16 March, 2007

THE FIRST vital training course in basic navigation and watch keeping skills has been held at the NAFC Marine Centre, in Scalloway.

The course, presently being run free of charge, may contribute towards obtaining a skipper's ticket for under 16.5m vessels.

Lecturer Leslie Tait and former fishing skipper said: "I urge fishermen to remember that this is not a course foisted on them by NAFC.

"It is nationwide and has been funded and promoted by the Sea Fish Industry Authority to take into account the growing call for watch keeping and inshore skippers tickets qualifications for smaller vessels."

Seafish is able to offer this free course thanks to an EU grant under the FIFG (Financial Instrument for Fisheries Guidance) scheme and the UK governments fisheries departments.

Victor Robertson, one of the skippers who successfully completed the course, said: "This is one of the courses I need for the under 16.5m ticket. At the moment it's free before it becomes an obligation to have it, so I took the opportunity."

Mr Tait added: "If there is enough interest from inshore fishermen we will run the course again. To get your name on the list, please contact NAFC".