Blue-spotted Stingray (Taeniura lymma) found in shallow waters throughout Papua New Guinea. Its tail is venomous but usually isn't deadly unless whips the chest or any central blood veins. One example would be Mr. Steve Erwin (late). The photo below was taken at Nuakata Island, Milne Bay Province, Papua New Guinea..

Blue-spotted Stingray - Taeniura lymma

A Green turtle (Chelonia mydas) is a large sea turtle of the family Cheloniidae. This species is one of the endangered species in the IUCN and CITIES. The picture below was taken during a dive a Rai Coast, Madang Province, Papua New Guinea.

Green Turtle - Chelonia mydas

This Octopus species was found in Daru Island, Western Province of Papua New Guinea. This species and many others of its kind like cuttlefish usually change their color to blend with their surrounding. I was amazed this one did not conceal itself. This Octopus species could be a Octopus macropus.

Octopus micropus 

East New Britain, Papua New Guinea Sea cucumber survey

The East New Britain sea cucumber survey this month started in a good note with pretending to be a nice weather. Going back and forth in between Kokopo and Rabaul for fuel runs and the provincial fisheries office. The actual survey started on Saturday the 29th of June at Doi Island (Duke of York Islands). Next day Sunday, went all the way to Matong Island.
Matong Island survey was interesting as we countered quite a good number of White teatfish (Holothuria nobilis).
Later Monday, we did logistics run and on Tuesday the team travelled all the way to Takis point and overnight at Lassul due to bad weather. Next morning, surveyed around Makada and returned back to Kokopo.
Overall the survey recorded few new species of Curry fish and good numbers of various species.

Sea Cucumber spawning

While diving and surveying sea cucumbers in Papua New Guinea, you will rarely encounter many of the different kinds of species of sea cucumbers to spawn. However, the species of Flower fish Boadschia graffei is commonly seen spawning with its tail rose up while releasing the eggs or sperm in coral reef habitat. It is quite amazing to just observe and take photos. Twice whilst diving in New Ireland Province, I observed the Sand fish Holothuria scabra spawning. Other experience was at Kombe in West New Britain Province, where I observed a Deepwater redfish.

All species of sea cucumbers have different times of spawning season. There is a gap in the knowledge of those spawning seasons to very effectively carry out monitoring and conservation efforts.

Seaweed Farming -Alternative to Beche-de-mer?

Sea weed farming has been trialed in Milne Bay province and just recently, the people of Kataret Island in the Autonomous region of Bougainville stated farming. Unfortunately, it is new in Papua New Guinea therefore, the price and facilities had not been set has yet. The islanders of Kataret had been farming, harvesting and processed dry to sell it the Solomon Island's buyers. They were selling a kilo for only one PNG kina. Below is the photograph of

 the under water farm.

Manus Island BDM Survey

WE started the Sea cucumber survey in Manus from the 8th to the 15th of June 2013. We started at Loniu then make our way to Ndilo. After completing Ndilo, we went to Andra and over night at ponam Island. Ndilo, Andra and Ponam had good numbers of Surf Redfish -Actinipyga mauritina were recorded on the reef crests. The next morning we went on to Kali then Bipi.After Bipi we overnight at Mbuke and moved on to Tawi and Pere before overnight again at Mbunai. WE my group cam to town to refill, the other two teams did Mbunai before we all moved on to Baluan. After completing Baluan, we slept over at Rambutso. Early the net morning, we  surveyed the reefs and seagrass beds of Rabutso before we completed the survey for Manus province.