Artisanal fishers get skills on how to gain more from their trade |30 July 2014

Artisanal fishermen are meeting in a workshop aimed at giving them the necessary skills to reap more benefits from their trade.

Organised by the Ministry of Natural Resources and the Seychelles Fishing Authority (SFA) in collaboration with the Seychelles Tourism Academy (STA), this first post-harvest and handling workshop for artisanal fishermen is being held at the SFA training room.

Officially launched by the Minister for Natural Resources Peter Sinon, the one and a half day workshop has brought together artisanal fishermen from three main associations on Mahé – FBOA (Fishermen and Boat Owners Association), Roche Caïman and Bel Ombre.

The workshop, which falls under the IFAD/CLISSA (Competitive Local Innovations for Small-Scale Agriculture) project, aims at strengthening the economic activity of artisanal fishermen by using modern and sustainable practices to increase and diversify their market access.

Those taking part are to gain practical and useful skills required to develop capacity building in good handling practices, reduce post-harvest loss, value addition and promote good financial management tools.

Minister Sinon urged all those taking part to be more creative, more innovative in the presentation of their products so as to attract for example high class tourism establishments to buy them.

He also cited various examples of poor quality packaging and presentation of goods by both farmers and fishermen.

“I am very happy to have the collaboration of the Seychelles Tourism Academy so we can have the highest quality of standards in the presentation and packaging of these produce so as to justify the premium prices fishermen ask for,” said Minister Sinon.

The minister also said that five-star resorts for example cannot afford to buy fish from bowls or back of pick-up trucks.

If a tourist takes a picture of such happenings and forward the photo to the appropriate hotel management, the employee doing such purchasing can lose his job or more detrimental to the resort, the tourist can sue them for such practices.

Referring to some youths’ perceptions that there is no future in fishing, Minister Sinon said there is good living to be earned in fishing these days as the techniques used in fishing have changed for the better.

In April 2013 the government of Seychelles and the IFAD approved the CLISSA project. The primary goal of CLISSA is to support sustainable, pro-poor economic growth, employment and resilience to external shocks – through environmentally friendly agriculture and fishery practices.

It also aims at increasing and diversifying market access for smallholder farmers and fisheries.

The project also focuses on improved production; quality and marketing of fresh vegetables and fruit; organic produce; small livestock; poultry and fish for both local consumption and potential niche market development.

Artisanal fishery occupies an important place in the lives of the Seychellois people as the local supply of fish comes mainly from the artisanal sector. It plays a major role in the economic development of the country and provides employment for fishermen.

The expected outcome of the workshop includes an increase in the standards of the quality of the fish; reduce post-harvest loss by using techniques to preserve and increase fish shelf life and also reduce the financial vulnerability of the artisanal fishermen.