Training Courses For Fishermen

Press, Volume CV, Issue 31016, 23 March 1966, Page 12

Training Courses For Fishermen

(New Zealand Press Association)

WELLINGTON, March 22.

The Government will begin a series of. training courses for fishermen in May, the Minister of Marine, Mr Scott, announced today.

The series has been arranged by the Marine Department and the Fishing Industry Board under a Govern-ment-sponsored programme of technical education for the industry. The opening course, a week long, begins in Wellington on May 9. Other courses will be held in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch.

This project is the outcome of a conference on technical training in the fishing industry called under Cabinet direction by the Marine Department last November,

The courses are being organised by the staff training section of the department under a joint education committee representing the fishing industry and Government departments. J The committee has received a scholarship award from Mobil Oil, New Zealand, Ltd., worth £5OO a year. The grant will be used this year to pay part of the costs of fishermen attending the initial course in Wellington.

Mr Scott said that in future years the scholarship fund might be used as a merit award to finance overseas -training tops for promising young members of the fishing industry. Details of this have yet to be finally discussed between the donor and the joint committee concerned with education in the industry, however.

“The course planned for this winter is a short-term initial training programme to begin technical training in the fishing industry,” the Minister explained. "Meanwhile the !*•-

wider application of technical training is being studied, to work out a long-term continuing programme and to decide if a permanent educational institution for the industry is necessary.” Boat Casualties

Mr Scott said he has been deeply concerned about the number of fishing boat casualties.

“The accelerated development of the industry has produced an immediate need for training in safe navigation, seamanship, management of vessels and engineering,” he said.

Mr Scott said he is sure there are many such young fishermen who will want to increase their knowledge and earn their qualifications. The first course this year will include subjects such as navigation, chart reading and pilotage, care and maintenance of diesel engines, signalling and radio telephone use, search and rescue work, echo sounding in navigation, electronic aids to fishing and first aid.