21st annual scientific diving symposium · po box 247 bodega bay, ca 94923 707-875-2032 ......
TRANSCRIPT
THESLATEAmerican Academyof Underwater Sciences430 Nahant RoadNahant, MA 01908
A News Publication of the American Academy of Underwater Sciences JANUARY 2001
PRESIDENT andEDITOR, THE SLATEWalt JaapFlorida Marine Research Institute(Fish & Wildlife Conserv. Comm.)100 8th Ave. SESt. Petersburg, FL 33701-5095727-896-8626 x1122 Fax [email protected]
PRESIDENT–ELECTMark FlahanSan Diego State UniversityCollege of Sciences5500 Campanile Dr.San Diego, CA 92182-4610619-594-6799Fax [email protected]
SECRETARYPatrick PittsHarbor Branch OceanographicInstitution5600 U.S. 1 NorthFort Pierce, FL 34946561-465-2400 x441Fax [email protected]
TREASURERTed ManeyMarine Science CenterNortheastern UniversityEast Point, Nahant, MA 01908781-581-7370Fax [email protected]
The American Academy of UnderwaterSciences exists to promote safe andproductive underwater scientificexploration and to advance the state ofunderwater technology The strength ofthe AAUS is its membership, thoseinstitutions and individuals that pursuescientific objectives beneath the watersurface across the North Americancontinent and beyond. If you areinvolved in scientific diving andunderwater exploration, you should be amember of the American Academy ofUnderwater Sciences.
Join the AAUS and be a part of thescientific diving community. Learn andbenefit from communications with yourcounterparts across the United States.Participate in the annual AAUSSymposium and workshops. Help createfor yourself, your associates and staff themost efficient, productive, and safescientific diving program possible. Formembership information, contact
American Academy of UnderwaterSciences430 Nahant RoadNahant, MA 01908
781-581-7370 ext [email protected].
STATISTICS CHAIRSteve SellersDiving Safety OfficerEast Carolina UniversityGreenville, NC 27858-4353252-328-4041Fax [email protected]
DIRECTOR & SCHOLARSHIP CHAIRHenry FastenauDiving Safety OfficerUniversity of California–DavisBodega Marine LaboratoryPO Box 247Bodega Bay, CA 94923707-875-2032Fax [email protected]
DIRECTOR & STANDARDS CHAIRWilliam DentDiving Safety OfficerUniversity of South Florida4202 E. Fowler Ave., PED 214Tampa, FL 33620813-974-5018Fax [email protected]
DIRECTOR & MEMBERSHIP CHAIRDouglas E. KeslingTraining and Safety CoordinatorNational Undersea Research CenterUniv. of North Carolina–Wilmington5001 Masonboro Loop Rd.1 Marvin Moss LaneWilmington, NC 28409910-962-2445 (910-392-5577 home)Fax [email protected]
AAUS Board of Directors
JOINAAUS!DIRECTOR Samuel SublettDiving Safety OfficerUniversity of WashingtonHall HeSeattle, WA 98195206-543-7388Fax [email protected]
LEGAL ADVISORRobert HicksHicks, Boyd, Chandler & Falconer825 W. 8th Ave., Suite 200Anchorage, AK 99501907-272-8401Cell 907-227-3568Fax [email protected]
AMERICAN ACADEMYOF UNDERWATER SCIENCES430 Nahant RoadNahant, MA 01908781-581-7370 x334 Fax [email protected]
CRITICAL DATESThis year’s Proceedings will include only extended abstracts andposters; no full papers will be published. • Submission of extended abstracts/posters: 15 March.• Workshop and field trip subscription: 31 July.• Photo submission notification: 31 July.
GUIDE FOR SUBMISSION OF EXTENDED ABSTRACTS/POSTERSTo contribute either an oral or poster presentation, submit a Word fileas an e-mail attachment (no PDF files) no later than 15 March 2001in the following format to [email protected]. If e-mail is not available,submit hard copy and computer disk to
Stephen C. Jewett, PhDInstitute of Marine Science, School of Fisheries and Ocean SciencesPO Box 757220, Fairbanks, AK 99775-7220
AAUS held a Medical Standards Review Panel co-chaired by MichaelLang and Ted Maney on 11 November 2000 at the Sirata Beach Re-sort in St. Pete Beach, Florida.
The AAUS Medical Review PanelDr. Fred BoveDr. Chris DuekerDr. Hugh GreerDr. Jim LoewenherzDr. Richard MoonDr. Tom NeumanDr. Michael OttDr. Nick VandemoerWritten submissions by Dr. Jim Vorosmarti and Dr. Gordon Dougherty
Agenda1. Review of Conditions that May Restrict Candidates from Diving
(AAUS Appendix 1)2. Laboratory Requirements3. Medical Examination Intervals4. Additional Issues:
Shallow water clearanceRemote sitesNotification and sign-offADA implications
Review of Conditions Which May Restrict Candidates from Diving(AAUS Appendix 1)Before the panel members met, they all recommended that AAUSbring the list up to the current 1998 information contained in the Bove(editor) edition of Medical Examination of Sport Scuba Divers. At thepanel meeting, we listed each item in Appendix 1 and asked thepanel whether the item should be removed or modified. If there wasnot a unanimous consensus to remove the item, it stayed.
The goal was to develop a list for the physician conducting themedical, items which may be of concern for diving. We explainedto the panel that the physicians conducting diving medicals werenot necessarily trained in diving medicine. The following is the panel’srecommended list.
21st Annual Scientific Diving Symposium“Northern Exposure”—Cold Water Diving • Alaska SeaLife Center, Seward, Alaska • September 19–23, 2001
Voice: (907) 474-8741; Fax: (907) 474-7204
Format• Indicate whether for oral or poster presentation.• Title in upper/lower case in as few words as possible.• Author(s) name, institution, postal address, and e-mail address
follow title.• Text, figures, tables, and references limited to four 8.5˝ x 11˝ pages
using Times New Roman 12-point type. Figures should be submittedas EPS or TIF format, or as camera-ready hard copy with 300 dpiresolution. Text margins: 1˝ on all sides.
• Check the AAUS Web site for more specific author instructions. • Alaska’s West Coast & Polar Regions Undersea Research Center
will sponsor a “Best Student Paper Award” of $300. • University of Alaska Sea Grant will publish the proceedings.
Medical Standards Review PanelBy Ted Maney
Conditions Which May Be Disqualifying1. Abnormalities of the tympanic membrane, such as perforation,
presence of a monomeric membrane, or inability to autoinflatethe middle ears.
2. Vertigo including Meniere’s Disease.3. Stapedectomy or middle ear reconstructive surgery.4. Recent ocular surgery.5. Psychiatric disorders including claustrophobia, suicidal ideation,
psychosis, anxiety states, untreated depression.6. Substance abuse, including alcohol.7. Episodic loss of consciousness.8. History of seizure.9. History of stroke or a fixed neurological deficit.
10. Recurring neurologic disorders, including transient ischemic at-tacks.
11. History of intracranial aneurysm, other vascular malformation orintracranial hemorrhage.
12. History of neurological decompression illness with residualdeficit.
13. Head injury with sequelae.14. Hematologic disorders including coagulopathies.15. Evidence of coronary artery disease or high risk for coronary
artery disease.16. Atrial septal defects.17. Significant valvular heart disease-isolated mitral valve prolapse
is not disqualifying.18. Significant cardiac rhythm or conduction abnormalities.19. Implanted cardiac pacemakers and cardiac defibrillators (ICD).20. Inadequate exercise tolerance.21. Severe hypertension.22. History of spontaneous or traumatic pneumothorax. 23. Asthma.24. Chronic pulmonary disease, including radiographic evidence of
pulmonary blebs, bullae, or cysts.25. Diabetes mellitus.26. Pregnancy.
continued on page 2
AAUS MemberOrganizations
2 7
from the
PRESIDENT–EDITOR
The AAUS 2000 Symposium is behind us,and in some ways I say Thanks be to God! In oth-ers, I say it was a good experience, and I am pleased that we had a good turn out. Therewere some good presentations, and we had opportunities to renew old friendships andcultivate new ones. The Diving for Science Symposium is still somewhat like a large fam-ily gathering—which is good. Our venue on the beach was very conducive to enjoymentand having fun. A number of organizations assisted with money and people: we espe-cially thank the University of South Florida, the Florida Marine Research Institute, the U.S.Geological Survey, the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, and the Florida Aquar-ium. Thanks to all of you for participating!!
Before our meeting, AAUS convened a panel of medical experts to review our exist-ing medical standards, offer their recommendations, and respond to questions thatwere submitted by the membership. Mike Lang and Ted Maney, the AAUS facilitators,did a good job of guiding the panel toward addressing the issues that needed resolu-tion. The panel was productive and has provided us with reasonable recommendations.Tedrecently compiled and distributed these recommended changes. If you are a DSO or aDCB member, you should review these standards and give us your feedback. The BODwill discuss the revisions, and at some point a revised medical standard will be a reality.
In November, Divers Alert Network (DAN) sponsored a special workshop on recreationalNitrox Diving. As a participant, I was charged with compiling the AAUS record on Nitroxdiving. With the able help of Steve Sellers, Ted Maney, and Bill Dent, I compiled the in-formation and provided it to DAN. The AAUS story with Nitrox was interesting to me, so Iwill share some of the facts. We surveyed the members and others in science diving toobtain a profile on how our community uses Nitrox.
Morgan Wells presented a paper on Nitrox diving at the 1983 AAUS Annual Sympo-sium. AAUS participated in workshops at Harbor Branch Foundation, Ft. Pierce, Florida,and at Florida State University in 1988 and 1989 respectively. These workshops resultedin written standards for divers and gas mixing that were published in 1991. The AAUS Ni-trox standards were revised in 1999. The following table summarizes AAUS diving with Ni-trox.
Summary of AAUS Nitrox Use
Year Organizations reporting Number of BottomNitrox use Nitrox dives time (min)
1987 3 254 1,4351988 5 507 8,0111989* 4 261 4,9981990* 4 446 7,4801991 5 414 14,2451992 6 1,016 26,9201993 7 632 21,1551994 14 2,702 77,1501995 12 1,215 46,3461997** 18 1,749 64,1631998 35 4,880 185,1751999 33 4,385 144,896
Totals 48 18,461 [10,033 hrs]
* Organization reported number of dives, but no time.** Data for 1996 was omitted because of processing challenges.
In 1998, AAUS organizations reported 65,558 air dives compared to 4,880 Nitrox dives(7.44%). In 1999, the number of air dives was 61,522 and Nitrox dives were 4,385 (7.13%).In 1998, 393 researchers used Nitrox, and in 1999, 443 were diving Nitrox.
We conducted an informal survey of members to obtain more details on Nitrox div-ing with AAUS members and other science programs. Thirty-eight organizations re-sponded, 33 of which were AAUS organizational members. Twenty-five of the OMs offercertification training in Nitrox. Twenty-nine organizations are using 32% and 36% oxygenmixtures, and 22 organizations are also using custom blending. Organizations most com-monly use a 1.4 partial pressure O2 limit; 1.6 was the second most common limit. Four-teen organizations have mixing-filling systems for Nitrox. Seven use partial pressure, 6 useblending with an oxygen source or a membrane generator, and one used an undefinedmixing method. Only two of the 14 organizations having systems use oil-free compres-sors. Since 1987, the incident reports involving Nitrox include one barotrauma, one near-drowning, and six decompression incidents that required recompression chambertreatment. The six DCS incidents compute to a 0.033 accident rate since 1987. ComparingNitrox and air-diving activity from 1997 to 1999, there were no DCS Nitrox incidents, andfor air diving, there was one incident each year in 1997 and 1998 and six incidents in 1999.The DCS incident rate ranges from 0.00002 to 0.00009 for air. The rate for Nitrox is 0.
AAUS will be at DEMA. Please stop by our booth and say hello and let us know aboutyour interests and concerns. The web page is posting information on jobs and other pro-fessional information, so check it out. The BOD will meet at DEMA and will address themedical standards and other business. We welcome Mote Marine Laboratory and TheNew Zealand National Water Resources Laboratory as recent additions to the fold. A toastto Donald Canestro, who will be taking a new job the first of the year as a land facilitiesmanager for a tract on the west coast. Rick Gomez is a newfather—congratulations! I think I survived my first year as presi-dent. North to Alaska! Go north, the rush is on to AAUS AnnualMeeting 2001! Plan on a great time and bring your Dry Suit.
Walt Jaap
Aquarium for Wildlife ConservationAquarium of the AmericasAquatic Research InstituteArizona State UniversityAubrey Consulting Inc.Bermuda Biological Station for ResearchBroward County Dept. of Natural Resource ProtectionCalifornia State UniversityCaribbean Marine Research CenterColorado Ocean JourneyDauphin Island Sea LabDuke University, School of the EnvironmentDuke/UNC Oceanographic ConsortiumEast Carolina UniversityFlorida International UniversityFlorida Marine Research InstituteFlorida State UniversityHarbor Branch Oceanographic InstitutionHumboldt State UniversityLong Beach Aquarium of the PacificLouisiana University Marine ConsortiumMarine Biological LaboratoryMBC Applied Environmental SciencesMinerals Management Service, USDIMonterey Bay AquariumMonterey Bay Aquarium Research InstituteMoss Landing Marine LaboratoriesMote Marine Laboratory (new)New Zealand Natl. Inst. of Water & Atmospheric ResearchNew Zealand Natl. Water Resources Laboratory (new)Northeastern UniversityNova Southeastern University Oceanographic CenterOregon State UniversityPrince William Sound Science CenterR. Christopher Goodwin & Associates, Inc.Rutgers UniversitySaint Mary’s CollegeSan Diego State UniversityScripps Institution of OceanographySeattle UniversitySmithsonian InstitutionStanford UniversityTexas A&M University at GalvestonTexas Parks & Wildlife DepartmentTexas State AquariumThe Florida AquariumUniversity of Alaska, FairbanksUniversity of California at BerkeleyUniversity of California at DavisUCLAUniversity of California, Santa CruzUniversity of Southern CaliforniaUniversity of ConnecticutUniversity of FloridaUniversity of GuamUniversity of HawaiiUniversity of MaineUniversity of Miami–RSMASUniversity of New HampshireUniversity of North Carolina at Chapel HillUniversity of North Carolina at WilmingtonUniversity of Rhode IslandUniversity of South FloridaUniversity of Texas at AustinUniversity of WashingtonUniversity System of GeorgiaVirginia Institute of Marine ScienceWoods Hole Oceanographic Institution
The Ultimate in Ear Protection, In or Out of Water!
As Important as Mask and Fins!
The US NationalFreediving team usethe vented Doc’s
Proplug in their trainingand competition diving andswimming. Brett LeMaster,New Mexico, holds the WRfor Constant Ballast SeaWater, and Scott Campbell,California, the Americanrecord for Static Apnea.Also on the team are DavidRauser, Maryland, andManager, Glennon Gingo,who holds the Hawaiianrecord for depth.
PREFORMED PROTECTIVEEARPLUGSAVAILABLE IN 8 SIZES
Please Call for a Fitting Set Dealer Inquiries Invited
Toll Free: (800) 521-2982 Free Fax: (888) 507-7565
Doc’s Proplugs, Inc., c/o International Aquatic Trades, Inc.719 Swift Street, No. 56 Santa Cruz, CA 95060
Tel: (831) 425-5920 Fax: (831) 425-0178www.proplugs.com email: [email protected]
Laboratory Requirements for Diving Medical Evaluation and IntervalsWe used the same process for the required testing. We listed eachof the current AAUS required medical tests. If the panel could notunanimously vote to remove a test, we kept it. Again, the panel mod-ified some of the tests for clarification and to ensure they could beconducted in a health center or GP office (Spirometry) without hav-ing to be referred out for an expensive test (Pulmonary function).
Initial examination under age 40Medical HistoryComplete Physical Exam, emphasis on neurological and otological
componentsChest X-raySpirometryHematocrit or HemoglobinUrinalysisAny further tests deemed necessary by the physician.
Periodic re-examination under age 40 (every 5 years)Medical HistoryComplete Physical Exam, emphasis on neurological and otological
componentsHematocrit or HemoglobinUrinalysisAny further tests deemed necessary by the physician
Initial exam over age 40Medical HistoryComplete Physical Exam, emphasis on neurological and otological
componentsAssessment of coronary artery disease risk factors including lipid
profile and diabetic screeningResting EKGChest X-raySpirometry UrinalysisHematocrit or HemoglobinAny further tests deemed necessary by the physicianExercise stress testing may be indicated based on risk factor
analysis
Periodic re-examination over age 40 (every 3 years); over age 60(every two years)Medical HistoryComplete Physical Exam, emphasis on neurological and otological
componentsAssessment of coronary artery disease risk factors including lipid
profile and diabetic screeningEKGUrinalysisHematocrit or HemoglobinAny further tests deemed necessary by the physicianExercise stress testing may be indicated based on risk factor
analysis
Recommended change to the following section6.12. Medical evaluation shall be completed.6.12.3. Clearance to return to diving must be obtained from a physi-
cian following any major injury or illness, or any condition requiringhospital care. If the injury or illness is pressure-related, then the clear-ance to return to diving must come from a physician trained in div-ing medicine.
Additional Issues Addressed by the Panel• Shallow water medical clearance: Is there a less stringent medicalclearance that could be used to screen individuals who dive onlyin shallow water such as aquarium exhibit tanks?
Recommendations: Same medical standards for shallow waterdivers (<30 feet) as for all divers as outlined in section 6.12.
• What additional guidelines for physical clearance should there befor diving operations in remote locations (e.g., polar, blue water)where evacuation to definitive treatment may be several daysaway versus locations where reasonably quick access to the EMS isavailable?
Recommendations: Diving medical qualification is not the issue.
• Are there conditions where notification and sign-off are acceptable?Recommendations: None; no support for conditional medical
waivers.
• Implications of the ADA for scientific diving programs: what are theminimum physical standards which can be imposed upon profes-sional (e.g., scientific) divers which would promote safety but still allow‘reasonable’ access for divers with disabilities?
Recommendations: The physicians evaluation will only providemedical limitations for the individual. It is the employer’s responsibilityto make a reasonable accommodation for the individual.
A Draft copy of the proposed revision to the AAUS Medical Stan-dards has been distributed to all member organizations for reviewand comment. The AAUS Board of Directors will vote to approve therevision in January.
AAUS Gear!SHOW YOUR PRIDE AND COVER YOUR HIDE!We are proud to announce that AAUS gear is now instock. All items carry the embroidered logo with AAUSspelled out. For a look-see, go to www.aaus.org.Golf ShirtsTop quality Jerzees, 100% cotton, 6.5-oz. piqué, shortsleeve. Medium through XXL: jade, maroon, navy,red. XXXL: maroon, navy, red. Medium through XL–$20.XXL and XXXL–$25Blue Denim ShirtsCamp Creek, short and long sleeve, 100% cotton,button-down collar, one pocket, double-needle stitch-ing. Medium through XXL–$22 for either sleeve length.Relaxed-fit Baseball CapsTan or navy. AAUS logo on front. One size, adjustableback-strap. $10.Domestic shipping per itemGolf shirt–$5. Denim shirt–$6. Hats–$3. Multiple items–$6.To purchase: send order and cash, check, moneyorder, or Visa info to AAUS, 430 Nahant Road, NahantMA, 01908. Fax: 781-581-6076.
Continued from page 1
Aqua Flite2155 Verdugo Blvd., Ste. 121Montrose, CA 91020800-581-7916Fax 626-791-1866www.aquaflite.com
Aqualung/U.S. Divers2340 Cousteau Ct.Vista, CA 92083760-597-5000Fax 760-597-4900www.aqualung.com/
Best Publishing Company2355 N. Steves Blvd.PO Box 30100Flagstaff, AZ 86003-0100520-527-1055Fax [email protected]/best/
California Sea GrantCollege ProgramUniv. of California95000 Gilman Dr., Dept. 0232La Jolla, CA 92093-0232858-534-4440Fax 858-534-2231
Carleton Life Support Technologies, Ltd.3910 Riga Blvd.Tampa, FL 33619-1344813-623-3711Fax [email protected]
Cis-Lunar DevelopmentLaboratoriesPO Box 1143835 Sterling RoadS. Lancaster, MA 01561978-368-0771Fax [email protected]
Citizen Watch Company of America, Inc.1200 Wall St. W.Lyndhurst, NJ 07071201-438-8150Fax 201-438-4161
Corporate SponsorsDiving Unlimited International1148 Delevan Dr.San Diego, CA 92102800-325-8439, 619-236-1203Fax [email protected]
Divelink International Technologies205-721 Vanalman Ave.Victoria, BC, Canada V8Z 3B6800-348-7815 or 250-479-4868Fax [email protected]
Doc’s Proplugs, Inc.719 Swift St., Ste 100Santa Cruz, CA 95060800-521-2982, 831-425-5920Fax 831-425-0178Fax [email protected]
Farallon USA Inc.1901 Montreal Rd. #105Tucker, GA 30084770-414-0550Fax [email protected]
Hamilton Research Ltd.80 Grove St.Tarrytown, NY 10591-4138914-631-9194Fax 914-631-6134
Immersed MagazineImmersed / F.D.R. StationPO Box 947New York, NY 10150914-469-1003Fax [email protected]
Marine Advanced Technology Education(MATE) CenterMonterey Peninsula College980 Fremont St.Monterey, CA 93940831-646-4127Fax [email protected]
Monterey Bay Aquarium886 Cannery RowMonterey, CA 93940-1085831-648-4800www.montereybayaquarium.org
Nitrox Technologies, Inc.511 Middle Rincon Rd.Santa Rosa, CA 95409707-538-7598Fax [email protected]
NOAA Diving Program 7600 Sand Point Way NEBldg. 8Seattle, WA 98115206-526-6705www.ndc.noaa.gov/
Oceanic2002 Davis St.San Leandro, CA 94577-1211510-562-0500www.oceanicusa.com
Skin Diver Magazine6420 Wilshire Blvd.Los Angeles, CA 90048-5515323-782-2000Fax [email protected]
United Bank333 3rd Ave. NSt. Petersburg, FL 33701727-898-2265www.unitedbank.com
Zeagle Systems, Inc.37150 Chancey Rd.Zephyrhills, FL 33541813-782-5568
6 3
The DAN Nitrox Workshop, hosted by the Divers Alert Network Boardof Directors and chaired by Michael Lang, was held November 3–4in Durham, NC. The purpose of the workshop was to obtain a moreaccurate picture of Nitrox diving in the year 2000 and to reach a con-sensus among diving industry professionals regarding the recre-ational use of Enriched Air Nitrox. Conference attendees representedrecreational training agencies, government agencies, and the sci-entific diving community. Four major topics were considered duringthe conference: Operational use of Nitrox to approximate theamount of Nitrox diving occurring in the recreational diving com-munity; Nitrox instruction among recreational training agencies; Ni-trox physiology; and the standard of care for scuba equipmentused with Nitrox.
During the course of the workshop, no evidence was presentedthat showed an increased risk of DCS from the use of Nitrox versuscompressed air. Based on this fact, recommendations put forwardby the DAN Nitrox Workshop for entry-level, open-circuit Nitrox div-ing include the following: an agreement by all Nitrox training agen-cies of a maximum PO2 level of 1.6 atm; instead of tracking wholebody exposure to oxygen (OTU/UPTD), Nitrox courses should teachuse of the “CNS Oxygen Clock” concept, based on the NOAA oxy-
gen exposure limits; and screening for CO2 retention is unnecessaryfor Nitrox training. Other points of agreement regarding equipmentused with Nitrox include acceptance of Nitrox dive computers asa useful and effective tool for diving; oxygen analyzers should usea controlled-flow air sampling device; oxygen analysis of the breath-ing gas should be performed by the blender and/or dispenser andverified by the end user; and no evidence was presented to showan unreasonable risk of fire or ignition when using up to 40% Nitroxwith standard scuba equipment.
Conference attendees included DAN representatives Peter B. Ben-nett, Bill Clendenen, Petar Denoble, Mike Emmerman, AlessandroMarroni, Richard Moon, Dan Orr, Ed Thalmann, Karen Van Hoesen, andRichard D. Vann. Nitrox diving agency representatives included Ed Betts,Bret Gilliam, Bill Hamilton, Jon Hardy, Tom Mount, Drew Richardson, DickRutkowski, Karl Shreeves, and Bruce Wienke. Government and scien-tific diving representatives included Chris Borne, Dave Dinsmore, Wal-ter Jaap, Dan H. Kerem, Doug Kesling, Michael Lang, and J. MorganWells. Other participants included Sergio Angelini, Bart Bjorkman, EvinCotter, Elliot Forsyth, Bill Oliver, and Bill Turbeville.
Copies of the proceedings will be available at the Divers Alert Net-work booth at DEMA 2001 in New Orleans, LA.
• are the only commercially available Diver Propulsion Vehicles authorized for U.S. Navy use.• allow divers to move materials as well as themselves from place to place faster with less effort and less diver fatigue.• are useful to scientists and researchers for surveying large areas in the study of reefs and marine life.• have been used in long range transit of material and equipment repairs.• are excellent tools for the supervision of diver training.
1901 Montreal Rd. Suite 105, Tucker, GA 30084 • Tel. (770) 414-0550 Fax (770) 414-4004e-mail: [email protected] • www.farallonusa.com
Farallon USA is pleased to be a supporting corporate member of AAUS. We believe strongly in the mission and purpose of the Academy.
Farallon DPVs…
2001 AAUSMember BenefitsAquaflite Wetsuits—$10 off standard sizes, $20 off custom suitsBest Publishing—10% discount on most retail pricesCitizen Watch—HyperAqualand watches: Member price $220AAUS Publications—20% discountDivers Alert Network (DAN)—Insurance coverage for scientific divers whoare DAN members and are diving under the auspices of an AAUS Or-ganizational Member.
NOAA ReciprocityBy Walt Jaap
NOAA Diving has sent AAUS notification that our reciprocity agree-ment is being renewed and extended for 2001 (Jan 1–Dec 31, 2001).The following stipulations remain in effect:
• The DSO must verify the diver’s credentials (must be a certifiedAAUS science diver).
• The reciprocity letter will be sent to the appropriate NOAA UnitDiving Officer and a copy of the documents will accompany the diveron the operation(s).
• An AAUS diver must complete a minimum of one dive within theprevious six weeks of the NOAA project startup.
• The agreement applies to employees (students) of institutions in cur-rent, active status with AAUS and is not transferable to non-AAUS insti-tutions with whom an AAUS member institution may have reciprocity.In essence, no third person reciprocity relationships are allowed.
Please be aware of and comply with these requirements. NOAADiving may be reached at 206-526-6705.
2001 ElectionsBy Walt Jaap
The AAUS bylaws require an election in 2001. We will be electing aPresident Elect, a Secretary, and three Directors. The President Electwill serve as President Elect from Jan 2002 through Dec. 2003 and asPresident from Jan 2004 through Dec 2005. The Directors and the Sec-retary will serve from Jan 2002 through Dec 2003.
According to the bylaws, The President appoints a chair for anominating-elections committee before January of the of theelection. I appointed Mike Dardeau of Dauphin Island Sea Lab asthe chairman and Cyd Yonker of the Wrigley Marine Lab, Univer-sity of Southern California, as co-chairperson. They are responsiblefor developing a slate of candidates for offices. Candidates mustbe AAUS members in good standing to be eligible. Additionally, thePresident Elect must have served on the Board of Directors to beeligible for that position.
The Board of Directors of AAUS encourages the AAUS membersto give thought to the selection of candidates and provide the nom-inations-election committee with suggested people for office. Youshould obtain permission from the suggested individual(s) before youcontact the nominating committee.
Contact Mike Dardeau at [email protected]. Tel 334-861-7505,Fax 334-861-7506.
Contact Cyd Yonker at [email protected]. Tel 310-510-4022,Fax 310-510-1364.
DAN Nitrox Workshop Held in DurhamBy Jennifer Dorton, National Museum of Natural History Diving Officer
THE SLATE ADVERTISEMENT RATE SCHEDULEThe Slate is published quarterly by the American Academy of UnderwaterSciences Board of Directors. Approximate publication dates are Janu-ary, April, August, and November. The newsletter carries announce-ments, articles on scientific diving, research, safety, technical issueupdates, and book reviews. The current liaison is Walt Jaap. The AAUSBoard of Directors reserves the right to reject advertisements on the basisof content and appropriateness to the mission of AAUS. The appearanceof an advertisement in The Slate does not represent AAUS endorse-ment of equipment or the sales firm. Advertisers should include a checkpayable to AAUS.
DISPLAY ADS (Greyscale text & graphics. Need not be camera-ready;see below.)
Display ad size One issue Four issues Corporate member(in inches) (US $) (US $) 1 issue 4 issues1⁄ 2 page $225 $800 $200 $700
horiz. 8.75 x 7vert. 4.25 x 14.25
1⁄4 page $125 $400 $100 $350horiz. 8.75 x 3.375vert. 4.25 x 7
1⁄ 8 page $75 $200 $50 $175(vert. only) 4.25 x 3.375
CLASSIFIED ADS (LIMITED TO AAUS MEMBERS)Each member is entitled to one three-line classified ad per calendar yearat no charge. Additional classified ads are $10 per three lines. Ads forsale of equipment, jobs, opportunities to dive on projects, and the likeare suggested.
Please send your advertisements (including check to AAUS) for TheSlate toWalt Jaap, 273 Catalan Blvd., St. Petersburg, FL 33704FAX: 727-894-6719; e-mail: [email protected]
Direct questions regarding newsletter and ad production toLlyn French, 727/896-8626 ext 1104 (FMRI–FWC); [email protected]
Internet/Intranet-based Dive Loghas been developed to serve as a record-keeping and reporting tool. It allows indi-vidual users to enter their own divingactivities, which are then summarized in realtime in the report format defined by AAUSStatistics Collection.
Dive Log allows tracking of numerousparameters associated with diving opera-tions. It tracks annual physical check-upsand generates a report of divers whosephysical exams have expired. Dive Logalso monitors various certifications foreach diver as well as emergency contactsand other personal information.
Try our Demo version!Visit us at www.dive-log.com.
For details and pricing, please contactJitka Hyniova, [email protected].
The AAUS Board of Directors will hold a meeting during DEMA to dealwith AAUS business. The DSO qualifications are on the agenda, andwe hope that we can reach an accord on the issue. The DSO qual-ifications have a unique life that Butch Irish and others have notedin coming on the radar frequently. We need to come to closure. Thefour current DSO qualifying criteria in the AAUS standards havesome vagueness that should be addressed to resolve the issue.
1. Appointed by the responsible administrative officer.Very little concern on this. The organization has the responsibil-
ity/right to select the DSO person.
2. Must be a Science Diver based on AAUS criteria.This is very straightforward; however, if a new organization applies
to AAUS for membership or a DSO is replaced in a current memberorganization, and the person that the organization designates as theDSO does not meet all of the Science Diver standards, is that auto-matic rejection? In our current review process, when we see a prob-lem, the membership and standards committee are required to goback to the applicant and work with the organization to confirm thatthe DSO will meet the standard. One issue that we could put in theDSO standard is within the application for membership: a form wouldlist the DSO qualifications or require a diving resume on the DSO. Wecould leave this as is and let the standards and membership com-mittees do the best job they can to work this out.
3. Must be a member (inferring that the DSO is currently a memberin good standing of AAUS.)
If a new organization applies for membership and the DSO is not(at the time of applying) a member of AAUS, it means automatic de-nial. New organizations are in a catch-22 because you might havea DSO candidate who is well qualified regarding diving and sciencebackground but who is not an AAUS member at the time that theapplication is received. If we put the absolute application require-ment on this, we would reject a good number of applications on firstreview. Should the standard be modified to state that the DSOshould be or should become an AAUS member? Looking at the his-tory, many of the current organizational members‘ DSOs were notAAUS members when the organizations applied for membership. Weneed to correct or define the intent of this standard.
4. Shall be certified as a scuba diving instructor or have equivalentdiving supervisory experience.
This is the standard that brings the most debate and discussion. His-torically, when AAUS inserted this standard there was considerablediscussion, as noted by many that it had a purpose of improving thequality of DSOs, providing alternatives for people who had come frommilitary or civilian government programs and were weathered vet-erans in science diving programs. (I will be up front and state that Icame out of a civilian government program. I am also a certifiedscuba (diving) instructor, so I am biased, but I try to be objective). Thestandards and membership committees struggle to interpret this par-
ticular standard because of the wording “equivalent diving super-visory experience.” Perhaps it could be more explicit and provide ex-amples of what constitutes an equivalent diving supervisoryexperience. The AAUS standard,s in my opinion, should provide arange of options to meet the desired goal of having well qualifiedindividuals doing the DSO job. Our membership is diverse in terms ofmission; thus we should have standards that provide some flexibility.
I hope that the DSO community will think about their experienceand their missions and give the BOD their thoughts and wisdom(some of us have very strong and passionate convictions aboutthis, and we respect these). The challenge is to get a set of reason-able guidelines/standards that will work. We will do our best to getthe draft done at DEMA and get back to you for comment.
DSO Standards on DEMA AgendaBy Walt Jaap
4 5
Student PosterAwards at 20thSymposiumBy Pamela Hallock MullerChair, Technical Sessions, Diving for Science in the 21st Century
The 20th Annual Symposium of the American Academy of Under-water Sciences was the venue for the first Student Poster Competi-tion. Four student posters were presented. Judges Peter Haaker,California Fish and Game, and David Mallinson, University of SouthFlorida, had a very difficult time deciding, as all posters representedgood scientific research and all were clearly and attractively pre-sented. Although all were works in progress, the Moomaw andMoore posters presented completed segments of their studies, so thefinal decision was to split first prize between these two presenters.These were the winning posters:
“Investigations of Protogynous Sex Change in the BluebandedGoby (Lythrypnus dalli) in the Field Using Artificial Underwater Habi-tats” by Brandon Moore, Department of Life Science, Arizona StateUniversity, Phoenix.
“The Submersible Habitat for Analyzing Reef Quality (SHARQ): Im-proved Technology for Benthic Analysis and Experimentation” by AlexMoomaw, College of Marine Science, University of South Florida, withco-authors Kimberly K. Yates and Robert Halley, U.S. Geological Sur-vey Center for Coastal Geology and Regional Studies, St. Petersburg,Florida.
FIT Student WinsScholarshipBy Henry Fastenau
The winner of the $2500 student scholarship this year is RobinWilloughby, a PhD candidate at the Florida Institute of Technology.The winning paper is titled “Stress-Induced Gene Expression in Ma-rine Species.” Robin thanked the AAUS for her award and added thatshe thinks, “it’s important to get some idea of how cells of marineorganisms are affected by collection, since the influence on sub-sequent research may be significant. That’s why this scholarship is im-portant. It will allow me to get an instantaneous “snapshot” of geneexpression in situ, without which there would be no way to know what“normal” gene expression looks like in these organisms [marinesponges].” Robin will use the scholarship funds toward supplies andcollection costs (boat charter and travel).
This year thirty-six proposals were submitted for the award. Un-dergraduates submitted two applications. The remaining were evenlydivided between Masters and PhD students. The submissions were di-vided into six groups of six each and sent to six judges for review andranking. The six best were combined and sent to four judges. In a veryclose contest, Ms Willoughby won. The review panel for the first roundwas composed of Dr. Roy Caldwell, Department of Integrative Biol-ogy, University of California–Berkeley; Dr. Charles H. Ellis, Jr,. Depart-ment of Biology, Northeastern University; John Heine, Moss LandingMarine Laboratory; Dr. Pamela Hallock Muller, University of SouthFlorida College of Marine Science; Dr. Mark Snyder, Bodega Bay Ma-rine Laboratory, University of California–Davis; and Dr. John F. Valen-tine, Dauphin Island Sea Laboratory, Alabama. Second-roundreviewers were Caldwell, Ellis, Hein, and Snyder. Once again, the AAUSand participants in the scholarship thank the judges for their time andeffort. We all understand how busy they are and appreciate their ded-ication to the AAUS and subtidal research.
The other finalists, in order, were Emily G. Severance, “Genetic Di-versity and Gene Flow Patterns in Coral from the Western Atlantic,”University of South Florida; Salvador Jorgensen, a Masters candidate,“Oceanic Factors Influencing the Movements of Pelagic Fishes to andfrom a Seamount in the Gulf of California,” University of Califor-nia–Davis; Kirsten Grorud, “Predation in Marine Reserves: Effect on Re-cruitment and Early Survival of Coral Reef Fishes,” University of Miami;Rachel Petrik, “The Direct and Indirect Effects of an Invasive Algaeon a Gulf of Maine Fish,” University of Rhode Island; and Judy Robin-son, “Investigation of Microbial Biofilms as Settlement Precursors forCoral and Other Marine Invertebrate Larvae in Relation to ArtificialReefs,” Nova Southeastern University Oceanographic Center.
The scholarship next year will follow the same guidelines as be-fore. There will be at least one award of $2500. Application dead-line is June 30, 2001. Proposals shall be three to five pages in length.For more information, contact Henry Fastenau at [email protected].
MorganWells, retired but active and
creative, received the AAUS LifetimeAchievement Award at the AAUS annual meet-
ing. Morgan was director of the NOAA Man UnderseaTechnology Office, and director of the NOAA Diving Pro-
grams. He may be the most saturated science diver, having hadopportunities to live underwater in Sealab, Hydrolab, Helgoland,
Pirnol, Edelhab, Aquarius, and other systems. He pioneered the use ofsaturation diving for science and introduced many other scientists to the
advantages of living for days underwater.Morgan’s more well-known accomplishment was introducing Nitrox to
the scientific community. In 1983, Morgan presented a paper at an AAUS meet-ing at Scripps touting the benefits of Nitrox, which provides a better safety mar-gin (more bottom time). Then followed development of tables, mixing systems(membrane), and operating standards. Nitrox is now widely used.
Morgan lives in northern Virginia as a gentleman farmer. He has built his ownportable diving saturation habitat (Bay Lab) to study the bottom of Chesa-peake Bay. Morgan has completed a number of missions in the system.
We were pleased to award Morgan a painting by the local artistDiane Peebles entitled Master of the Mangroves, portraying snook
swimming among red mangrove prop roots. Adding to the excite-ment, AAUS also presented Morgan with the infamous Billy Bass
that wiggles and sings, “Take me to the river, throw me in thewater.” Somehow it seemed most fitting for J. Morgan
Wells—Captain Saturation. We wish Morgan a pro-ductive and enjoyable future and hope he
will keep us informed of his newprojects.—WCJ
So…you didn’t win the
painting. You can still getthe poster! Top-quality 241⁄2"
x 19" art prints on heavy, acid-free stock in vibrant, true colorsto fool Kathy Johnston herself.$25 covers poster & postage.Send your check to Ted
Maney at AAUS. See TheSlate’s back cover for
his address.
Luc
kyM
ike
La
ng withartist
Kathy Johnston
SylviaEarle on Sustainable Seas
Billy
Cau
sey
with
un
sung heroes Mike Callahan and
Matt Lybolt
Diving
Safety Offficers Meeting
Ted Maney & Doug Kesling
Physic
ians of the Medical Standards Review Panel
The AAUS Board of Directors at work
Ho
ne
ymo
oners
Jan ’n’ Dan Marelli
Prez Walt Jaap lays it out
Diving for Science in the 21st Century • AAUS 20th Annual Symposium
11–15 October 2000 • St. Pete Beach, Florida • Sirata Beach Resort
AAUS Founders
Lee Sommers, Jimmy Stewart, and Glen Egstr
om
DA
NO 2
Administrative Workshop
KarilynJaap, Billy, and Morgan