Reef Assistant
The Reef Assistant program is a two-week immersion into tropical marine conservation. You’ll gain field experience in coral reef monitoring, coral taxonomy, reef restoration, and artificial reef design—all while diving twice a day in one of the most biodiverse marine environments on Earth.
Duration: 2 Weeks
Dives: 8 Scientific Dives, 8 Coral Restoration Dives & 6 Lectures
Age: 18+
Course Highlights
- Duration: 14-day science and restoration training
- Dive Component: 16 research-focused dives
- Certifications: 3 Conservation Diver certifications (EMP, Coral Taxonomy and Artificial Reef Theory and Techniques)
- Hands-On Practice: Coral nurseries, artificial reef work, and ecosystem monitoring
- Focus Area: Ecological monitoring, restoration, and coral biology
Prerequisites
- Be a minimum of 18 years old
- PADI Advanced Open Water Diver (or equivalent certification/Contact us if you are Open Water certified or equivalent.)
- Good general health (have a look at this medical form to see if you are fit to dive)
- Interest in marine science, ecology, or data collection
What You Learn
- Ecology: Coral reef structure, stressors, and resilience
- Species ID: Coral genera, fish, invertebrates, and indicator species
- Monitoring Skills: Fish/invertebrate transects, substrate assessments, Coral Watch and reef health monitoring
- Restoration Techniques: Coral outplanting and nursery care
- Reef Design: Introduction to ecological engineering for habitat creation
- Data Collection: Underwater surveying and contribution to long-term reef health tracking
What Your Day Looks Like
Lectures & Workshops
Your two-week Conservation Diver course begins with in-depth classroom sessions on the fundamentals of coral reef ecosystems. You'll learn how to identify key indicator species - corals, invertebrates, and fish - and understand their role in assessing reef health. We explore topics like coral anatomy, bleaching, reef degradation, and survey protocols developed for conservation science. Each day builds on the last, allowing you to gradually expand your knowledge and apply it underwater.
During your surface intervals, we review ID techniques and practice using field tools such as slates, transect tapes, and survey forms. You’ll work with reference guides to fine-tune your recognition of substrates, coral growth forms, reef fish families, and invertebrate species. Our team will simulate survey conditions on land to ensure your confidence before hitting the water.
Duration: 1-2 hours each
Dive
Each day includes at least one scientific dive where you conduct real underwater monitoring surveys. You’ll apply transect techniques, identify species in situ, and record data using international EMP standards. Your dives will rotate through fish, invertebrate, and substrate surveys, giving you comprehensive field training. These dives directly contribute to our ongoing reef health monitoring around Gili Air and help build your skills as a citizen scientist and conservation diver.
Duration: 16 dives, 2 hours each
