Luminox Ambassador and World Renowned Ocean Environmentalist, Scott Cassell Launches Luminox “Save the Seas” Programme in Malaysia

Luminox brand ambassador and world renowned ocean explorer, Mr Scott Cassell, launches the Luminox “Save The Seas” ocean conservation programme with a special exhibit of an electricity-powered two-man submersible (mini submarine), “The Great White”, at Mid Valley Megamall, Kuala Lumpur, from 9 to 15 September 2013. “The Great White” submersible is utilized by Mr Scott Cassell for student education programmes under his USA-based non-profit organization, the Undersea Voyager Project (UVP).

The mission of Luminox 'Save The Seas' is to educate consumers about the importance of preserving the health of the ocean eco-systems in The Coral Triangle, a region off the coasts of Southeast Asia (including Malaysia) recognised as the global centre of marine biodiversity and a global priority for conservation.

The Luminox ‘Save The Seas’ programme kick-started in Singapore on 29 August 2013, where “The Great White” was exhibited at Raffles City Shopping Centre. Mr Scott Cassell subsequently visited Brunei where he undertook a dive expedition on 1 September 2013 with Brunei’s Minister of Industry and Primary Resources, Yang Berhormat Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Utama Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Yahya Bin Begawan Mudim Dato Paduka Haji Bakar (His Honorary Pehin Yahya), to evaluate the health of Brunei’s coral reefs. Mr Scott Cassell subsequently had the honour to meet with the Sultan of Brunei at a Hari Raya military event.

After the dive expedition in Brunei, Mr Scott Cassell then moved on to Tioman Island, Malaysia where he embarked on a marine science survey of Tioman Island’s coral reefs from 4 to 8 September 2013 together with selected members of the media from Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei. This marked the very first time that a submersible has been piloted in the oceans of Southeast Asia.

“The Great White” – An Eco-Engineering Marvel.

“The Great White” submersible is an eco-engineering marvel, running entirely on electricity and homebuilt by Mr Scott Cassell and his Chief Engineer, Scott Reed, mostly from recycled materials. It has the capacity to go down to the deep sea at depths of up to 175 metres.

In the USA, Mr Scott Cassell manages a non-profit organization, the Undersea Voyager Project (UVP) where he works with high schools in California, USA, on innovative marine science education programmes. He takes high school students into a two-man submersible (a mini submarine for consumers), “The Great White” where he teaches them how to observe ocean eco-systems and marine life habitats scientifically.

Mr Scott Cassell named the submersible “The Great White”, in memory of “Spots”, a great white shark off the coast of California, USA, which he had filmed for several documentaries, but who has sadly been poached for its fins and teeth. The great white shark has previously been seen as a fearful man-eater in Hollywood movie, “Jaws”. Mr Scott Cassell is keen to debunk this Hollywood myth.

“Humans have never been the natural prey of the great white shark. They have never been man-eaters as their natural prey are actually seals, which they may sometimes mistake humans for with tragic consequences. An apex predator like the great white shark plays a very integral role in keeping the ocean eco-system in healthy balance. Take them away, and ecosystems will die. I named the submersible, ‘The Great White’, because it is my instrument for educating people about healthy ocean eco-systems, just as the great white shark itself is an instrument to keep the eco-system balanced,” said Mr Scott Cassell.

“The global ocean eco-system is a lot more inter-connected than what most people realize. All of our actions, no matter where we live, have an effect on the ocean and the marine life it holds. The Coral Triangle is facing grave degradation due to over-fishing and indiscriminate poaching of apex predators, like the great white shark. And this affects the ocean eco-system of even where I live in California, the USA, where we are trying to cope with the catastrophic effects from an unsustainable population explosion of the Humboldt squid due to lack of natural predators (i.e. sharks and whales).”

Continued Mr Scott Cassell, “I am here to appeal to consumers living and working in country members of The Coral Triangle, which includes Malaysian consumers, understand what it means to make changes in their lifestyle choices that will protect marine species. Even a small step like avoiding dishes that contain parts of endangered marine species (like sharks) and eating only seafood that is harvested in a sustainable way (farmed fish or marine species with a healthy population), can go a long way in ensuring a better environment for all of us, and a better future for our children’s generation.”

“Regular and impactful education programmes, like what we are doing now with the Luminox ‘Save The Seas’ campaign, is constantly needed to ensure people make the right choices in their lifestyles and diets.”

Scott Cassell has also officially launched the new Luminox Scott Cassell Deep Dive Automatic special edition watch – a watch which he created in collaboration with Luminox, with a unique dial design inspired by the suction cups of his principal research marine species, the Humboldt squid.

The Luminox Scott Cassell Deep Dive Automatic watch has all the features that professional divers on a mission would consider essential, including a sturdy 316L steel case, a professional-grade ratcheting unidirectional dive bezel, patent-pending bezel locking device that doubles as a crown protector, 500-meter water resistance, and a clear, high-contrast dial with Luminox Light Technology (LLT) that glows for up to 25 years regardless of condition, allowing the watch to stay constantly visible even in the murkiest depths. it is retail at RM 6905.

Proceeds from the sale of the new Luminox Scott Cassell Deep Dive Automatic special edition watch will be pledged to support Scott Cassell’s non-profit ocean conservation work in protection of endangered marine species and public education of the importance of preserving ocean eco-systems.