Lobster Hot Spots
Reports through dive clubs, scuttlebutt at dive stores, and talk on dive boats are revealing a number of hot spots for lobster diving this upcoming season opener.

In Laguna Beach take a look at Moss Point. Divers report that Eagle Rock off the backside of the west end of Catalina Island has a lot of lobster. Just north of Malibu at Nicholas Canyon State Beach, large lobster have been seen.

Lobster season opens for 2004 on October 2.

Scientists Discover New Shark Repellent
Researchers say they finally have found a potent repellent to drive away sharks. If proven effective, the repellent one day might protect divers, surfers and swimmers. But researchers say that would require much more study. The repellent is derived from extracts of dead sharks collected at New Jersey fish markets and piers. Fishermen and scientists have long noted sharks stay away if they smell a dead shark.

Plenty of Monterey Squid
During July Monterey divers from Lover’s Point all the way to the Breakwater were treated to huge numbers of molas and squid. While molas normally come to Monterey in large numbers in the fall, it is unusual to see so many in the middle of summer. Squid, however, were right on time and night divers swam with huge schools, while all divers could not help but notice mats of squid eggs in sandy areas.

Poachers at White Pt. Caught with 229 Speared Garibaldi
Game wardens patrolling the area off White Point in Southern California came across two divers poaching garibaldi. Stating the need to feed a family BBQ, the divers had 229 garibaldi and one lobster in their possession. The divers were cited and the fish confiscated. Garibaldi is the state marine fish of California and it is illegal to disturb, possess or remove any garibaldi from its natural habitat.

Summer time is the nesting season for the garibaldi. With the large amount of garibaldi killed, most of the nests will be left unattended and open to predators. White Point may take a while to return to its normal level of garibaldi you may find in the area.

Mola Sightings Abundant
Mola molas (Ocean Sunfish) seem to be everywhere lately. 15 molas were sighted on one dive at Hopkins Reef, Monterey. While it is not unusual to see molas in the open ocean, they are being spotted on nearly all oil rig and shark dives. Molas have also been reported at Santa Barbara Island and Farnsworth Bank dive site off the backside of Catalina Island.

New Worms Discovered in Monterey
Two strange new species of worms have been discovered living on the bones of dead whales in California’s Monterey Bay about 9,400 feet below the surface. The Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute in Moss Landing, CA, said the worms, ranging from 1-inch to 2 1/2-inches long, have colorful, feathery plumes that serve as gills and green “roots” that work their way into the bones of dead whales. They have no mouth, no guts, no obvious segments like all worms are supposed to have. The researchers named the worms, a new genus, Osedax, which is Latin for bone eating.