Fifty-three (53) marine and fisheries officials from around the Pacific region are the first batch of The University of the South Pacific (USP) and Pacific European Union Marine Partnerships Project (USP PEUMP) scholarship recipients who are now eligible for graduation.
Over half of the 53 students eligible for graduation are women. Twenty-seven (27) PEUMP scholarship recipients completed the Certificate IV in Coastal Fisheries and Aquaculture Compliance (MCS) held from April – November 22, 2019.
The training targeted fisheries compliance officers across the Pacific ACP Countries - African Caribbean Pacific Countries (PACP) countries to equip them with the highly complex and evolving technical knowledge and skills required to effectively perform their duties.
A further 26 fisheries personnel across the region received PEUMP scholarships for Certificate IV in Training and Assessment (CTA) held from October 14 – December 6, 2019 enabling participants to become effective certified trainers in their respective agencies.
Although the COVID-19 pandemic had forced the cancellation of USP’s graduation in March, provisions had been made for the eligible graduates to collect their certificates or have them mailed to their country of choice.
The recipients included fisheries stakeholders from government, non-government and communities from 15 Pacific ACP countries (PACP).
USP is one of four key implementing partners of the PEUMP Programme, a EUR 45M programme funded by the European Union and the Government of Sweden. USP, through the PEUMP Programme, is focusing on building the capacity for Pacific islanders through education, training, research and development in fisheries and marine resources management.
Scholarship recipient, Jacqueline Nalomaca, a fisheries official from Fiji said, “it is not easy as a female fisheries officer to enforce rules and regulations when dealing with fishermen and the fact the Certificate IV in Coastal Fisheries and Aquaculture Compliance course ensured gender balance, was a great achievement given the dominance of male fisheries officers.”
Ms Nalomaca, said, apart from gaining an additional certificate from USP, the learnings have been crucial to develop her skills in the area of Monitoring, Control and Surveillance (MCS) to carry out her role professionally and safely and allowed her to get updated on compliance mechanisms.
Samoan fisheries official, Unity Roebeck, said the Certificate IV in Coastal Fisheries and Aquaculture Compliance course was “highly informative and taught me new knowledge and skills as well as a new perspective to my role, not only as a Pacific Ocean Custodian but as the Senior Fisheries Officer in the Aquaculture Section.”
In congratulating the graduates the Dean, Faculty of Science, Technology and Environment, at USP, Dr Anjeela Jokhan said, “the ocean is the lifeline of the Pacific peoples and through education, training and research there will be stronger fisheries and marine resources management through these qualified professionals.