The Royal Marine Conservation Society of Jordan Certifies First Female EcoDivers

By Prof. Mohammed M. A. Kotb, Reef Check Egypt Coordinator, Reef Check Jordan Coordinator, EcoDiver Course Director

The Royal Marine Conservation Society of Jordan (JREDS) hosted a Reef Check EcoDiver Training in Aqaba on July 1-5. The training of local divers is part of JREDS’ marine environmental program to raise awareness about coral reefs and to build up a team of qualified divers for further reef monitoring activities off the Jordanian Red Sea coast. The fourteen trainees came from different professional backgrounds, including the Royal Jordan Naval Force, instructors and divemasters from local dive centers and the Aqaba Diving Association, and most notably, three women divers. Now Jordan has its first certified female EcoDivers.

The training was funded by the German government through the GIZ project "The Sustainable Use of Ecosystem Services in Jordan”. This training was designed and supervised by Prof. Mohammad M. Kotb, Reef Check Course Director and Coordinator for Egypt and Jordan, and operated by Mr. Mohammad Al-Tawaha, JREDS Marine Program Manager.

Thanks to the great organization and logistics provided by JREDS, the support provided by the Aqaba Marine Park- managed by the Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority- and to all of the participants for their high motivation. The learning and practicing in the classroom and underwater worked out well for everybody.