Our PADI specialties with a marine conservation focus have so much to offer:

Coral Reef Conservation Course

Everyone likes to scuba dive or snorkel in warm, clear water on a vibrant coral reef, yet many people know little about what they’re seeing or the importance of reef ecosystems. The PADI Coral Reef Conservation Specialty course helps you appreciate the complexity of these habitats and teaches you how you can help conserve these vital systems.

The Coral Reef Conservation specialty course will cover the following topics:

• How coral reefs function and the complex nature of life on a reef

• Why coral reefs are so important

• Why many coral reefs are in serious trouble

• What you can do to prevent further decline

• How Project AWARE unites divers and water enthusiasts to make a difference

Please Note: This is a non-diving certification and no water dive sessions are required to earn this PADI specialty.

Fish Identification Course

“What was that fish?” is a common question heard after a dive. If you want to be the scuba diver with the answers, instead of the one asking the questions, then take the Fish Identification Specialty course. You’ll enjoy your dives even more when you recognize the creatures that you see and can identify the main fish families and their characteristics. During two scuba dives, you’ll learn:

• Identify characteristics of local fish families and species

• Fish survey techniques and strategies

• Project AWARE activities that can help protect aquatic life

Invasive Lionfish  Course

Thirty years after their accidental introduction, lionfish have conquered the Atlantic and Caribbean Oceans and are wreaking havoc on coral reef ecosystems. Unlike in its native Pacific Ocean habitats, there are no natural predators in the Atlantic and Caribbean to keep this invasive species in check. Hence, lionfish populations have exploded, gobbling up native coral reef fish that have no natural defense mechanisms against this invasive species. Lionfish threaten the very survival and sustainability of coral reef ecosystems in the Caribbean and Atlantic Oceans. Learn what action is needed to control the lionfish population and, learn practical ways to safely and humanely capture and euthanize these fish.

Shark Conservation Course

Love sharks? Scared of sharks? Or do you just want to learn more about them? Enroll in the Shark Conservation specialty and discover the value of sharks to marine ecosystems.  At the end of your classroom session and two open water dives, you will cover the following topics:

• Identify various shark species and learn about their life history

• The conservation status of sharks, why they are unique and vulnerable, and the importance of healthy shark populations

• How to manage threats to sharks, recognize the value of sharks and remove barriers to conservation

• Actions you can take to protect sharks and how joining a global movement of divers can help to protect sharks

Please Note:  This is NOT a shark dive. Feeding sharks in their natural habitat to dive with them is unsafe and disrupts their natural role in the ecosystem.

Underwater Naturalist Course

Take the PADI Underwater Naturalist Specialty course and you’ll see new things, even on the most familiar scuba diving sites. Why? Because when know more about symbioses, underwater ecology, and aquatic plant and animal habitats, you notice behaviors and see creatures you may have previously missed.  Through class discussions and on two scuba dives, you’ll learn:

• Key differences between the terrestrial and aquatic worlds

• Major aquatic life groupings, interactions and information that dispels myths

• Responsible interactions with aquatic life.