THE COVERS Articles & Editorials OCTOBER 1999 • Volume 9 Number 10 
  
Fish Photos by Paul Humann, from his book Reef Fish Identification Florida Caribbean Bahamas, New World Publications, Inc. Computer enhancement by Doreen Wood		 The world beneath the waves is vast and varied, and so are its inhabitants. Fishes fascinate us as divers. And almost everywhere we dive they provide us with endless hours of entertainment. In this month’s cover feature, author Marty Snyderman gives us a close-up view of "The Wonderfully Wacky World of Fishes."
FEATURES
22 The Wonderfully Wacky World of Fishes
Worldwide, there are more than 23,800 species. With such a large and varied group of creatures, trying to describe a typical fish is quite a challenge. In fact, if there is a single concept that describes all fishes, it surely must be that of diversity. The author offers us a peek into their watery world. 		By Marty Snyderman
34 Pumped Up for Diving:
There's a whole lot more to personal compressors than meets the eye. Before you set yourself up with a portable air station, it's important to learn about compressors - how to choose the right one and how to safely operate it. 		By Robert N. Rossier
42 How Safe is Diving?: An Update
The short answer to the question, "Is diving safe?" is very simple: No, it's not. At least not according to the formal definition of the term safety, which is "freedom from danger, risk or injury." Completely avoiding the risk of injury is a virtually impossible state to achieve in any sport or activity. But the latest data indicates that scuba diving is much safer than you might have imagined. 		By Alex Brylske
COMMENTARY
8 Editorial: Risk Management and Responsibility By E. Mark Young
10 Buddy Lines: PSI Police
14 Diving Notes and News: Florida Prepares for Air Quality Regulation And other news from the diving industry. By Cathryn Castle
85 No Dumb Questions: Air Sharing, Worldwide Training Standards and Buoyancy Concerns By Alex Brylske
DIVE EXPLORATION
72 Dive Geo: Pacific Retreat. Santa Catalina Island's Magic Allure: As part of Southern California, Catalina is noted for its sunny weather and cosmopolitan charm. Underwater, it's a kelp forest community teeming with marine life. By Bob Wohlers
81 Dive Traveler: Traveling Money. Where to Get It - and How to Save It - on Vacation. As we become further immersed in the age of electronic everything, it turns out that electronic banking - that handy automatic teller machine - may be one of the best ways to get cash, regardless of your destination. By Brenda Fine
83 Passport: Dive travel incentives around the globe
Compiled by Cathryn Castle
EVERY MONTH
49 Scuba Skills: Handling A Scuba Cylinder - Safely. Any time you handle tanks, your primary concern should be safety. By Lynn Laymon
53 Always Learning: MWVO Diving. What You See Is What You Get. The author shares his experience of diving in conditions that can be termed MWVO-Murky Water, Visibility Obscured. By Mark Twombly
57 Instructor Tips: Trek Lightly: Teaching Students to Dive Responsibly. How instructors can help students become stewards of the aquatic realm. By Bob Wohlers
63 Eco-Seas: The Vanishing Mangroves. A look at mangroves - why they're important to the marine ecosystem and how they're being threatened. By James Phillips
70 Diving Through the Decades: The 1970s. In this ongoing series, we recall a decade every month - the events, personalities, inventions, and trends that made diving what it is today. By Eric Hanauer
77 Dive Medicine: How to Control Seasickness. Hints on how to get your sea legs without getting sick By Paul Auerbach, M.D.
92 Smithsonian Reports
Smithsonian scientists report on the biogeography of reef fishes. 		By D. Ross Robertson and Michael A. Lang, Edited by Alex Brylske
90 Dive Shop: New Dive Designs
Compiled by Cathryn Castle
94 What's That?: From Simple to Sublime, A Collection of Unusual Sights. A look at the subtle stuff we'd likely miss if we didn't move slowly and observe carefully. By Dee Scarr
99 International Classifieds
101 Classifieds
105 Dive Training Quiz :Test your knowledge of the information in this month's issue.
106 Final Check: What It Looks Like When...You Wear a Snorkel for Safety. You wouldn't want to be at the surface without it. By Linda Lee Walden