New MA assessor at NAFC
Laurence Pearson, who has extensive experience of Shetland’s aquaculture industry, joined Stuart Fitzsimmons at the Scalloway college this week, following the retirement of Kenny Gifford – the driving forces behind the establishment of the aquaculture MA.
Laurence spent 11 years as a pelagic fishermen before joining up with Scottish Sea Farms in 2004, spending over two years rearing salmon at Ronas Voe, Breigeo and Hildasay sites. He was the site health and safety rep and also attained his SVQ level 2 in aquaculture and began his level 3 during this time – completing the latter while farming cod and trout for No Catch at Vidlin and Mangaster.
In 2008 he worked as the NAFC’s fish farm manager on the trials site, conducting small-scale trials on salmon and wrasse before the facility was leased out to Hjaltland.
The level 2 and level three qualifications, which consist of short modules for farm workers, have been successfully achieved by over 100 farmers in the Shetland and Orkney Isles. Each qualification has been devised after consulting the industry about what topics it would like to see covered and where it sees there being the greatest need for training. This has resulted in the development of a huge range of modules, covering subjects such as fish health and welfare, feeding control, AGD and lice.
Due to recent developments in the industry level 2 now includes a biological control module, which focuses on wrasse and lumpsucker husbandry – proof of how the qualifications are evolving parallel to industry developments.
“Funded by SDS, some of the salmon companies are also offering employees financial incentives to progress to Level 3,” says Kenny, “and anyone with at least six months’ experience on a farm can enrol for the course. It’s not set in stone, but we find that this helps us avoid people dropping out due to inexperience.”
“There are currently 31 farmers under assessment and potentially another 6 signing up before the end of the year and there will probably be 26 placements made available next year,” Stuart explains.
“The system has proved very popular with both farm workers and the companies themselves, giving the workers more confidence and often very transferable skills,” adds Kenny.
Several other recent changes of regulation have also helped to spur on the initiative.
“Training is a compulsory part of the latest version of the SSPO’s latest Code of Good Practice (CoGP),” reflects Kenny, “and the introduction of the Scottish Technical Standard, in June, will also act as an added incentive for companies to improve their training regimes”.
The college has also devised a National Progression Award in aquaculture, for school children, which is gaining in popularity.
