Should Dive Certifications be a "license"

[littleleemur]

I have another question about this "license" renewal thing but am not sure if I should start a new thread or not, considering whatever will be discussed will be based on what was already said here.

Most of us have expressed that a recreational diver should self-monitor and be responsible enough to himself and his buddy to dive within his ability & that a dive professional should preferably be monitored by their own agency. & the last thing we would want is for the government to get involved.

The question now is should there be a requirement to notify/retest or renew the diving certification if one's circumstances change enough to change one's abilities in the water? For example, surgeries, cancer treatment, aging 10 years etc?

What are your thought on this? A 16 year old who is a monster in the water, may still be one at 26, less so at 36, 46, 56, 66.... Then there are bits of life that happen.... or is there a worry that while one aces the swim test at 26 would probably flunk it at 56?

[Diverdaniel]

I have another question about this "license" renewal thing but am not sure if I should start a new thread or not, considering whatever will be discussed will be based on what was already said here.

1. Most of us have expressed that a recreational diver should self-monitor and be responsible enough to himself and his buddy to dive within his ability & that a dive professional should preferably be monitored by their own agency. & the last thing we would want is for the government to get involved.

1. that a diver should self moniter is taught in every OW course I teach.
In Israel Dive pro's are regularly checked medically by a diving doc.
The Israeli govornment monitors dive pro's and dive centers, any instructor/diveshop/air/gas station has to be evaluated and checked a few times every year and has to be officially licensed.
any dive facility/instructor has to not only have the dive agency's active teaching status, but also a govornmental teaching status depending on your level and all.
a few times a year a representative fomr the govornment will come and join dive instructors in pool/OW or class sessions and go through dive training records to ensure that all is well and the quality is indeed being kept to govornmental standard.

2.The question now is should there be a requirement to notify/retest or renew the diving certification if one's circumstances change enough to change one's abilities in the water? For example, surgeries, cancer treatment, aging 10 years etc?

2. I think so, kust like drivers have to take medicals every time something changes, so should divers. Also, this is taught in OW courses(or should be taught, i dont know what every agency teaches). Dive pro's on the other hand need to be checked every 2 years, this is mandatory for governmental and agency active staus.

3.What are your thought on this? A 16 year old who is a monster in the water, may still be one at 26, less so at 36, 46, 56, 66.... Then there are bits of life that happen.... or is there a worry that while one aces the swim test at 26 would probably flunk it at 56?

3. see the above.

[seasnake]

Diverdaniel ... what affect has this had on diver safety and dive accidents in the country?

[Diverdaniel]

we have very very accidents few compared to the rest of the world.
dive safety, i couldnt tell you, since i have not taught or dived much out of Israel.
I know that compared to the Sinai, we are concdered ultra safe and rule abiding. ie, we dont take 4 intro's' per one instructor to the depth of 20 metres(yes, i have seen this happen, not try scuba either, just 5 min breifing-jump in water intro's!!!)
and all sorts of other stories.
we dont take guideed dives to 50 metres,
recreational diving here is restricted to 30 metres, unless you are DM or higher. and only then to max of your agencies limit: SSI 39m-5min ,all the rest 42 metres between 7-5min NDL
to exceed NDL have to be tech diver, if caught, bent, injured: dive license is revoked for life and it is treated like a federal offence, you breake the law of the country, stuff like that, there are alot of fights against this atm though.

for divepro's here, getting QA'd by their agency isnt a problem and doesnt scare much, its getting QA'd by the govornment, thats the scary bit, one could end up in the slammer.

pretty hardcore but it works most times