Diving to admire the colors, the seabed, and all kinds of fish is great, but understanding what surrounds you, recognizing different species and knowing how to protect and not disturb them is even better! Bio courses are offered all over France to make you real ambassadors of underwater life.Importance of theory
During the first steps in these courses, theory plays a very important role. Divers learn to recognize the major groups of underwater life and what characterizes them, to distinguish a mollusk from a crustacean or a fish. They must master the concept of the marine environment, distinguish a seagrass, rocky, or sandy seabed… All of this aims to better understand their environment once underwater and know how to approach it with respect.
The goal of this initial approach is not to become a biologist specializing in marine species but to have a solid foundation allowing them to sharpen their eye underwater. According to Maud Nemoz, national instructor of underwater biology in Vallauris (06), « after the first classes a person may not know exactly what species they have encountered but they will at least be able to say if it is a crustacean, for example. »
A responsible approach
The ecological dimension is important during these courses. Participants specifically learn to approach the underwater environment with a responsible mindset and study protected species. « These learnings mainly educate one’s observation skills, but also help discover the environment in which fauna and flora evolve, » explains Maud Nemoz. As they progress, divers learn to recognize species more precisely. They also study the modes of feeding, reproduction, locomotion, or respiration of these animals.
These courses do not claim to train future biologists, but simply, in a fun and educational way, to help understand and show the diversity of the underwater world. For most organizations, this initiation is possible from PA20 level (autonomous diver at 20 meters depth).Organizations offering bio training :
– ANMP
Learning to observe more attentively and discovering underwater animals, their interactions, their environment, is an exciting qualification to better understand the underwater world.
– The curriculum FFESSMThree levels exist for recreational bio diving:1 – young diver biologist is a discovery of observational diving for young people aged 10 to 16. The program includes: discovery of different habitats (= biotopes), recognition of common species and basic classification concepts, awareness of respecting the environment and the importance of appropriate behaviors.2 – PB1 (Level 1 Bio Diver) is an introduction to observational diving and the general organization of underwater life. This level enables identifying, describing, or even naming a group or species, understanding how life is organized to better discover, observe, and respect it. In addition to diving, depending on the situation, instructors may use other means: aquarium visits, shoreline walks, museum visits.3 – BP2 deepens the knowledge of major groups and the relationships of living beings with their environment as well as learning laboratory techniques. It includes learning to « show others, share observations »
– IANTD
The training includes a theoretical series on marine environment, marine life, and environmental protection during dives. The practical part allows participants to learn to identify and take notes on encountered marine life, review emergency and assistance practices in diving.
– FSGT
It is an introduction to observational diving, the general organization of underwater life, and the environment. It allows the diver to exchange information related to fauna and flora during dives, adapt their underwater behavior to the nature of the environment, observed species, and to know the place of observed species within the major groups of aquatic life.
– PADI
The PADI course « Aware, Fish Identification » enables identification of the characteristics of fish families and species locally. It teaches various techniques and fish study strategies and how to help protect aquatic life.
– SSI
In this training, participants learn to recognize a species, its shapes and patterns, study classification, physical characteristics, and behavior of marine animals. The training focuses on fish from the Caribbean, Indian and Pacific Oceans, and the Red Sea.
– TDI
In this environment protection and awareness training, divers learn to recognize marine organisms (corals, aquatic animals and plants, local specificities of organisms, study behaviors). They study different ecosystems (cold, warm, or temperate waters), ecological problems such as overfishing and pollution, and the approach to and interaction with their environment.
Margot Harty