The UNU Fisheries Training Programme in Iceland

Tumi Tómasson
November 1998

Introduction

In 1998 the Fisheries Training Programme (FTP) of the United Nations University (UNU) was established at the Marine Research Institute in Reykjavík Iceland. The possibility of establishing an FTP in Iceland as part of the UNU network of academic training and research was suggested in the late 1970s at the time that the UNU Geothermal Training Programme was initiated in Iceland. The idea was revisited in 1994 by officials from Iceland and the UNU. Following a pre-feasibility study in 1995 and a feasibility study in 1996 by a team of international experts, appointed by the UNU, a formal agreement was signed in June 1997. After a year of preparatory work the first six students came to Iceland in August 1998. The programme offers a six month post-graduate course in fisheries to fellows (students) from developing countries.

The FTP is run by the Marine Research Institute in cooperation with the Icelandic Fisheries Laboratories, the University of Iceland and the University of Akureyri. Other institutions and companies also lend assistance to the FTP but on a less formal basis. The programme is led by a board of representatives from the above institutions and from the UNU, as well as the director of ICEIDA and a representative from the fishing industry in Iceland. The day-to-day activities and the academic planning of the programme are managed by a programme director. A studies committee made up of Icelandic specialists work with the director in planning the curriculum and selecting suitable teaching staff.

The course concept

The course is developed in line with the recommendations put forward in the feasibility study report. These in turn draw to a considerable extent on the positive experience gained from twenty years operation of the UNU Geothermal Training Programme in Iceland and the unique situation in Iceland where the rapid development of the fisheries sector has catapulted Iceland from being one of the poorest nations in Europe at the turn of the century into sustaining a per capita GNP that is among the highest in the world today. The course is aimed at practising professionals in the field of fisheries to offer them a highly applied course, that is a blend of theoretical and practical training for immediate application in their home countries.

The overall objectives of the course as stated in the feasibility study report are:

• A: to help interested countries achieve their fisheries development goals by
• upgrading the professional capacity of selected candidates in key fisheries
• subjects
• B: to enable the trainees to attain a higher professional standard for the
• respective posts they may hold, or aim for in their countries.

Course structure

The course consists of two main parts, a core course which is common to all participants, and specialist training where there is scope to tailor the studies to meet individual needs.

In the core course which takes 6-7 weeks, the aim is to give the participant a holistic view of fisheries, through an overview of world fisheries and aquaculture, and an insight into the various disciplines within fisheries and their interrelationships. After completing the course the participant should be able to put the fisheries sector in the home country into a regional and international perspective and have gained an appreciation for its development potential.

The core course consists of six sections:

• World fisheries and aquaculture
• Gear technology and fish finding equipment
• Fisheries biology and stock assessment
• Fisheries policy and planning
• Quality management of fish handling and processing
• Management of fisheries companies, quality assurance and marketing

Visits to companies and institutions are an integral part of the course to illustrate the development of the fisheries sector and of a fishing nation in Iceland during the past decades. The final section of the core course is combined with a 10 day study tour to northern Iceland where a number of diverse companies and institutions in the fisheries sector are visited in conjunction with lectures given at the University of Akureyri. The opportunity is also used to visit some sites of exceptional natural beauty and cultural interest.

Through four months of specialist training and project work students gain increased knowledge in their areas of specialisation, improve their practical skills and learn to appreciate the need for adaptability and flexibility. Part of the training takes place in working situations and is designed in consultation with the students to meet individual needs. When possible the project should be based on information and data the students will bring from his/her present work. If not, care will be taken to design a project that will have relevance to their work back home.

Students are encouraged to evaluate in what way their experiences in Iceland can be applied in their home situation. On completion of the course the students should have improved practical orientation and an heightened awareness of their own strengths. The course should enable them to use their talents in an effective way under a variety of circumstances. Attention is paid to attitudes and cultural aspects as well as transfer of knowledge and skills.

Three major lines of specialist training are offered initially, i.e.

• Fisheries Policy and Planning
• Marine and Inland-Waters Resources, Assessment and Monitoring
• Quality Management of Fish Handling and Processing

Later up to four more will be added:

• Management of Fisheries Companies and Marketing
• Fishing Technology and Fleet Operations
• Aquaculture
• Environmental Protection and Monitoring

Participants will be assessed throughout the core course and through their project work and an oral presentation at the end of the course. Those who complete the course successfully will be awarded a Certificate of the United Nations University.

Selection of cooperative partners and fellows

Fisheries world-wide are going through a phase of internationalisation. This is witnessed by the large expansion in world trade and the rules and standards exporting countries have to comply with. In addition as off-shore fisheries expand there is increased interaction between nations over the exploitation of shared or migratory stocks. Demands on nations to harvest shared stocks in a responsible and sustainable manner also extend to local stocks. FAO has in recent years been instrumental in developing a code of conduct for responsible fisheries, a marine stewardship council has been established and several other organisations are also active in this area.

Many developing countries have large marine and fresh water resources. With developments in world trade, further development of the fisheries sector offers opportunities for economic development. At the same time there is an increased local demand where fish is more often than not the major source of relatively inexpensive animal protein.

The FTP strives to establish cooperation with key national institutions in developing countries that are entering or have entered this phase of internationalisation. We emphasise that the course is of an international nature, and this is our main justification for offering the course in Iceland rather than establishing it in a developing country. The participants are all practising professionals in their own fields and are expected to contribute actively to the course as well.

Candidates for the course are selected through a thorough interview process, giving due consideration to the development priorities of their countries and institutions. Equally important, however, is to establish whether the requirements and expectations of individual candidates can be met by the programme.

We see the course as being in a development stage over the next few years. Each year we plan to develop well structured academic and practical training in a particular area of specialisation. Candidates may select other areas as well, but then we will only offer such options to one or two carefully selected fellows, which then work in close cooperation with a supervisor or colleague in a particular area. These fellows will be generally have more experience than others and are required to do more independent work than those attending a more formal course. These principles applied in the selection process will become more evident in the following section.

The course in 1998

The programme awarded six fellowships for the first course. The fellows come from three countries in sub-Saharan Africa. Four of the fellows specialise in Quality Management of Fish Handling and Processing. At the end of the core course they went through a highly structured four week course, which included lectures, practicals and site visits. At present they are working on their projects and going on work attachments.

The specialist training of the other two fellows are in the areas of Fisheries Policy and Planning and Marine Resource Assessment and Monitoring. In both cases the specialist training revolves around a major project, regular tutorials and special training in areas as the need for such training becomes apparent. This form is working well, but does make different demands on the participants than a more structured course.

A summary of the projects and practical training is given in Table 1.

Looking ahead

The first courses will finish in mid-February 1999. In January, an international authority on fish handling and processing will be invited to give a series of lectures and to discuss the project work with individual fellows.

The selection of candidates for the second course, starting June 1999, is well under way. The main emphasis will be on Fisheries Policy and Planning, where we expect to have 4-5 fellows. We will also offer a highly structured training to 2-3 fellows as part of a specialist training in Quality Management of Fish Handling and Processing. One fellow will be doing his specialist training in Gear Technology He teaches at a marine college and will be working with a colleague at a secondary college in Iceland in preparing and testing teaching facilities and materials for practicals, which should have immediate application for him in his work at home. Finally we may offer one fellow a specialisation in Management of Fisheries Companies and Marketing, but this has not been finalised yet. In total we aim for an intake of 8-9 fellows.

Although we will continue to develop our association with countries in sub-Saharan Africa, we also feel it is important to achieve a more international blend of participants, as this will give the course an added dimension. In 1999 we expect two fellows to come from Sri Lanka, one from Argentine and five or six from Uganda, Mozambique, South Africa, Namibia and the Cape Verde Islands. The year 2000 will see a further consolidation of the course with major emphasis on the development of specialist training in Marine and Inland-waters Resource Assessment and Monitoring. Eight or nine fellows are expected to participate in the course in 2000 with a more even geographical distribution of the fellows. An expansion to 14-16 fellows per year will be considered in 2002.

Table 1. An overview of project work by fellows participating in the first course