SSI has issued its first public explanation after being removed from the membership roster of the US Recreational Scuba Training Council (RSTC), saying the decision followed a disagreement over proposed updates to training standards rather than any issue affecting diver certification or safety.
The change first came to light after SSI disappeared from the list of member organisations published by the US Recreational Scuba Training Council, prompting questions across the diving industry. At the time, neither SSI nor the RSTC had publicly explained the change.
SSI has now responded, outlining its version of events.
SSI: Dispute centred on training standards
According to SSI, the issue began in February 2026 when the agency submitted a draft training standard to both the US RSTC and RSTC Europe.
SSI says the proposed revision was intended to address what it believed was a discrepancy within existing standards.
The agency says RSTC Europe reviewed the proposal positively and plans to incorporate the revision into its next standards update, scheduled for publication on 1 October 2026.
However, SSI says the US RSTC did not respond to the proposal.
According to SSI, it was subsequently informed that it had been removed from membership of the US Recreational Scuba Training Council without prior notification.
SSI says it intends to continue working towards a resolution with the organisation.
Certifications remain valid
SSI stressed that the membership change does not affect its training programmes or certifications.
The agency noted that its standards remain independently accredited through ISO certification and that SSI professionals, dive centres and certified divers are unaffected by the change.
That distinction is important because RSTC membership and ISO certification serve different purposes. While RSTC membership provides a collaborative framework for participating agencies in developing and harmonising training standards, ISO certification independently verifies that an agency’s training system meets internationally recognised quality management and training requirements.
No public response from the RSTC
At the time of publication, the US Recreational Scuba Training Council had not issued a public statement explaining SSI’s removal or responding to the claims made by the agency.
The Scuba News has not been able to independently verify the circumstances surrounding the membership decision beyond confirming that SSI no longer appears on the US RSTC membership roster.
If the RSTC issues a statement, this article will be updated to include its response.
Why it matters
SSI is one of the world’s largest recreational diver training organisations and has been associated with the RSTC for many years.
While the current dispute appears to concern governance and standards development rather than diver safety or certification validity, any change involving one of the industry’s largest certification agencies is likely to attract close attention from instructors, dive centres and divers worldwide.
Until further information is released by the US RSTC, the reasons behind the membership decision remain the subject of differing accounts.
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