Fishing course is the perfect place to be to start a career

The three-week Introduction to Commercial Fishing course was run in The Friendliest Port by Anglo-Scottish Seafish Industry Group Training Association.

It gives attendees the chance to obtain the necessary certificates to go to sea as a crew member aboard a fishing vessel.

And out of the seven that completed the latest round of tuition towards the end of last month, three have already managed to secure a job at sea – with one in Craster, another in Hartlepool and one student from Fleetwood landing a crew job in Ireland.

The picture above shows the students wearing their personal flotation devices, paid for by Seafish and other maritime bodies, before heading off to sea from Amble Marina for a trip up the Northumberland coast while learning basic skills such as man overboard drill, anchoring, steering by compass and using plotter and radar.

It is an example of the things that participants can learn on the course.

The qualifications include sea survival, basic health and safety, fire fighting and first aid and students also learn traditional seamanship skills such as rope splicing, knots and navigation.

The course has been running for a number of years and it has helped graduates land places in the industry in the past, including one successful trainee who bought his own boat and licence and started fishing out of Amble as a part-time commercial fisherman.

Dennis Osborne, the training manager, for Anglo-Scottish Seafish, said that continued funding support for this popular course is currently being sought and it may be September before additional courses can be organised.

However, he did say that he was maintaining a waiting list and has already had four students who had applied and are now on the list.

The course would normally cost about £550, but thanks to funding from the Seafish Authority, Dennis can offer it for free in Amble.

Anyone aged 18 to 55 can do the course.

Dennis said: “The course gives people the chance to obtain the mandatory courses required by law without having to pay.”

For details and to apply, call 01665 713823 or 07702 042551.