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Dive Operators Policy

Policy Statement

The purpose of this policy is to ensure the highest possible standards of safety and security of recreational dive operations in Belize 

by instituting certain measures designed to address the potential hazards and risks involved in diving activities and protect all divers

 from injury and or illness at all times.

Licensing of Dive Operators

In order to be licensed, all dive operations in Belize, be they designated dive shops or dive resorts, must, in addition to the requirements 

stipulated under the existing legislation pertaining to the licensing of tour operators (cf. Statutory Instrument, Belize Tourist Board (Tour

 Operators) Regulations 1999), satisfy the following requirements.

a)      Possess and operate an adequate quantity of equipment such as craft, air tanks, weights, etc

b)      Maintain suitable premises with adequate telecommunications equipment.  

c)      Possess or have easy access to all the necessary training equipment and materials for the purposes of conducting diving lessons and

 diving certification courses.

d)      Must have adequate public liability insurance to provide cover for accident, injury, loss of property, etc.

Although not a precondition for licensing, dive operations should ideally aim to become internationally accredited dive resorts.

Plan of Dive Activities

Each dive operator must submit a program or itinerary detailing the activities and sites of tours advertised and offered.

Diver Certification

i. Each dive guide must have a minimum of a dive master certification from a recognized international program to be leading any tour. 

 He or she must also hold a current CPR certification.

ii. Guides leading snorkeling tours must have a minimum of a skin divers certification.

Tour Leader

During any diving tour, the dive operator (dive master, dive instructor) must designate a licensed tour guide as the tour leader. 

 The tour leader is responsible for the following:

i.                     Being at the site at all times

ii.                   Coordinating all activities of the dive

iii.                  Briefing individuals about the area in which the dive will occur

iv.                 Briefing individuals about the equipment that are going to be used

v.                   Briefing individuals on the emergency procedures

vi.                 Briefing individuals of the estimated depth and bottom time

Re-certification

Dive guides must undergo a re-certification program if they have not been actively leading tours for a year.  

Dive Limitations

The tour leader must ensure that a diver on a tour must be certified to a specific depth according to his or her training and in no 

circumstances should that diver exceed that depth. 

Guide/Divers Ratio

To ensure that the safety of divers is protected and the quality of the dive experience is enhanced, there should be no more than 

eight divers per dive guide on any given tour.

Emergency Procedures

There is always the possibility of emergency situations while on any tour.  In order to address this possibility, all dive operators must

 submit an emergency plan detailing how each of the following will be adequately addressed:

i.                     Tour lost at sea

ii.                   Diver injured, in trouble, or lost at sea

iii.                  Diver becomes sick

Equipment Maintenance

i. All dive equipment must be properly maintained and meet the standards set by a recognized international program.

ii. A service log must be kept stating the nature of the work undertaken, serial number of the equipment, date when the work

 was done and the name or entity that performed the maintenance.