National Oceanic Resource Management Authority
National Oceanic Resource Management Authority
"The moment I stopped focusing on the equipment, I noticed how quiet and relaxing the underwater world really is. It made me realize that the gear, despite being so heavy on the surface, becomes completely weightless underwater."
- One of our newly certified divers
The Department of Environment, Climate Change, and Emergency Management (DECEM), in partnership with the Pohnpei State Government, successfully completed a specialized scuba dive training course in Pohnpei from June 23rd to July 9th 2026.
This project built state and local capacity by equipping personnel with vital dive certifications and advanced underwater equipment. The training specifically prepared Pohnpei-based environmental officers with the skills needed to safely and effectively conduct underwater ecological surveys, allowing them to track coral reef health and coastal resource changes.
The rigorous curriculum covered both confined and open-water dive sessions managed by seasoned instructor Kosei Kenny Omura. While the daily underwater drills under the beaming sun were tough, participants thoroughly enjoyed the hands-on experience. The shared challenges built a strong, enthusiastic camaraderie among the state’s environmental champions.
This training marked a significant milestone for Omura, serving as his first instruction session of the project in Pohnpei before he heads to Chuuk State to continue the program.
Those who completed the course received official certifications, enabling them to join ongoing national and state-level marine assessment teams.
Honorable Secretary Florian J. Yatilman highlighted the strategic importance of this milestone:
"FSM Government deeply appreciates the dive certification training provided to our staff and partners. This training strengthens the capacity of our States to safely and effectively monitor marine resources, support better data collection, and contribute directly to the sustainable management and protection of our ocean and coastal ecosystems for the benefit of our communities and future generations. "
The training was an activity funded under the FSM PROPER Project (Pacific Islands Regional Oceanscape Project - Second Phase for Economic Resilience).
The journey doesn't stop here! Follow along with us to catch our upcoming articles and updates as the training program moves to Chuuk and Kosrae next.
High-quality visual documentation capturing the drills, local marine life, and graduation smiles were taken throughout the training period.
We highly encourage you to visit the official NORMA website and Facebook page to see the team in action- please remember to tag FSM NORMA!
For further information, please contact:
| Isabella Sipos Communications Officer, FSM NORMA isabella.sipos@norma.fm |
