Course Gives Overview of Whole Seafood Industry

16th July 2007

A unique training course that educates participants in all aspects of the seafood industry is to be piloted in Inverness in August.

A small Highland training company, the Fish Industry Training Association (FITA), has partnered with fisheries colleges in several EU nations to develop a new opportunity that is a first for the UK: the Mare Nostrum Project. Its aim is to pilot learning modules that will form a short qualification in fisheries development.

The one-week course will run from 20-24 August in the Highland capital.

Roddy McColl of FITA said: "This short course will be very useful for anyone working in or alongside any sector of the fisheries industry. The modules will cover all aspects of the industry, such as fish catching, aquaculture, processing and marketing, but will especially focus on new opportunities and innovation."

Guest lecturers and potential participants are being invited to join the free pilot course for one or more days, which will also feature maritime visits.

"It will be a great opportunity to find out about other parts of the fishing industry and for networking, and offers an excellent chance for professional development,~ said Lachlan Paterson of FITA.

"We have had a lot of interest from people who are new to the fisheries sector, staff that have relocated to Scotland and even from people just interested in our maritime heritage and future."

The course is open to staff in government bodies, private enterprise, NGOs or to students.

Anyone interested in the course should call FITA on 01463 772234 or the Euro Info Centre on 01463 715400