SSI Coral Reef Restoration eLearning

SSI Coral Reef Restoration — eLearning & Certification Credit Only

Join the front line of marine conservation with the SSI Coral Reef Restoration specialty programme. This course delivers the theoretical foundation entirely online, covering coral ecology, restoration techniques, project planning, monitoring, and stewardship. Upon completion of the digital modules, you will earn your SSI Coral Reef Restoration certification (academic credit only).

What you’ll learn online

• The role and importance of coral reefs in marine ecosystems
• Biology, growth, and reproduction of corals
• Causes of coral decline (bleaching, disease, climate change, pollution, physical damage)
• Restoration techniques: coral propagation, fragmentation, outplanting, and nursery maintenance
• Site assessment, selection, and preparation for restoration
• Monitoring, data collection, success metrics, and adaptive management
• Community involvement, education, and sustainability of restoration projects
• Risk assessment, safety, and best practices for restoration diving

Optional practical training (booked separately)

To translate your knowledge into action, you can choose to complete **hands-on coral restoration dives** with an SSI Professional. These practical sessions might include:

• Underwater coral nursery work, such as maintaining, cleaning, and fragging corals
• Outplanting coral fragments to restoration sites under supervision
• Site preparation and substrate stabilization for new coral outplants
• Monitoring dives—checking growth, health, survival rates, and documenting results
• Data recording of restoration metrics (survivorship, growth, mortality, environmental parameters)
• Pre-dive briefings and post-dive debriefs to review techniques, safety, and improvements

These practical training sessions are not included in the eLearning product and must be booked separately with Dorset Diving Services or any SSI Dive Centre offering the Coral Reef Restoration specialty.

Important prerequisites & notes

• Many dive centres may require you to already hold a recreational certification (e.g. SSI Open Water Diver or equivalent) and possibly a few logged dives before participating in restoration work.
• Always confirm that the dive centre you plan to use offers the SSI Coral Reef Restoration programme and can facilitate the required restoration dives before booking.
• Due to the environmental and safety considerations involved, you may need to complete a medical questionnaire or obtain physician clearance depending on locale and the dive centre’s policies.

Free registration

To begin your journey, register a free SSI account and affiliate with our dive centre here: Register with Dorset Diving Services.

What’s next?

After earning this specialty, you can build your conservation toolkit further with complementary courses like Coral Identification, **Marine Ecology**, **Invasive Species Management**, or **Marine Invertebrate Ecology**.