Catching the Potential: Setting the Standard for Sustainable Fishing Training

ended

The importance of sustainable fishing is emphasized by the fishing sector and international organisations (EU, OSPAR, FAO, IMO). To this end, fishers need to have knowledge and competences in sustainable fisheries. An EU study ‘18 on the training of fishers concluded that no widely adopted standard on training for fishers exists yet. The CTP-project is a cooperative effort of fishing sector and educators to develop and implement an effective, international standard for sustainable fishing training for fishers. The project consortium has 10 partners bringing together expertise on sustainable fishing training (ProSea), fishing sector (Europêche & PFA) and education/training of fishers (CEFCM-France, Novikontas-Latvia, BBZ-Germany, Enaleia-Greece, BIM-Ireland, Cetmar-Spain and DRAM-Azores, Portugal). It starts with a desk study to gather information on best practices in sustainability training of fishers. An international network of fishing academies, training institutes and sector representatives will be set up to facilitate the exchange of best practices/experiences. Other interested parties (in particular from the Netherlands/Belgium) will be invited. The standard to be developed requires a delicate balance between establishing a general standard for all fisheries and a dedicated/regional approach. To get this balance right, country specific courses will be organised in 7 EU Member States (MS) and lessons learned serve as a firm foundation for the development of a standard. The project includes a strategy to incorporate this standard into international policy and start implementation activities. This project is designed to have a lasting, growing impact. The 14 dedicated pilot courses will directly benefit at least 300 students, 20 teachers and their institutes in 7 different EU MS. Implementation of the courses at the institutes will benefit future fishing students (hundreds/year). An accepted, international standard would change education of all fishers in Europe.