Report points to shortage of trained fishermen

ONLY 13 per cent of fishing deckhands have had any formal training and many working in fishing have never done even the most basic safety training course, a European Social Fund evaluation finds.

The report, which indicts Bord Iascaigh Mhara as the State body responsible for fisheries training, says there is a shortage of trained crew in the Republic. More people have been attending courses in fish farming and in fish retail and catering skills in spite of the fact that commercial fishing is the most dangerous occupation in Europe.

The report acknowledges BIM has been working under severe budgetary constraints to the extent that it has been unable to collect all the EU funding available. Some courses have had to be cancelled and others shortened, while legislative changes have imposed additional pressures.

BIM has welcomed the study as being "most comprehensive", and has said any criticisms of its role relates to lack of funding.

The ESF report, which involved consultation with BIM and industry representatives, notes that nearly all of the fishermen believe that safety training for deckhands should be a legal requirement. It highlights a significant culture change: in the past, training has been regarded with suspicion by the fishing community, but BIM's award scheme has contributed to a change in attitude.

Echoing many of the findings in the Fishing Vessel Safety review report, published by the Department of the Marine last year, the ESF evaluation says the location of the National Fisheries Training Centre in north Donegal is clearly a problem for many seeking to do courses there.

Yesterday the Minister for the Marine, Mr Barrett, confirmed that a second centre is to be opened in Castletownbere, Co Cork, when he announced a series of measures relating to fishing vessel safety.

The ESF report recommends:

. an increase in the funding and scale of current training.

. a higher priority in the national policy agenda for fisheries training.

. obligatory, as distinct from voluntary, safety courses for all fishermen.

. an extension of the nature and duration off courses, including training in fish quality and in management and business techniques.

. more local training.

. incentives for participants.

. targeting of small boats.

. introduction and improvement of measures to enforce legislation.

Responding to the report Mr Dennis McGrane, BIM marine services manager, said yesterday - that it was a comprehensive document. He welcomed the change in attitude towards training among fishermen, and said the high figures for participation in courses such as fish quality related to the short nature of the courses. The comparison did not adequately reflect the extent of hard core" training in commercial fishing.

The board had been hampered by insufficient funding, he said, and it was time training became mandatory.