by Jeffrey Gallant

Nine members of the Navy's Fleet Diving Unit Atlantic have been charged under the National Defence Act for alleged offences relating to the poaching of lobster for personal use.

The members charged may face a court martial under the military justice system.

The charges are a result of incidents that allegedly took place last fall at Ferguson's Cove and Sleepy Cove off Halifax, Nova Scotia.

Charges include fishing without a licence, fishing for lobster during a closed time, possession of undersized lobster, possession of a female lobster with eggs and possession of illegally obtained lobster.

The nine members have also been charged for misuse of public material. A further charge was laid against a senior noncommissioned member for failure to enforce the poaching prohibitions.

Under the Fisheries Act, lobsters may only be taken by fishermen with a much-coveted licence. It is strictly forbidden for divers to take lobsters while diving. Nonetheless, many fishermen are wary of divers swimming around their traps during the lobster season.

Lobster fishers were also against the sinking of the HMCS Saguenay in Lunenburg Bay in 1994 under the pretence that the wreck would harm the fishery. In the end, the new reef has proven to be beneficial both to the lobster fishery and the local dive industry.

Lloyd's of London backed down from a possible search of the Swissair crash site off Peggy's Cove to recover $300 million in diamonds and jewels that were lost in the tragedy.

The CBC reported that the insurance company had staked a claim to the crash site and had applied for a treasure trove licence from the Nova Scotia government.

The search required approval from the provincial government. However, the local member of the legislature called the plan "tasteless" and wanted it stopped. Family members of some of the victims had also voiced their disapproval.

The diamonds were in a stainless steel tube, which may have disintegrated on impact or been driven deep into the sea-bed when the plane slammed into the ocean, killing all 229 people on board.

If the search had been approved, the insurance company planned to use a mini-submarine to hunt for the missing valuables as early as this summer.

Lloyd's apologised to the families of the victims for the distress caused by its request adding that it had done so only to prevent treasure hunters from searching the site.

Base de plongée Forillon is presently holding an underwater photo contest in Gaspé Bay. The contest, sponsored in part by DIVER, is open from July 1 to September 1.

Four different categories including children, single-use cameras, and advanced photographers, give divers of all levels a shot at one of the many valuable prizes.

To qualify, all photos must be taken in Gaspé Bay during the contest. Visit the Base de plongée Forillon web site for details: www.gaspesie.net/plongeeforillon

Concours photo

La Base de plongée Forillon tient présentement un concours de photo sous-marine dans la baie de Gaspé. Le concours, commandité en partie par DIVER, est ouvert du 1^er juillet au 1^er septembre.

Quatre catégories différentes comprenant entre autres les enfants, les appareils à usage unique, et les photographes avancés, donnent une chance à tout participant de remporter l'un des nombreux prix fort intéressants.

Pour être admissibles, les photos doivent être prises la baie de Gaspé pendant le concours. Rendez-vous au site web de la Base de plongée Forillon pour les détails: www.gaspesie.net/plongeeforillon