Why You Should Become a Green Fins Dive Guide
Diving related damage to sensitive marine ecosystems, including coral reefs, is becoming an increasingly significant issue. This damage makes them less likely to survive other local and wider stressors, such as over fishing or run-off from land containing pollutants and plastic debris as well the effects of climate change, such as rising sea temperatures.
SCUBA professionals have the ability to positively influence diver behaviour and this course helps guides better manage their guests to prevent them causing damage to the reef; helping to protect coral and other marine life one dive at a time.
The Green Fins Dive Guide e-Course covers techniques such as how to provide an effective pre-dive environmental briefing and how to stop customers (including underwater photographers) touching coral whilst SCUBA diving; techniques proven to reduce the level of coral damage associated with SCUBA diving.
Green Fins Dive Guide e-Course Details
- Language: English.
- Starting date: Any time.
- Location: Anywhere, this course is fully online.
- Level: You must be qualified as a Rescue Diver or higher.
- Duration: Study at your own pace, no time limit except for the tests.
- Price: Participation is FREE, a personalized certification costs £19 ($24).
- A donation of £8 ($10) per individual is also suggested to support Green Fins. 100% of donations go to supporting the development and growth of Green Fins work internationally, directly supporting dive centres and divers like yourself.
Green Fins Dive Guide e-Course Structure
The course provides dive professionals with three modules of easy-to-follow content followed by corresponding tests on an intuitive, user-friendly platform:
- Module 1: Green Fins Background will give you a basic background to this course, coral reefs and Green Fins.
- Module 2: Above Water will provide tips and advice concerning best practice above water and in the boat.
- Module 3: Below Water will concentrate on what you can do below water and how to manage yourself and your divers.
There is a short test at the end of each module you must pass in order to finish the course.
At the end of the course you can decide to purchase an electronic certificate which you can download. This will have your name and date on it to show that you have taken part in this training. It is recommended that you publicly show this certificate to inform your guests that you are aware of how to reduce the environmental impacts associated with SCUBA diving.
Showing the certificate can be desirable when applying for a job at a dive center, help attract eco-minded customers and make SCUBA divers more confident about the standards of the dive center. The Green Fins Dive Guide e-Course can also be offered as an addition to the Divemaster training programme, resulting in increased business for the dive school. Certified guides and dive centers will both benefit from additional promotion through the Green Fins community.
About Green Fins and The Green Fins Dive Guide e-Course
The Reef-World Foundation - the international coordinators of Green Fins - with the support of Professional SCUBA Schools International (PSS) and the United Nations Environment (UN Environment) have created this course for you.
Green Fins is a management approach that was initiated by The United Nations Environment Programme (UN Environment) as part of their Regional Seas programme in 2004. It aims to protect and conserve coral reefs by increasing public awareness and improving management practices to reduce unsustainable tourism practices. It is internationally coordinated by UK charity The Reef-World Foundation.
The Reef-World Foundation trains national teams in each country to run Green Fins to manage their tourism industry. National teams can be made up of government staff, NGOs and individuals who are passionate about diving and coral reef conservation. Green Fins is not a non-governmental organization (NGO) or a registered business but is a ‘management approach’ that is adopted by the national government in each active country.
Chloe Harvey, Director at The Reef-World Foundation, said: “The Green Fins Dive Guide e-Course enables dive professionals to become more environmentally aware, understand the main environmental threats posed by SCUBA diving and be able to minimize those threats. We hope that the course will help protect coral reefs all over the world, allowing them to be more resilient to wider stressors such as the effects of climate change. What’s more, many divers now expect, and demand, environmentally aware guides so being a positive role model in this way not only protects the underwater environment, but can also result in better employability and more tips!”
Green Fins is the only internationally recognized environmental standard for dive and snorkel operators, established through a partnership between UN Environment and The Reef-World Foundation. Green Fins uses a unique and proven three-pronged approach; green certifications of dive centres, strengthening regulations and environmental education for dive staff, divers and government.
Join the community - Become a Green Fins Dive Guide Today
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