supplying shark fin soup in Chinatown, London.
Supportive Organisation: 
Bite Back UK
Dive Pioneer Photo: 
Help Wanted: 
Petition with Bite-Back to help stop the supply and demand for endangered animals in the UK.
Pioneer's Message to Academy Members: 
"Bite-Back's pioneering marine conservation initiatives are delivering real, measurable results to supporters and the diving community. We're proud of the breakthroughs and hope that our supporters recognize the role they played in this victory." - Graham Buckingham
Dive Certification: 
Open Water Scuba Instructor
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