Academy Chief Executive Captain Rajitha Semage with graduates of the Maritime Academy Deck Hand Fishing Programme

There is a vacuum of trained personnel in Fiji’s fisheries industry causing a huge demand for skilled workers.

Speaking during the Fiji National University’s Maritime Academy Deck Hand Fishing Programme graduation, Academy Chief Executive Captain Rajitha Semage says this will be addressed once graduates are absorbed into the workforce.

Captain Semage says the 28 that graduated yesterday are now qualified and will work on fishing vessels as deck hands.

“To all our graduates, go sail the high seas equipped with the knowledge that they have gained through this training. I am sure you would excel in what you do. The Academy has also done all it can to prepare you for what is to come. Once again, I would like to say that the sea is not for the lighthearted. Respect the sea and it would respect you back for sure”

The training also highlights the need to reduce the impacts of fishing on non-target threatened species and conservation of marine species, including supporting Fiji to deliver its national obligations.

The EU-funded By-catch and Integrated Ecosystem Management Initiative of the PacificEuropean Union Marine Partnership program is managed by FMA, the World Wide Fund for Nature, and the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme.