THE CNMI Division of Fish and Wildlife, Aquasmith, and the Wave & Waterpark Safety Academy are collaborating to offer free spearfishing, dive, and rescue training from June 6 to 7.
The deadline to register is May 31, and participation is limited — only 10 spots are available.
Training will take place at the Aqua Resort Club and Laulau Beach, and is open only to experienced spearfishermen. Individuals with no spearfishing experience will not be accepted. A certification ceremony will be held on June 8 at Micro Beach.
Sign up for the class at tinyurl.com/spearfishcnmi
Liability forms linked in the sign-up sheet must be filled out for Aquasmith and DFW.
Through hands-on training, participants will recognize and prevent risks and dangers during spearfishing; acquire skills to implement proper safety procedures and protocols; learn how to safely rescue diving partners and others in emergencies; develop the ability to respond appropriately to underwater emergencies; and increase awareness of individual responsibility and safety during spearfishing.
Participants must be 18 years of age or older, must complete CPR training, be able to swim 100 meters with no snorkel or fin (mask or goggles are allowed), and should be able to dive to a depth of 10 meters.
On June 6, from 6 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., participants will undergo CPR, automatic external defibrillator or AED, and first aid training at Aqua Resort Club.
On June 7, they will attend a safety class from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. at Aqua Resort Club, followed by unconscious diver bottom recovery practice and more at the ARC dive pool from 10 a.m. to noon. From 1:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., participants will complete unconscious diver rescue and other training sessions at Laulau Beach.
Specific skills to be learned include the retrieval of an unconscious diver from the seafloor, rescue breathing for an unconscious diver at the surface, exit and land transport of an unconscious diver from the water, protocols for handling separation from the team, understanding the effects of pressure on the human body, and more.
Morito Asai, Aquasmith’s operator and longtime spearfisherman, will conduct some of the training sessions. He said he hopes the training will save lives.
“Following a series of tragic marine accidents, we have held numerous meetings since last year to explore how we can help prevent such incidents in the future,” he said. “By completing the course, participants will significantly enhance their ability to protect both their own lives and those of their diving partners.”
For more information, contact Dena Kamano at (670) 664-6006 or Morito Asai at (670) 484-8888.