“Water and air, the two essential fluids on which all life depends, have become global garbage cans.” — Jacques Cousteau

Be a part of SSI Blue Oceans

Together we can protect our oceans

We want everyone to be aware of the environmental problems our oceans are suffering day by day. The SSI Blue Oceans movement supports the conservation and sustainable use of aquatic environments, including oceans, seas, coasts, and waterways and their magnificent diversity of plant and animal species.

Register free and take Action

To get started, simply create a free user profile at my.divessi.com/register or directly through the MySSI App . During registration select the SSI Training Center you wish to guide you through the training process. Check the Center Locator for your Center of choice, their upcoming training schedule, travel, and social events, and much more. Once your profile is complete you will get immediate access to SSI’s free trial programs. You must however register all other courses with the Training Center to access them through the App or your profile.

Download the MySSI App from your preferred app store, set up your profile, and discover the world of diving with the following benefits:

Instant free access to SSI’s trial programs and Blue Oceans

Lifetime access to your digital training materials and certifications

Digital logbook with thousands of dive sites around the world and potential wildlife sightings

Latest events, news, videos and much more

Download iOSDownload Android

SSI’s responsible diver code

Dealing with the underwater world

  • Only use a swim-through if you can do so without touching anything
  • Don’t swim or snorkel too close to the reef
  • Don’t touch or break corals
  • Use labeled entrances/exits for the water
  • Don’t disturb the sand, since it reduces visibility and smothers corals
  • Don’t hunt or bother animals
  • Don’t touch animals unless properly trained
  • Don’t feed animals
  • Don’t take souvenirs from the sea - broken coral pieces or empty snail shells still serve as useful habitat
  • Only place a reef hook where it will not damage or disturb the reef
  • Do not disturb animals or habitat to improve your photo opportunity

Avoid Garbage

  • Never throw inorganic waste into the sea – Plastics decompose incredibly slowly
  • Minimize the production of garbage: Use reusable coffee mugs and lunch boxes, glass or metal bottles and shopping bags
  • Do not bring unnecessary packaging to the resort
  • Dispose of your waste in as eco-friendly a manner as possible
  • If you smoke, dispose of cigarette butts in the proper receptacle, not on the ground or in the water

Environmental awareness

  • Commit to personally protect the environment
  • Prevent others from causing damage through positive action and motivation
  • Support useful projects and organizations dedicated to marine protection
  • If possible, collect garbage on your dives – but only if doing so does not cause more damage to the environment
  • If possible, cut hanging ropes and collect floating nets and plastics
  • Inform your buddy or the crew on the surface if you were not able to remove the net
  • Never eat shark fins, whale meat, turtle eggs, etc.
  • Report immediately violations of the ban on the use of marine animals as souvenirs

Responsible use of resources

  • Shower only as long as required to get clean, especially in areas with minimal ability to store/purify water
  • Wash your equipment in the provided container, and only when necessary – often it’s enough to clean equipment thoroughly at the end of the dive trip
  • Turn off the lights when you aren’t using them
  • Use alternative transportation or walk instead of driving
  • Avoid unnecessary waste - food plans and shopping lists help save you money, and prevent purchasing unnecessary food that may go to waste

Take action today and show that you care!

You successfully organised a beach clean-up? Proudly tag it! You stopped using plastic bottles? Tag it! You motivated others to help protect our oceans? Tag it!

Every action counts, so upload your photo to Instagram or Facebook with #blueoceansprogram, #ssiblueoceans or mention @blueoceansprogram and it will automatically appear in SSI Blue Oceans Hall of Fame.

Recommendations for Divers

You can actively protect your underwater world by learning about the underwater ecosystem and practicing proper buoyancy control on every dive. SSI has developed some useful programs to help you improve your skills.

Perfect Buoyancy

The SSI Perfect Buoyancy Specialty is the best way to improve your body position for relaxed dives, lower your air consumption and increase your bottom times. Take control of your enjoyment. Start online now!

10
Minimum Age
5-10
Suggested duration (h)
4
Academic Sessions

Shark Ecology

Sharks are vital for healthy oceans and are truly spectacular to dive with! Join the SSI Shark Ecology program and learn how to dive safely with sharks, why their behaviors are misunderstood and more. Start online today!

6
Minimum Age
3-6
Suggested duration (h)
7
Academic Sessions

Marine Ecology

The SSI Marine Ecology Specialty program is the best way to discover the exciting science of marine ecology and become an underwater naturalist. Enhance your dives in a new way. Earn the SSI Marine Ecology specialty certification now!

6
Minimum Age
3-6
Suggested duration (h)
6
Academic Sessions

Sea Turtle Ecology

You will learn to identify sea turtles species, discover their history and role in marine ecosystems, and threats to their survival. Upon completion, you will earn the SSI Sea Turtle Ecology Specialty certification.

6
Minimum Age
3-6
Suggested duration (h)
5
Academic Sessions

Manta & Ray Ecology

Diving with mantas and other rays is one of the best dive experiences you will have. Learn how to safely interact with rays and recognize different species with the SSI Manta & Ray Ecology Specialty program.

6
Minimum Age
3-6
Suggested duration (h)
5
Academic Sessions

Fish Identification

Learn how to identify fish with the SSI Fish Identification specialty program and enhance your dives! Discover all you need to identify common families of Caribbean, Indo-Pacific and Red Sea reef fish and earn your SSI Fish Identification specialty certification.

6
Minimum Age
3-6
Suggested duration (h)
8
Academic Sessions