Increased Knowledge About European Aquaculture

Context/BackgroundThis project have aimed to bring together a partnership of three organisations involved in Aquaculture education, namely Val vgs in Norway, Bord Iascaigh Mhara in Ireland and Lycèe de la mer in France. These participants already had a history of cooperation and wanted to expand and capitalise on this cooperation. Aquaculture is developing rapidly worldwide with an ever increasing demand for seafood, through this programme we hoped to improve aquaculture education as a whole, whilst developing an improved workforce.ObjectivesThe main objectives have been to define and experience best practice in each country with an emphasis on improved production techniques and the possibilities afforded by the introduction of new/novel species, improve educational techniques and standards, leading to a better educated workforce for the developing aquaculture industryProfile of ParticipantsVal vgs is a upper secondary school located in Nærøy municipality in Mid-Norway and offers education inside the use of natural resources, aquaculture, agriculture and horse management. Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM) helps to develop the Irish Seafood Industry by providing technical expertise, business support, funding, training and promoting responsible environmental practice. BIM offers a 4-months competence course in aquaculture for adult learners.Lycèe de la Mer are working in vocational fields which are centred on sea matters : cultures Marines (oysters and mussels), Aquaculture (Fish), but also Naval Maintenance, Shipbuildings, as well as plastics and composite processing industry and internal fittings of boats. Concerning the aquacultural part, the school trains approximately 60 pupils over 3 years supervised by a team of about fifteen teachers.Description of Activities/MethodologyDuring this partnership students and teachers have traveled to the other participating countries to engage in study trips, workshops, exercises/work experience at the school facilities and on site industrial work experience. The host countries have coordinated the trips to their own organisations and industry and the benefit to the participants have also included language and cultural elements.Results/ImpactThe study trips and collaborations have been informative not only for the participants but also the host countries and the EU through a series of detailed dissemination routes. Although the further education of the participants is the primary focus, this project have also lead to improvements in general education techniques through the process of sharing and joint development. Potential Longer Term BenefitsThe aquaculture industry will be able to develop more rapidly through more motivated and better educated workforce. By encouraging and facilitating a further sharing and collaboration about ideas and teaching methods this will help strengthen each student / worker and thus business when it comes to further development of the aquaculture industry.