Jean-Pierre Féral and Alain Norro (2023)
Specific initial training standards are needed to dive for science in Europe, Occupational vs . Citizen Science Diving
Frontiers in Marine Science, 10(1134494):1-16.
Today, collaboration between scienti fi c research and civil society is growing
signi fi cantly. The general public ’ s curiosity drives it to engage with the scienti fi c
process and culture and in the search for solutions to complex issues (economic,
social, health, environmental, cultural, educational, or ethical). Clari fi cation is needed
to differentiate between occupational scienti fi c activity and citizen-based science.
They do not require the same scienti fi c and technical skills despite using similar
equipment and their legal and administrative frameworks being totally different. The
confusion created by the indiscriminate use of the same term “ scienti fi c diving ” to
refer to different training courses and activities compromises the quality of existing
occupational standards and, ultimately, has a negative impact on the safety of the
activity at work. A clear de fi nition of Citizen Scienti fi c Diving and Occupational
Scienti fi c Diving makes it possible to differentiate between the objectives and target
groups of these two activities and their legal framework. There is a need to establish
an accepted and shared standard in the occupational fi eld and to ensure the
mobility of scientists. A long process undertaken by a motivated scienti fi c
community (late 1980s-2000s) led to the establishment of European initial
training standards for Occupational Scienti fi c Diving through the ESDP-European
Scienti fi c Diving Panel ( fi rstly under the aegis of the European Marine Board, now of
the MARS-European marine stations network). The quality and general acceptance
of these standards by a large part of the European scienti fi c community have already
adopted them in the occupational health and safety legislation of seven European
countries (Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Norway, Sweden, and the UK in
2023). Adopting them in other countries ’ health and safety legislation is still
desirable. This will increase their recognition, acceptance and use for the bene fi t
of scienti fi c work. Building bridges between academic science and non-academic
citizen science is possible and this is done by developing coherent projects that
produce results that bene fi t both science and society. While distinguishing between
the two, as an added value, this approach could better guide the recreational diving
training sector in developing a new market.
RBINS Publication(s), Open Access, PDF available
academic science, citizen science, recreational diving, European scientific diving panel-ESDP, initial training competence, natural and cultural underwater heritage
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