Marine Ecology course

Understand what you see underwater with the SSI Marine Ecology Specialty. Learn how life in the ocean is interconnected and dive with greater insight and wonder.

With the SSI Marine Ecology Specialty program, you will learn how ocean life truly works. You will discover how marine organisms are connected to each other and to their environment, and how seemingly separate components together form one complex and fascinating ecosystem.

During this course, you will learn how energy flows through marine communities, what relationships exist between different species, and how ecosystems such as coral reefs, seagrass beds, and the open ocean influence each other. You will gain insight into ecological processes that you see every day while diving, but often do not fully recognize or understand.

With this knowledge, you will look at underwater life with new eyes. You will recognize behaviors, connections, and interactions, and develop a deeper understanding and respect for the ocean. This not only makes your dives more educational, but also richer and more meaningful.

The SSI Marine Ecology Specialty is suitable for divers and snorkelers who want to deepen their knowledge and interact more consciously with the underwater world. The course consists mainly of theory and can largely be followed online, making it easy to combine with other diving activities.

Upon completion, you will receive the SSI Marine Ecology Specialty certification, which counts towards the free SSI recognition ratings Specialty Diver, Advanced Specialty Diver, and Master Diver.

As with all our ecology programs, we donate 20% of the course fee to one of the nature organizations we support as a dive school: BRANCH Coral Foundation and/or Sea Turtle Conservation Curaçao. This way, your course directly contributes to the preservation of the underwater world you enjoy.