Ministry looks to more jobs in fisheries |26 October 2004

The four-month study, which will include recommendations on how to improve the employment situation in the fishing sector, will be done by Mr Joel Nageon de Lestang, a former director of Resource Management at SFA. Mr Nageon, who is a marine scientist by profession, has more than 25 years’ experience in fisheries research and management.

Though fisheries and fisheries-related activities such as tuna canning are the main earners of foreign exchange, it is estimated they only employ some 14 percent of the national workforce.

The potential for the employment of Seychellois in the fisheries sector was recently highlighted during the fisheries negotiations with the European Union.
Even though the agreement provides for two Seychellois seamen to be employed on tuna purse seiners, this number is often not attained.

One of the objectives of the consultancy will be to review the conditions of employment of Seychellois seamen on foreign vessels and make the necessary recommendations to improve the situation.

An important aspect of the fishing industry that needs to be reviewed so as to create more jobs and earn more revenue for the country is the present marketing strategy for both the local and export markets.

"Greater emphasis needs to be placed on improving fish quality and minimizing wastage, thus ensuring that only premium top quality fish is put on the market," says a MENR communiqué.

"There is a need to improve the use of ice, promote a wider variety of value added fish products by developing such techniques as fish smoking, curing and salting, etc., and export to a wider range of countries," adds the communiqué.

"A typical example is the shark fishery which concentrates' mostly on the very wasteful practice of finning. Only a very small proportion of the sharks' carcass is actually marketed as the fins make up only five percent of the shark's body weight. This means that 95 percent of the shark is dumped in the sea," the communiqué notes.

According to the communiqué markets need to be identified for other shark products such as the meat, jaws, skins and oil, so that fishermen will obtain a greater value for their sharks and render the fishery more viable and environmentally sustainable.

Apart from fish processing, other opportunities for employment exist in various types of repairs (electrical, mechanical, naval, etc.), fisheries research, etc., notes the communiqué. 

However, in order to increase employment potential, recruits must acquire the necessary qualifications and experience. The consultant will therefore work closely with the Maritime Training Centre (MTC) to study its existing curriculum to assess if there will be a need for it to be reviewed in the light of new requirements by the different stakeholders in the fishing industry.

This will become even more necessary as MTC is to build modern new training facilities at Providence financed by the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (Badea). 

It is also expected that Mr Nageon will investigate what steps are being taken in the region in the area of employment opportunities in the fisheries sector and what incentives are provided.

He will equally be conducting several interviews and meetings with all the stakeholders.