Get youth involved in fisheries

 JUST as agriculture is no longer “the hoe and the dirt”, members of the fisheries sector want young people to see employment in this industry as a viable career option beyond “fishing in a boat”.

Their call is for education about fisheries to be included within the curricula at schools and for the youth to be encouraged to pursue careers in the sector, using teaching aides that best communicate the message in a way they understand.

Outgoing Chairman of the Caribbean Fisheries Forum,
Michael Braynen, wants to see greater promotion of
fisheries even at the educational level from early.

Many representatives from Fisheries Divisions across the
region attended the opening ceremony of the Eleventh Meeting of the Caribbean Fisheries Forum.

Outgoing Chairman of the Caribbean Fisheries Forum, Michael Braynen said, “I think there needs to be more attention paid to fisheries in our educational system. I can say in The Bahamas we have been constantly, over the years, trying to improve the level of education and promotion, in terms of the marine environment [and] the importance of the fishing industry, but it is something that…is not complete in that regard and it certainly does need more attention everywhere I look in the region.”

Executive Director of the Caribbean Regional Fisheries Mechanism (CRFM), Milton Haughton, added that fisheries need to be used to create gainful employment for our people, especially our young people.

He urged, “There are challenges we have in the Caribbean with the rise in crime, especially among young men. Now in my opinion, the fisheries sector can help. When I say fisheries, I mean aquaculture also and when I say aquaculture I mean even growing fish in the sea; fish, seaweed and other marine organisms in the sea.”

Stating that there is a diversity of employment opportunities available in the sector, Braynen said, “There are many aspects to fishing. In our work [in The Bahamas], we try not to concentrate only on exposing people to opportunities in the catching fisheries sector. We try to expose them to opportunities in aquaculture, related activities such as food processing, manufacturing and dealing with resources from the sea. We also try to educate them with regard to career opportunities in conservation and utilisation, not just fisheries. [Also,] touristic opportunities having to do with the marine environment – recreational fishing and so forth. There are lots of opportunities out there beyond just going in a boat, catching a fish on a line.”

Haughton said he is pleased to see that in some territories they are already moving in the desired direction and called for more support for the youth throughout the region.

He said, “In some countries, I am encouraged to see the development in the ornamental fish trade; for example, growing ornamental fish and exporting. These are things that our young can get into. We just need to have the policy support in place and other support systems to encourage them and point them in the right direction and to provide the technical assistance and extension services that they need.”

Asked if there should be poster and essay competitions to get students and young people involved, Braynen implored, “We need to turn to professional educators and use those kinds of tools that interest children today. Kids today are interested in things happening online. They are interested in Facebook, the Internet, video games, and I think that these are the best avenues to reach them.”