Specialty

Fish Identification

Recognise and identify what you're actually looking at underwater. Learn to identify local fish by family characteristics — skills that transfer to any dive destination on Earth.

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What you'll learn

How to identify fish by family characteristics rather than memorising individual species, plus basic survey techniques and dive planning for fish identification.

Why it transfers worldwide

Because fish families share characteristics globally, the identification skills you build locally carry over to reefs anywhere you travel.

How it's structured

Classroom theory plus 2 practical open-water dives putting your identification skills to work.

Good to know

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the structure of the Fish Identification course?

Classroom theory on identifying fish by family characteristics rather than memorising individual species, followed by 2 practical open-water dives putting that identification and basic survey technique to work.

Will these skills still be useful if I dive somewhere else?

Yes — because fish families share characteristics globally, the family-based identification method you learn locally transfers to reefs anywhere in the world, not just the sites you trained at.

Where are the two open-water dives done?

Theory is covered at our Gauteng base, with the practical dives typically scheduled at Bass Lake or Miracle Waters. It's also a natural fit for a coastal trip to Sodwana Bay or Aliwal Shoal, where there's a far wider range of species to identify.

What's the price, and what pairs well with it?

Fish Identification is R4 398 for club members and R4 548 for non-members, including PADI materials. It's a great pairing with Project AWARE and Shark Conservation. Book via our booking page or reach out through contact.

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