Dive shows & Events

ABOFA – Aqaba Blue Ocean: Future in Action

ABOFA 2026 is the region’s premier international platform dedicated to diving, marine technology, water sports, and the blue economy. Hosted in Aqaba, Jordan, at the heart of the Red Sea, the event positions Aqaba as a strategic MENA -connected hub, linking all MENA countries through industry collaboration, investment, and exchange.

Location:

Aqaba, Jordan
Event dates:
-
ABOFA

1st Arabia and Fira Barcelona have announced the launch of ABOFA – Aqaba Blue Ocean: Future in Action, an international blue-economy event taking place 9–12 September 2026 at the Aqaba International Exhibition Center (AIEC) in Aqaba, Jordan.

Organised with the Aqaba Development Corporation (ADC), the show aims to become a regional meeting point for the diving, marine technology and coastal lifestyle sectors, supporting efforts to position Aqaba as a hub for the blue economy.

X-RAY MAGAZINE FEATURE

Photography: The Art That Makes the Invisible Visible

Technological advances in photography have enabled photographers to document the extraordinary reproductive lives of tiny creatures found in the underwater world as never before, often leading to scientific discovery and understanding of little-known species. Underwater photographer Franco Tulli takes a closer look.

Words:
Franco Tulli
Images:
Franco Tulli
Hypselodoris infucata nudibranch with eggs
➥ Download the full article as pdf ⬅︎
Photo & Video

For biologists, the study of reproductive dynamics is fundamental to the survival of every species and has always been one of the most important aspects to analyse and describe. However, it is also often the most challenging, due to the many difficulties encountered in direct observation. This is true for most living organisms, but even more so for beings that live and reproduce in aquatic habitats, except for the few species that can be observed in captivity in aquariums.

Boot Show Is a Blast

The expo in Germany’s industrial heartland, held in the middle of winter, has become an unparalleled powerhouse of a dive show that serves both the public and the dive community as a central networking event of growing importance.

At Boot 2026, a rain of confetti drizzled down over the award recipients and jury members at the Dive Award gala.
Dive Industry News and Matters

This was my 20th or so Boot Show. I never quite loved it, but I was always irresistibly drawn to it. This cognitive dissonance was beginning to grow into an itch for me to explain, not least to myself, and finally, the penny dropped. What I find is that the show is clinically effective. It is a top-trimmed apparatus. Every detail is taken care of, and the organisation runs a very tight ship. It is a showcase of German effectiveness, a well-oiled, finely tuned machine. 

Press Release
Received from: Ocean Art

14th Annual Ocean Art Underwater Photo Contest Winners Announced

UWPhotographyGuide

The Ocean Art Underwater Photography Competition, widely regarded as the world’s premier underwater photography contest, has announced its winners for 2025.

With thousands of entries submitted from photographers across more than 90 countries, this year’s competition highlights extraordinary moments from beneath the surface—from rare deep-sea encounters to powerful conservation stories.

Press Release
Received from: DAN

The DANcast Returns: DAN's Podcast Launches Season 2

DAN

Season 2 premieres January 20, 2026, building on a successful debut year in 2025 that reached more than 120,000 listeners across 32 episodes, with a conversation between Kenny Dyal, dive professional and founder of Sweetwater Scuba, and Brian Harper, vice president of marketing and communications at DAN. 

Upcoming Season 2 guests include technical and cave divers, marine conservationists, dive training professionals, and other voices representing the depth of knowledge and breadth of experiences in the diving community. New episodes will be released every other Tuesday.

Press Release
Received from: NAUI

NAUI and Ocean Reef Launch Full Face Mask Courses

NAUI

The National Association of Underwater Instructors (NAUI) is proud to announce a new partnership with Ocean Reef Group to offer specialty courses focused on diving with Ocean Reef full face masks. This collaboration brings together two dive industry innovators committed to safety, comfort, and expanding access to underwater exploration.

X-RAY MAGAZINE FEATURE

Golden Cup Coral

One of the most prevalent and photogenic invasive species in the Caribbean is the golden cup coral. Lawson Wood takes a closer look.

Words:
Lawson Wood
Images:
Lawson Wood
Golden cup coral, Tubastraea coccinea, also known as orange cup coral
➥ Download the full article as pdf ⬅︎
Ecology & Science

Since the opening of the Panama Canal in 1914, the entire Caribbean zone has been under even more threat from various invasive species, some pretty, some unseen and others downright dangerous to the vagaries of this fragile ecosystem.

Great White Sharks Face Extinction in the Mediterranean

New research highlights critical population decline and urgent need for protection.

Great White Shark
Ecology & Science

Great white sharks, among the ocean’s most iconic predators, are now facing a real risk of extinction in the Mediterranean Sea. New scientific research indicates that the regional population is critically depleted, with sightings becoming increasingly rare and evidence pointing to a long-term and continuing decline.

Unexpected Ecotypes Discovered in Mediterranean Bottlenose Dolphins

The findings of a new study have challenged a long-held theory about bottlenose dolphins in the Mediterranean. It was thought that they were split into east and west populations, but, in fact, they are divided into coastal and offshore ecotypes that do not interact.

Ecology & Science

“We thought that there was a general east-west split in their populations based on quite old genetic techniques that wouldn’t be used nowadays,” said lead author and marine biologist at the University of Exeter, Daniel Moore, to Discover Wildlife. “We started the study wanting to understand that east-west split a bit more, but using modern techniques, and what we found was just not expected at all.”