Malta is participating in Sea of Skills, a project funded by the Erasmusplus- programme aimed at improving the quality and attractiveness of continuing vocational educational training (CVET) for people involved in small-scale/traditional fisheries in Malta, Greece and Turkey.
The project partners are finalising training material on safety at sea, an ecosystem-based approach to fisheries, fish handling and preservation and emerging technologies on board fishing boats. The project will produce a manual and handbook on these topics and distribute it to operators in the sector and the wider community through training sessions and multiplier events in each of these countries.
The sector is recognised as one of the pillars of development at national, European and international level. However, its contribution to sustainable development, economic growth and food security depends to a great extent on the knowledge, skills and competences of people involved in the sector.
The partners in the project, which will run till August 2017, recently held a project meeting in Malta, which was opened by Parliamentary Secretariat Roderick Galdes, whose portfolio includes fisheries.
The partners in the project come from Malta, Greece, Turkey, Spain and Ireland. The University of Malta is the local partner and is represented by Alan Deidun, from the Department of Geosciences, and Mark-Anthony Falzon, head of the Sociology Department.
Andreina Fenech-Farrugia from the Directorates of Fisheries and of Aquaculture is collaborating with the University on the project by providing statistics on the national fisheries sector and local facilities.
As part of the meeting the project partner representatives visited the Aquaculture Directorate facilities at San Luċjan Tower, Marsaxlokk.
www.seaofskills.eu