published Tue, February 21, 2012
Waiting list for fishery liaison course
Twenty-five people have signed up for the fishery liaison course being organised in Bergen in mid-March. The course is fully booked, and several people are on the waiting list.
The Norwegian Petroleum Directorate (NPD) and Directorate of
Fisheries (Fdir) are organising the course - which is mandatory for
everyone working as a fishery liaison on seismic vessels on the
Norwegian shelf.
"It is positive to see that so many people want to take the
course. The fishery liaisons perform a very important job when
seismic vessels and fisheries go to work in the same waters," says
Jan Stenløkk from the NPD, who is responsible for the course's
technical content.
All vessels acquiring seismic data on the Norwegian shelf must
have a fishery liaison on board. The objective of the mandatory
course - which was held for the first time in 2009 - is to enable
the fishery liaisons to do an even better job at sea.
The seismic industry must always yield when active fishing is
taking place in an area. The fishery liaison's job is to negotiate
flexible solutions for how both parties can do their job. However,
the liaison only has advisory authority; if the parties cannot
agree, the Norwegian Coast Guard can be involved.
"But this very rarely happens," says Stenløkk.
The course is one of several measures implemented by the
authorities to improve coexistence between fisheries and the
seismic industry.
"It's a three-day course. Participants receive a comprehensive
introduction in how to work as a fishery liaison, they are trained
in statutes and regulations and receive good advice regarding
conflict negotiations. Geology, communication and fish behaviour
are also addressed," says Stenløkk.
The course lecturers are
NPD and Directorate of Fisheries' employees. In addition, there are
contributors from the Norwegian Coast Guard, Institute of Marine
Research, a fishery liaison and a psychologist.
The course participants must also pass a written test - in
English as well - in order to be certified. Two years have passed
since the last round of courses - and just over 100 people passed
the course in 2009. The follow-up feedback has been positive:
"We hear the training has had a positive effect. It is
noticeable that people have taken a class, they better understand
their own role and the quality of reporting has improved
significantly," Stenløkk comments.
In order to become a fishery liaison you must at least have a
navigation certificate as a Class C or equivalent fishing boat
skipper. In addition, you must have a background as a fisherman and
documented knowledge of the fishery activity in one or more of the
waters where seismic vessels operate - south of 62 degrees north,
between 62 and 67 degrees north and north of 67 degrees north.
Date: 21/02/2012