Report on the Fifth Regional Training Course for Fishery Extension Officers in Fishing Technology and Coastal Navigation

Abstract

During the period 1981 to 1983, four Regional Training Course for Fishery Extension officers tn Marine Capture Fisheries were organized at the Training Department of SEAFDEC, with the funds kindly donated by the Royal Government of the Natherlands under the programme for Studies tn the Region. The term “fishery extension” implies the act of conveying to fishermen all relevant technologies for improving their fishing efficiency, This concept greatly influenced the content of the first three training curricula, which included an average of 12 subjects for each course. In order to equip the extension officers with the knowledge and skills to deal with various problems encountered by the fishermen. However, to cover so many subjects within a short period of time prevented the ideal in-depth training in each subject. With this fact in mind, the curriculum of the fourth course was substantially modified by reducing the number of subject. Intensive training was therefore conducted in a few specific subjects of relevance to a fishery extension course. This form of training proved so successful, as indicated by the favourable response given when the fourth course was evaluated in June 1983, that the curriculum of the fifth course was arranged along the same lines, with Fishing Technology and coastal Navigation as the core subjects. Participants were then trained intensively in these fields, with emphasis on practical work, both ashore and at sea.