The SSI Invasive Species Management program provides students with the knowledge and skills needed to identify lionfish, locate them in their habitats, and safely cull them while diving.
An active status Invasive Species Management Specialty Instructor may conduct the Invasive Species management specialty program.
Note | SSI Referral Divers may enroll in SSI specialty programs and complete all academic and pool/confined water sessions. Open water training dives for all specialties cannot be combined with open water training dives for entry-level programs, and must be conducted after completion of all in-water training for the Open Water Diver program.
Each student must either own or have access to the special equipment required to complete the program skills. Examples include a dive light, compass, or delayed surface marker buoy. The necessary equipment depends on the specific dive being conducted. This ensures that students can safely perform all required skills and meet the program’s performance standards.
- During in-water skill evaluations, the students must remain under direct supervision of the SSI Professional so that physical contact can be made at any time.
- Complete all academic sessions and assessments outlined in the instructor manual for Invasive Species Management.
- Complete at least one (1) pool/confined water session as outlined in the instructor manual for Invasive Species Management.
- Complete at least two (2) open water training dives as outlined in the instructor manual for Invasive Species Management.
- The purpose of this session is to assess the general skill level of the student, and to train them in the use of the specialty equipment prior to any open water training.
- Upon completion of all academic and in-water requirements, the SSI Professional may issue the program’s digital certification card.
- The responsible SSI Professional must enter the invasive species identified during training—for example, lionfish—the equipment used and the training location into the MySSI System. This information will appear on the diver’s certification card.
- Certified SSI divers can dive with a buddy in environments equivalent to their training and within the recommended depth limits of their certifications.
SSI materials are written in English and follow U.S. spelling and punctuation.