European standards for initial training in occupational scientific diving, a necessity, and a guarantee for the mobility of scientists and effective research in the coastal environment

International audience ; Getting diving recognised as a scientific technique has long been a challenge in most European countries because of the ”recreational” image associated with its practice. Another important difficulty for its administrative acceptance has been its supposed danger and the chain of responsibilities that an accident could initiate. As early as the 1980s, it was understood that an essential aspect of making underwater interventions possible in the various scientific disciplines that needed them was the definition and implementation of an initial training that would guarantee maximum safety. A framework at least at European level was necessary to allow scientists from several countries to collaborate and therefore to allow their mobility. The scientific community was mobilised. The most difficult and important task was to set up a representative committee and to define harmonised standards, acceptable and recognised by the Member States. A long process (late 1980’s - 2000’s) led to the proposal to establish European standards for scientific diving and to make visible a ”European Scientific Diving Panel” through the ESF Marine Board between 2008 and 2017. This panel is currently receiving organisational support from the European Network of Marine Institutes and Stations (MARS). This effort finally led to the acceptance and development of two European standards for scientific diving: the European Scientific Diver standard (ESD) and the Advanced European Scientific Diver standard (AESD). Currently, 17 countries recognise and apply these standards (or equivalent). The quality and general acceptance of these standards by a large part of the European scientific community has led to their adoption in the health and safety legislation of 7 European countries (BE, DE, FI, FR, NO, SE, UK). A similar legal process is underway in several other countries. These standards have been defined in the context of the occupational practice of professional scientists. However, the use of the term ”scientific ...