News
Statement from SSI on current COVID-19 worldwide situation
There is a lot of concern right now about the global outbreak of the Coronavirus (COVID-19), which affects every one of us. This includes entire countries and just about every business around the world. Our diving industry is no different, especially when it is highly dependent on travel.
Therefore, I wanted to reach out to you personally and assure you that everyone’s safety and supporting you is our top priority. We are in this together!
Fortunately, there is some good news in all of this uncertainty. History has taught us that during the most difficult times is when the SSI advantages pay off. During this time, we all must focus on stimulating business. Consequently, I would like to provide you with a few strategies to make the most of the current situation using the many SSI tools.
STAY ACTIVE AND CONNECTED WITH YOUR CUSTOMER BASE
Stay proactive during these interesting times by frequently contacting every customer. This is when you play out one of your main advantages, fulfilling your customers diving needs.
As long as your activities are not limited by the virus, you need to be out diving. Especially now, when people are insecure about travel restrictions. Stand out and make the most out of the situation by offering lots of different activities for customers looking for fun things to do locally as a part of their normal life.
CREATE BUSINESS BY USING THE BENEFITS OF DIGITAL
Presently, part of your customer base may be concerned about getting together with other people and in some countries, they may even be limited to visiting your Training Center. This is where the advantages of digital provide you the option to register customers without the need of seeing them in person:
- Safe and Germ Free – Independent study is done on the customer’s phone, tablet or computer.
- All SSI Programs – Can be sold and registered over the phone. Knowledge development can be completed at home, while the in-water training can occur at a later date.
- B2B – Customers can only get SSI products through SSI Training Centers.
- Pricing – SSI´s digital pricing is all-inclusive and provides the highest margin in the industry, especially now when all income counts.
- Inventory – There is no need for codes or inventory, freeing up financial resources! Training Centers only pay after course fees have been collected.
- Professional Training – Prospects for becoming an SSI Professionals can start now and study all academics in a relaxed way, especially the extensive theory for Science of Diving, Dive Guide and the Instructor Training Course.
SSI has smart tools to help you deploy every tactic necessary until the world gets control of this virus.
Over the years, I have found that we always emerge stronger after world events of this nature, which might be difficult to recognize right now. I encourage each of you to please remain optimistic and execute the recommended strategies.
MYDIVEGUIDE, TRAINING CENTER LOCATOR & MORE
Creating a TRAINING CENTER LOCATOR, embedded with an EVENT CALENDAR, linked to a travel guide may seem strange coming from a company that funds itself on the sales of training materials, but that is the point. We need to focus on the industry as a whole and certification is only a part of what SSI does. Diving has always been intrinsically linked to travel, and SSI’s MYDIVEGUIDE promotes SSI Training Centers by displaying thousands of Dive Sites around the world with their potential Wildlife Encounters. Divers will be inspired to explore and discover the world’s most amazing Dive Sites and Group Travel or Courses through your Event Calendar and, ultimately, find their next dive adventure and travel destination with you, the SSI Training Centers.
SSI RECOMMENDATIONS FOR DEALING WITH CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19) IN DIVE TRAINING
Since the onset of the Coronavirus (COVID-19), there have been and still are many health alerts and concerns around the world. We want you to know that we are vigilant in our efforts to provide you with correct information, especially in the areas of concern, e.g. sharing air.
I would like to thank you for your loyalty, membership and support on behalf of the entire SSI Team.
Stay positive, active and healthy!
Sincerely,
Guido Waetzig
CEO
SSI International
Source: www.divenewswire.com
As National Safe Boating Week approaches, Save the Manatee® Club is urging boaters, and anyone that enjoys Florida’s waterways, to respect and protect the defenseless manatees that inhabit our shared waterways. From May 18 to 24, leading up to Memorial Day Weekend, the campaign aims to raise awareness about recreational boating safety and the importance of safeguarding imperiled manatees during the summer boating season. This week also emphasizes the importance of encouraging boaters to enroll in a boating safety course.
Manatees are semi-migratory marine mammals that are commonly found in shallow estuaries, bays, rivers, canals, and coastal areas throughout Florida and neighboring states. With some manatees venturing as far west as Texas and as far north as Massachusetts, collisions between these gentle giants and watercraft have become distressingly frequent. Boat propellers and high-speed collisions pose significant threats to manatees, often resulting in severe injuries or even death.
Save the Manatee Club is calling on all water enthusiasts to follow essential manatee safety tips to ensure the well-being of the imperiled manatee:
- Obey Speed Zone Signs: Familiarize yourself with and adhere to posted speed limits to prevent collisions with manatees.
- Reduce Glare with Polarized Sunglasses: Wear polarized sunglasses to enhance visibility and spot manatees below the water’s surface.
- Recognize Manatee Signs: Learn to identify signs of manatees in the area, such as swirls or flat spots on the water caused by their movements.
- Respect Manatee Sanctuaries: Keep a safe distance from posted manatee sanctuaries and avoid pursuing or harassing these marine mammals, as it is illegal and can disrupt their natural behaviors.
- Report Distressed Manatees: In Florida, promptly report distressed, injured, tagged, or orphaned manatees to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) at 1-888-404-FWCC (3922). Outside of Florida, report sightings to the appropriate state agency or rescue organization. A list of agencies to contact is available at savethemanatee.org/report.
- Protect Seagrass Beds: Avoid boating over seagrass beds and shallow areas where manatees may be feeding. Stick to deep water channels while remaining vigilant, as manatees also utilize these channels during their travels.
- Dispose of Fishing Line Responsibly: Anglers should properly dispose of or recycle used fishing line to prevent entanglement hazards for manatees.
“Each year, National Safe Boating Week provides an excellent reminder for all of us to be aware that we share our waterways with vulnerable manatees,” emphasized Patrick Rose, Aquatic Biologist and Executive Director of Save the Manatee Club. “With the recent Unusual Mortality Event on Florida’s East Coast claiming an alarming number of manatees’ lives, it is more crucial than ever to prevent preventable deaths caused by watercraft collisions. By following manatee-safe boating guidelines, such as obeying speed zones and remaining vigilant for manatees, everyone on the water can contribute to the protection of these gentle giants.”
Save the Manatee Club offers a range of free materials to help safeguard manatees and raise awareness about manatee-safe boating practices. Shoreline property owners and park or marina managers can order aluminum dock signs to alert others about the presence of manatees in their areas. Boaters and paddlers can request packets containing a safety tips card, a waterproof boat banner, and a decal to display on their vessels, providing the number to report manatees in distress. To view and request these materials, visit savethemanatee.org/resources. Save the Manatee Club will also be hosting a live webinar for National Safe Boating Week on Tuesday, May 21st at 6pm EST. To register, visit savethemanatee.org/register.
Shells of the World: A Natural History by M.G. Harasewych
Shells of the world is a guide to the world of marine, shelled molluscs. And what a varied and interesting world it is. Some of my favourite things to find on a dive are detailed in this book, including disco clams (or Electric File Clams as they are correctly names), the cephalopods, giant clams and sea hares. There are also many on my wish list, top of which is the Nautilus.
Each chapter provides a detailed description of the species, along with beautiful images. You can dive deeper and discover where they live, both with global distribution and the habitat they prefer. Learn about their diet, reproduction and diversity.
Having dipped in and out of this lovely book over the past few weeks, it has inspired me to learn more about this group of animals that we see on most divers, wherever we are in the world. Some of the shells are incredibly intricate and beautiful. I have always agreed with never collecting, or touching, marine life. The description of a certain set of cone shells should be a warning to those that are happy to pick up marine life! One of the cone shells has a local name called the cigarette snail. Why? Because once the venom is in your system from this animal, you only have time to smoke one cigarette before the affects of the venom are fatal!
What the publisher says:
Mollusks are invertebrate animals with a remarkable natural history and a rich fossil record, and their shells are prized for their breathtaking variety and exquisite beauty. Shells of the World provides a wide-ranging look at the incredible diversity of marine mollusks. An informative introduction outlines the lineages covered, followed by a directory section, split into classes, that profiles a broad selection of different taxa to give a sense of their sheer numbers and variety.
- Features hundreds of beautiful color photos, depicting both the live animals and their shells
- Discusses mollusk evolution, anatomy, life cycles, behavior, and ecology
- Describes unique characteristics, distribution, habitat, and size
- Provides valuable insights into the conservation of the world’s marine mollusks
- Ideal for malacologists and shell collectors everywhere
About the Author:
M. G. Harasewych is research zoologist emeritus and former curator in the Department of Invertebrate Zoology at the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of Natural History. A fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, he is the author (with Fabio Moretzsohn) of The Book of Shells: A Life-Size Guide to Identifying and Classifying Six Hundred Seashells.
Book Details
Publisher: Princeton University Press
Hardcover
Price: £25
ISBN: 9780691248271
Published: 9th April, 2024
-
Marine Life & Conservation Blogs3 months agoCreature Feature: Swell Sharks
-
Gear Reviews4 weeks agoGEAR REVIEW – Revolutionising Diving Comfort: The Sharkskin T2 Chillproof Suit
-
Blogs2 months agoMurex Resorts: Passport to Paradise!
-
Blogs3 months agoDiver Discovering Whale Skeletons Beneath Ice Judged World’s Best Underwater Photograph
-
News3 months agoPADI Teams Up with Wellness Brand Neuro to Drive Ocean Change and Create a Blue State of Mind
-
Gear Reviews3 months agoGear Review: Oceanic+ Dive Housing for iPhone
-
Marine Life & Conservation2 months agoSave the Manatee Club launches brand new webcams at Silver Springs State Park, Florida
-
Blogs2 months agoSeagrass Awareness Month brings critical food source for Manatees to centre stage