I was sitting in a room at DEMA, what was it? Maybe in Y2K or so... when the birth announcement of this program was rather haphazardly blurted out.
Say what you will in the easy sport of PADIwhacking, but the concept and intent was valid and honorable. It was a smart marketing tie-in to boost the appeal of the still extant cert, "Naturalist Diver" (which, much to the chagrin of many, does not mean being naked).
The great majority of divers can barely see past their SPGs (and technical iron including GoPros) before the (now 10 year old) equipment gets posted on Craigslist at the original retail price. Their life-book of critter spotting never quite got to the Whale Shark they quest for here with posts on SB, stopping mostly at sand, rocks and Squirrel Fish.
I thank the SCUBA goddess (Patty Grier) that taught me to slow down and see stuff. I didn't get or need that Official NG Cert, not even the patch, but I got the message and the life skills that made my "warm water-pretty fish" diving a very very happy life pursuit.
This aborted agency project aside, it was a noble effort. Slow down, you might see something.
Keep divers interested and educate them "to see". This we all can do with any Noob diver. Carry that magnifying glass and flashlight or laser pointer. Call that diver over and have them see what they missed, right there, just past their faceplate.
I have hooked them all, with one simple Wire Coral Shrimp.