On Fri, 16 Apr 2004 Bjorn Vang Jensen <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

<snip of the kiwi shears>
>Triggerfish attacks well away from the bottom are frequent out here,
and it has been suggested that they consider their territory to extend
not only in a circle around their nest of a certain radius, but also
all the way up the water column. There is some debate over whether the
shape of the territory is cylindrical or cone-shaped, but in any case,
the answer to avoiding or terminating attacks seems to be swimming away
horizontally, rather than just ascending.

I agree with Bjorn's comment above about what the triggerfish consider is
their territory.  I recall many a time having to do the triggerfish-tango
while diving off Sipadan.  We unfortunately arrived the week they were
nesting and boy did they give us hell.  While the attacks had us reversing
in haste using our fins to shoo them away it was very hard not to laugh
half drowning yourself in the process.  Unfortunately an Italian lady in
our dive group was bitten badly on the little finger on her 2nd to last
day on the island.  Cut right down to the bone it looked a mess.
Viv