Conscious Fish?

For decades, the question of whether fish feel pain has been stalled by a deeper, largely unexamined assumption: that fish, along with other 'low,' 'cold' animals, are not conscious. This raises an immediate contradiction, for how can a creature experience pain without being aware of it? Pain, by its very nature, is a subjective experienceā€”something felt. To argue that fish feel pain but are not conscious, is to separate sensation from awareness in a way that collapses under scrutiny.

Ecology & Science

This conceptual impasse has not emerged in a vacuum. It has been reinforced by a long-standing bias that portrays fish as simple, mechanical robotsā€”reflex-driven organisms that lack any intrinsic importance. This view has been amplified, and in many cases actively promoted, by sectors of the fishing industry, where acknowledging the consciousness and suffering of fishes would carry profound ethical consequences.

X-RAY MAGAZINE FEATURE

The Perfect Dive Liveaboard

What makes a dive liveaboard perfect? Simon Pridmore takes a closer look and offers insights and tips for choosing the right dive liveaboard for you.

Words:
Simon Pridmore
Images:
Recreational scuba diving liveaboard
āž„ Download the full article as pdf ā¬…ļøŽ
Tech and Training

The spoiler in this column comes right at the beginning. There is no such thing as a perfect dive liveaboard. At least, I have never come across one, and I have been travelling on dive liveaboards pretty much ever since they became a thing.

The genesis of this article stems from the aftermath of a wonderful liveaboard trip, where the manifold inadequacies of the vessel my wife and I were travelling on were more than made up for by the positivity and camaraderie among our group, and the quality of the diving.

X-RAY MAGAZINE FEATURE

Shoot Down This Myth

A routine dive trip ended in tragedy for a newly certified, inexperienced diver. The novice did not die from illness or extreme conditions, but from a series of preventable oversights, misplaced assurances and long-standing assumptions about what beginners can safely manage. Simon Pridmore debunks these myths and offers practical advice on how to avoid such casual negligence.

Words:
Simon Pridmore
Images:
Simon Pridmore
āž„ Download the full article as pdf ā¬…ļøŽ
Op'eds and commentaries

I have chosen to dedicate a column to this story, not because it is particularly dramatic, but because it is so mundane. A diver died, not through illness or because they did something wrong, and not as the result of a freak weather event, but simply due to a sequence of instances of casual negligence and the perpetuation of a myth about what new divers are qualified to do that needs to be debunked.

2024 NOGI Recipient for Education Acceptance Speech

I would not be here without the support and help of an army of giants.   ā€”Jeff Bozanic

Op'eds and commentaries

Iā€™d like to thank the Academy for having me here tonight.  I am truly honored to be here and to receive the NOGI for Education.  I am humbled as you add my name to the ranks of those I consider my mentors, role models, and heroes.

I would not be here without the support and help of an army of giants.  My early instructors and mentors; John Reseck, Jr., who also presented me with my medal this evening, John Wozny, and the Santa Ana College Dive Club, all of who guided and supported me as I became a dive instructor.

ā€œIt was always, all about the trainingā€

After thirty years of scuba diving, how relevant was that training? 

Op'eds and commentaries

All through my diving career, I have been aware of the value of training, currency, and constant practice of safety drills. Too often, I have seen experienced divers get into serious difficulty because they failed to manage a minor issue. An issue that their training had equipped them to solve easily. Conversely, I have always had respect for the diver who dedicates his first dive on a liveaboard to a gentle skills practice. 

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