The Certificate III in Fishing Operations was delivered under the Torres Strait Marine Pathways Project (TSMPP), which aims to further develop the skills and capability of Torres Strait Islander and Aboriginal people to operate commercial vessels and create pathways for careers in maritime related industries such as fishing, tourism, coastal trading and the offshore maritime shipping industry. The project is funded through the Torres Strait Regional Authority.

AMC maritime training lecturer Jarrod Weaving said the aim of the course was for students to gain competence catching, processing, packaging and transporting fish and crustaceans.

“Many of the students already work in the fishing industry. This program further develops their understanding of the processing of fish and what it takes to get this high-value resource to market, in the best possible condition so as to gain the best possible price,” Mr Weaving said.

Not only does the training increase the employment prospects for the students, it also creates a positive economical outcome within the students’ communities."

The program included various industry visits, including one to MG Kailis Seafood in Cairns where the students were able to observe the reception, handling, and preparation for shipment of a large catch of crayfish – consolidating the learning that had taken place in the classroom.

After completing the three-week course in Cairns, the students then return to their islands and conduct follow-on workplace assessments in their industry.  

“This allows the students to apply what they have learned during the course in a realistic and practical industry environment, analysing the catch from around their home islands,” Mr Weaving said.

The Certificate III in Fishing Operations has previously been conducted in Launceston in 2015, with students travelling from the Torres Strait to take part in it. It has since been redeveloped to suit delivery in a more familiar environment closer to the students’ home and focus on the commercial species caught within the region.

(Pictured: AMC course coordinator Jarrod Weaving, student Gregory Waigana and lead trainer Andrew Tabor).

Published on: 06 Mar 2018