South Beach Divers
Wind: 5.8 mph W   Air: 77°F

PADI Aware Fish Identification

Class Description

“What was that fish?” is a common question heard after a dive. If you want to be the scuba diver with the answers, instead of the one asking the questions, then take the AWARE – Fish Identification Specialty course. You’ll enjoy your dives even more when you recognize the creatures that you see and can identify the main fish families and their characteristics.

If you’re at least 10 years old and a PADI (Junior) Open Water Diver or higher, you can enroll in the AWARE – Fish Identification course.

Once you learn to recognize what types of fish you see, you’ll find it easier to reference the exact species after a scuba dive. For example, a butterfly fish in the Caribbean has a similar shape to a butterfly fish in Southeast Asia, but colors and markings may be wildly different. If you know what fish family it belongs to, you can more easily look up the local name or at least be able to intelligently ask the local scuba instructor what you saw.

During two scuba dives, you’ll learn:

  • How to identify characteristics of local fish families and species
  • Fish survey techniques and strategies
  • About Project AWARE activities that can help protect aquatic life

Get credit! The first dive of this course may credit as an Adventure Dive toward your Advanced Open Water Diver certification – ask our staff or instructors about earning credit.

Prerequisites: 1) PADI Open Water Diver or qualifying certification from another training organization. 2) Minimum age is 10 years old

Upcoming Classes

Requirements

  • Reservations are required
  • Open Water Diver certification
  • Minimum age is 12
  • PADI Student Record Folder
  • South Beach Divers student contract form completed

Cost

  • The cost of the trip is $175 which includes the Project AWARE Fish Identification Specialty (with specialty diver card), and a two hour classroom session on fish identification techniques and how to recognize the creatures that you see, along with identifying the main fish families and their characteristics.
  • Also included:
    • Two guided dives at Blue Heron Bridge – one of the best shore dives in the world with a large variety of marine life including octopus, turtles, spotted eagle rays, seahorses, nudibranchs, and large schools of Caribbean fish!
    • Caribbean Fish Identification slate
    • Project AWARE materials and tips how you can become an AWARE diver and help protect our oceans!