Training News - January 2005

Author: AquaTT

Date: 31 Jan 2005

 

JANUARY 2005

A free e-mail news service provided by AquaTT on European Education & Training in Aquaculture.
Please submit any relevant information for dissemination in the newsletter to
news@aquatt.ie 

About AquaTT

Contents
1. New Year Message 
- AquaTT in 2004
- AquaTT in 2005
 

2. Announcements
- Training course on the Fundamentals of International Project Management - Karlsruhe, Germany 3 - 4 February 2005
- Irish Skipper Expo 05 - Galway, Ireland 11 - 12 February 2005
- Advanced Course: "Design and management of bivalve mollusc hatcheries" - Zaragoza, Spain 14-19 February 2005
-
Training course on drafting a successful FP6 proposal - Saint Etienne, France 21 - 22 February 2005
- Biotechnology for Characterisation Workshop - Turin, Italy 5 - 7 March 2005
- Science and Society Forum 2005 - Brussels, Belgium 9 - 11 March 2005
- New Challenges in Pond Aquaculture - Ceské Budìjovice, Czech Republic April 26 – 28 2005
- World Aquaculture 2005 - Westin Resort, Nusa Dua, Bali, May 9-13 2005
- Larvi 2005 Symposium - Gent, Belgium 5 - 8 September 2005

3. Other
- CORDIS launches information service in support of Marie Curie actions on Human Resources and Mobility
- Post your Student Placement and MSc/ PhD vacancies on PISCESTTJobs

4. Student Corner
- The Aquaculture Sector in Turkey - Article by Ilhan Yandi, Karadeniz Technical University, Turkey


New Year Message

AquaTT in 2004

Message from the AquaTT Secretariat

We express sincere thanks to our directors, project partners and colleagues for their hard work with us through 2004 and look forward to another prosperous year in 2005.

In November 2004, we extended a warm welcome to Ms. Lorraine Rafferty, who joined our team in the capacity of Project Officer. Lorraine has an honours degree in Microbiology from
National University of Ireland, Galway (NUIG), a Masters in Science Communication from Queen's University, Belfast & DCU and in 2004 was awarded a Masters in Public Relations from Dublin Institute of Technology (DIT).

We provide a summary below of our past year activities and welcome any feedback or queries you may have.

Best Wishes,

David, Erin, Caoimhe and Lorraine

PISCES Forum

In early 2004, AquaTT completed work on its flagship Leonardo da Vinci funded project, PISCES. PISCESTT, a European Forum for Aquaculture Education and Training, is available at www.piscestt.com. It is host to a comprehensive education information database, interactive games for children, dynamic occupational profiles, virtual tours of existing fish farms, web tools for SMEs and major updates in education and training. The site platform has a multilingual facility with the inbuilt Aqualex glossary of aquaculture and marine science terms. The project led to two spin-off initiatives namely, PISCESTT Jobs and Training News. The newsletter, produced on a monthly basis, is received by more than 2500 persons across Europe and further a field. PISCESTT Jobs, a forum for promotion of mobility and training opportunities, will receive update programming in the New Year.

A central element of the initiative was the production of a series of Educational Posters, comprising nine exciting titles in aquaculture. This first series consists of life-cycle and special interest topic titles posing broad appeal for students from second level upwards, and for those wishing to gain an understanding of the stages and technical methods currently being used within the aquaculture sector. The life-cycle posters graphically depict the various stages of the wild life cycle of the species through text, graphs, distribution maps and cyclically linked photographs. Each stage of the life cycle is linked to its stage in commercial aquaculture. PISCES partner, La Tene Maps, with pledged support from individuals, development agencies, academic institutions and companies, was responsible for the ultimate design, compilation and production of the series. The funded titles of 2004, currently available in English but with provision for translation are “Farming Atlantic Salmon�, “Farming Turbot�, “Farming European Perch�, “Life-cycle of Seahorse�, “Life-cycle of Sea Bass & Sea Bream�, “Waste Management in Aquaculture�, “Local Area Management Systems in Aquaculture�, “Traceability� and “Recirculation Systems in Aquaculture�. The posters can be freely viewed and downloaded from the AquaTT website www.aquatt.ie.

Planning for a second series of Educational Posters is now underway and those interested in discussing sponsorship and/ or contribution options should contact John Coleman at johncoleman@latene.com or Caoimhe Boylan at aquatt@aquatt.ie. The intention is to devise a list of topics, flagged by the industry, and then to work to produce these as comprehensive poster titles through 2005 and 2006. Suggestions may include for example the update and/or reprinting of an existing poster in a different language. Titles currently under discussion include "Farming Cod", "Organic Aquaculture", "Quality Labels", "Depuration Systems", "Mussel Cultivation" and "Life-cycle of the Oyster".

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Working in Aquaculture; Validation of Experience (WAVE)

Working in Aquaculture; Validation of Experience (WAVE) - Development and introduction of a Work Experience Validation Protocol in European aquaculture. Skill acquisition in professional aquaculture occurs predominantly outside the scope of accredited university/college tertiary degrees or diplomas. Skills are often acquired through formal certification (vocational) or by informal means (experience-based, workplace assessment, lifelong learning). However, there is no accepted Europe-wide system for validating and accrediting these types of training in aquaculture, impeding fair assessment of an individual’s qualifications, as comparison between countries and their systems is difficult if not impossible. WAVE will provide a solution to this challenge by investigating what the individual knows how to do, by way of a check-list of technical competencies, rather than what they are qualified to do, by way of a course or degree title.

Outputs
- WAVE will produce a comprehensive and definitive list of aquaculture relevant qualifications, including skills, expertise, knowledge requirements and industrial
competencies
- WAVE will identify gaps between current qualifications and competencies and training needs for both structured and informal learning within the industry
- WAVE does not try to change, nor compete, with established European systems. Each country understandably has its own courses accredited by its own
procedures, many of which are well-founded.
- WAVE does ask each European country to identify its course components and procedures for recognition which will make transparency and comparison possible.
- WAVE will develop a ‘comparison tool’ (protocol), which will be evaluated for acceptance and incorporation within each national scheme, in line with the
identified European Commission priorities (Copenhagen Declaration on enhanced European cooperation in Vocational Education and Training (http://europa.eu.int/comm/education/copenhagen/index_en.html)
- WAVE will, by means of the above comparison tool, facilitate the validation and assessment of the training of current workers, new workers, interim staff and
students.
- WAVE will give enterprises the opportunity to have better trained staff which should lead to higher efficiency and profits.
- WAVE could feed into the trans-national recognition of qualifications and competencies

Beneficiaries of the WAVE initiative
Example 1: Student on a Work placement - Increasingly, students have to undertake a compulsory work placement on their courses. It is widely accepted that
vocational training is a very valuable component of any aquaculture course.

How WAVE helps
WAVE competency lists will enable the farm manager to verify all the competencies the student has acquired during his/her placement.
- Farm managers can structure on-site training
- Students can have a structured plan with aims and targets for the training experience and at the end leave with a full list of what level they have achieved in all
aspects of the work experience placement
- Training organisations will know exactly what the placement has achieved and could incorporate the experience into its accreditation system (ECTS or other)

Example 2: Farm worker
Every worker has a unique “learning pathway�. It may be a combination of structured courses (degree, diplomas, doctorates etc.) short training courses (1 day, week
or month) and lifelong learning (employment, experiences etc.).

How WAVE helps
Every worker is unique, currently it is very hard to compare individuals as they have different qualifications and work experience. But using the WAVE mapping
system it will be possible using a competency based approach to identify each individual’s knowledge.
- Farm Managers, when selecting staff, will know exactly what the potential employee can and cannot do; the tool can be used on existing staff to identify training
gaps
- Farm Workers will be able to map out their own learning pathway

For further information on the initiative contact David Murphy at: david@aquatt.ie

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Aquaculture Student Workshop 2004

2004 saw the successful inaugural launch of the Aquaculture Student Workshop, an AquaTT driven initiative, which took place alongside the Aquaculture International Exhibition in Glasgow, May 19 - 23, 2004. The event drew in 45 participants from 19 different countries, representing a variety of aquaculture-related disciplines of ranging educational levels.

A comprehensive evaluation procedure was built into the workshop, which delivered clear output in terms of the needs and requirements of this young generation of aspiring aquaculturists. Thus, collation and design of three learning modules namely, Fish Health, Traceability in Aquaculture and Marketing Methods is underway.

Since its inception, the workshop initiative has been built upon and further strengthened, with a new programme planned for 2005 as part of the AQUALABS Series.

If you are interested in getting involved as a speaker or in supporting the event, please contact Caoimhe Boylan at aquatt@aquatt.ie

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e-Aqua Initiative

The e-Aqua project, co-financed by the EC Programme Interreg III B “Atlantic area�, strives to encourage the use of ICT and e-commerce by aquaculture SMEs in order to promote and enhance productivity and competitiveness of the sector. The Irish contingent, Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM) and AquaTT, work to gain reliable knowledge on the current level of ICT development amongst Irish aquaculture farmers. The ultimate drive of which is to augment their entrepreneurial skills through provision of key training and useful reference resources. It is anticipated that such action will provide for the identification of new business methods and channels by the farmers. The steps in the project in Ireland include:

- Project questionnaire devised to gauge the levels and types of ICT usage by aquaculture farms in the Atlantic area (partnership)
- Project questionnaire reviewed in terms of Irish context (BIM & AquaTT)
- Phased carrying out of the questionnaires & interviews (BIM)
- Collation of the completed questionnaires and presentation of summary results and conclusions for Ireland (BIM & AquaTT)
- Establish a viable pilot-scale training plan (BIM & AquaTT)
- Consult with the trainees/ farm managers via the actual training activities, which will provide feed forward for devising of e-strategy/ e-tools for implementation in the
respective sectors (BIM & AquaTT).

The survey results and report, together with information on the initial training workshops held in Ireland, can be found in the "Regional Info" section of the project website: http://www.e-aqua.org

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Fishing-4-Info Website

Fishing-4-Info, a comprehensive link site for all aquaculture and aquatic resource management contacts is available at http://www.fishing4info.com. The site is
maintained through the collaborative efforts of Stirling Aquaculture (University of Stirling) and AquaTT.

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AquaTT Website

The newly updated AquaTT website was launched during the summer of 2004. The site, found at www.aquatt.ie, with a project archive database, contains
information on all current initiatives and actions that AquaTT are involved in. Among the new features programmed into the site are a:

- Discussion Forum
- Comprehensive Links Database
- Photo Gallery
- Training News Archive Facility
- Resources Section

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AquaTT in 2005

Planet Aqua

Planet Aqua, an Irish focused initiative, endeavours to inspire and encourage young people to appreciate the environmental and scientific importance of conserving and preserving the planet's water habitats and resources, and in doing so, inspire them to action in their lives to minimise their inidividual ecological footprints. A promotional stand for the initiative was recently devised and launched at the Irish Young Scientist Exhibition. The first meeting of the Planet Aqua high level steering committee will take place in Dublin on February 4, 2005. To find out more about this new, exciting initiative log onto www.planetaqua.ie.

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AQUALABS

Contracting is currently underway with the European Commission under the Marie Curie Action for a series of six state-of-the-art training courses and one supporting
student workshop, fulfilling the following objectives:

• Provision of advanced practical laboratory training for early-stage researchers in the major topical themes of
- Quality in Fish Products (Cork, IRELAND 2005)
- Molecular Biology and Ecology (Kuopio, FINLAND 2005)
- Design & Operation of Recirculation Technologies (Wageningen, THE NETHERLANDS 2006)
- Freshwater Aquaculture and the Environment (Szarvas, HUNGARY 2005)
- Aquatic Animal Disease Diagnostics (Stirling, UK 2006)
- Fish Welfare (Varese, ITALY 2005)

• Provision for the acquisition of practical skills and critical field work experience in themes with specific tie into 6FP interest areas (environment, ethical production, food safety and traceability)

• Promote mobility of researchers from an early stage through key linkages and training programmes

Building on the strength of the initial Aquaculture Student Workshop, it is proposed that the AQUALAB Student Workshop will take place alongside an industry trade-show or conference, with the following focal objectives:

• Examine scientific content relevant to course title; leading to prediction of future needs
• Review of current and potential future research issues
• Provision of multi-disciplinary training for the acquisition of non-research competencies (e.g. communicating science to non-scientists) through presentations, team
work and networking events
• Provision of a forum for early-stage researchers to develop synergies, engage in collaboration and debate on issues of specific interest within the ERA

Each training course and the concomitant workshop will consist of a 3-phase work programme:

1. Preparatory Phase – centralised internet based system linking all the research participants prior to attendance at the individual events; providing background

information and tasks through the online forum
2. Training Phase – five to seven days of intensive training consisting of lectures, practical work and field studies
3. Sustainability – post-event electronic forum for continued networking and collaboration of researchers

Updates on this initiative will be available through Training News and on the AquaTT website

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Announcements

Training Course on the Fundamentals of International Project Management - Karlsruhe, Germany 3 - 4 February 2005

EARMA, the European Association of Research Managers and Administrators, and Forschungszentrum Karlsruhe jointly offer a training course on the Fundamentals of International Project Management. The course will take place in Karlsruhe, Germany, from 3 - 4 February 2005.

Data Source: Cordis
For further information visit:

http://dbs.cordis.lu/cordis-cgi/srchidadb?ACTION=D&SESSION=&DOC=1&TBL=EN_RTDN&RCN=EN_RCN_ID:2574&CALLER=CORDISwire 

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Irish Skipper Expo '05 - Galway, Ireland 11 - 12 February 2005

The Irish Skipper marine industry magazine, is pleased to announce the launch of a new fishing industry exhibition. With an emphasis on the fishing operations of vessels under 20m, Irish Skipper Expo 05 , which is co-sponsored by BIM and AIB, will be an all-encompassing display of a full range of products and services available to the mid-range and inshore sectors. From punts to potters/netters, jiggers and longliners and from mussels/scallop dredgers to trawlers, Irish Skipper Expo 05 will have on show a wide variety of service providers and manufacturers covering the areas of vessel design & construction, marine engines and hydraulic systems, deck equipment, electronics, fishing gear, safety equipment and protective clothing. To offer visitors to the exhibition a complete programme of events covering the inshore sector, BIM will be holding a series of workshops and discussions on a wide range of activities currently taking place in the inshore sector.

Irish Skipper Expo 05 will be held in the Corrib Great Southern Hotel, less than 2km from Galway City, on February 11 & 12th, 2005.

For further information contact:
Hugh Bonner. Tel: 00353 (0) 74 9548935 Email:
hbonner@iol.ie
Sharon Boyle. Tel:00353 (0) 74 9548037 Email:
smboyle@iol.ie 

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Advanced Course: "Design and Management of Bivalve Mollusc Hatcheries - Zaragoza, Spain 14 - 19 February 2005

The course is organized by the International Centre for Advanced Mediterranean Agronomic Studies (CIHEAM), through the Mediterranean Agronomic Institute of Zaragoza (IAMZ), with the collaboration of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), through the Fisheries Department, and will take place at the Mediterranean Agronomic Institute of Zaragoza. The course will be given by well-qualified lecturers from international organizations and research centres, administration and private companies from different countries.

The course, designed for producers, technical advisors and researchers, will present the current state of knowledge, covering biological and technical aspects of bivalve hatcheries and nurseries from an applied angle. Attention will be paid to the opportunity that exists in nursery facilities in areas where a hatchery may not yet be required. The presentation of specific examples will provide participants with a perspective of the functioning of hatcheries from experimental to commercial scale.

For further information visit:
ENGLISH:
http://www.iamz.ciheam.org/ingles/criamoluscos-05-pub-ing.htm
FRENCH:
http://www.iamz.ciheam.org/frances/criamoluscos-05-pub-fra.htm
SPANISH:
http://www.iamz.ciheam.org/espanol/criamoluscos-05-pub-esp.htm 

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Training course on drafting a successful FP6 proposal - Saint Etienne, France 21 - 22 February 2005

Interface Europe is organising a training course entitled 'How to prepare a successful European project and write a competitive proposal. Secrets and logics of FP6', to take place on 21 and 22 February in Saint Etienne, France. The course will offer participants methodological material and useful guidance on how to write a competitive proposal, and is intended for researchers and any organisation that supports research. The course will be held in French.

Data Source: Cordis
For further information visit:
http://www.interfaceurope.net/news.php?p=news&lang=fr

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Biotechnology for Characterisation Workshop - Turin, Italy 5 - 7 March 2005

A workshop on 'the role of biotechnology for the characterisation and conservation of crop, forestry, animal and fishery genetic resources will take place in Turin,
Italy, from 5 to 7 March. The event will include sessions on: the status of the world's agro-biodiversity; the use of biotechnology for conservation of genetic resources; genetic characterisation of populations and its use in conservation decision making.

Data Source: Cordis

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Science and Society Forum 2005 - Brussels, Belgium 9 - 11 March 2005

Registration is now open for the Science and Society Forum 2005, the major Commission conference in the field of science and society interaction, which will be held
in Brussels, Belgium from 9 to 11 March 2005. The event will review efforts to stimulate a deep-seated dialogue between the scientific community and society at large, and plot a new course forward in the form of a Charter on the future of science in society.

The conference is expected to attract between 500 and 600 delegates and will explore four main themes:

- science and society and the Lisbon strategy;
- science, technology and democracy;
- towards a common culture of communication of science in society;
- fostering diversity and inclusiveness in research.

Data Source: Cordis
For further information visit: http://europa.eu.int/comm/research/conferences/2005/forum2005/index_en.htm

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New Challenges in Pond Aquaculture - Ceské Budìjovice, Czech Republic April 26 – 28, 2005

Organised by:
University of South Bohemia České Budějovice
Research Institute of Fish Culture and Hydrobiology Vodňany

As a part of the EU project:
"Creating Supporting Network for International Transfer of Innovative Technologies in European Aquaculture (CSN-INTRAN)"

In co-operation with:
European Aquaculture Society (EAS)

Convener: Zdeněk ADÃ?MEK
Department of Aquaculture and Hydrobiology, Research Institute of Fish
Culture and Hydrobiology, University of South Bohemia, Czech Republic

Scope and Objectives
Over the years, the international conferences and workshops convened by the RIFCH Vodňany on various aspects of fish culture with particular attention to pond farming technologies, have become an established tradition in South Bohemia - the region of a thousand ancient ponds. The event will be based at the University of South Bohemia at České Budějovice (Budweis) – a historical city known not only for its famous beer production, but also as a city of science with many academic institutions. The workshop will address the wide-ranging concept of pond aquaculture, although particular importance will be given to less intensive and environmentally friendly approaches. Semi-intensive and extensive fish farming technologies in earthen ponds, usually exceeding several hectares in area, are the major types of fish production in the Czech Republic and in selected regions of Central and Eastern Europe. Recently, the sector has been facing increasing demands for implementation of non-production pond utilisation, notably landscape formation and protection, recreation, water protection and pond management issues.

The workshop sessions have been selected with respect to fish production under conditions of sustainable development of the pond environment. These issues cover a wide range of approaches associated with pond production, such as integrated farming systems, organic farming, biological backgrounds of fishpond production, nature-friendly control mechanisms of pond environment, the role of protected plant and animal species, multifunctional use of ponds etc.
An open debate on recent advances in different technologies and their impact upon pond-fish quality will be a useful tool for the pond aquaculture sector to increase knowledge, exchange ideas and draw conclusions and recommendations on the challenges required for the present and future of pond aquaculture.
The presentations are expected to be submitted as special volumes of selected peer reviewed and scientific periodicals, according to the instructions of chairpersons. The workshop programme, running over three days, will consist of plenary and poster sessions on selected topics, and a trip to Vodňany including the opening ceremony of FISHTECH exhibition. The official language of the workshop will be English.

For further information on this event visit: www.vurh.jcu.cz or email: musil_jiri@quick.cz

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World Aquaculture 2005 - Westin Resort, Nusa Dua, Bali, May 9 - 13 2005

Two floors of exhibits - Aquaculture and Ornamentals! The conference programme, registration form and the preliminary aquaculture exhibitor list can be viewed on www.was.org. For further detailed information on the event contact Mario Stael at Mario.Stael@Scarlet.be or visit www.was.org

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Larvi 2005 Symposium - Gent, Belgium 5 - 8 September 2005

Following on the previous larvi symposia (1991, 1995 and 2001), the scope of Larvi 2005 is to present the latest developments and challenges in the various
disciplines of larviculture research. The aim of Larvi 2005 is to bring researchers and professionals together to evaluate recent progress, identify problem areas and stimulate future cooperation in research and industrial production of freshwater as well as marine fish and shellfish larvae.

The symposium will start on September 5, 2005 with registration in the afternoon and guided city tours. All sessions will be held at the historical 'Aula' of the Ghent University. The official opening session & reception will take place on the evening of September 5. The scientific sessions will be held from September 6 through to September 8. A tentative programme has been planned:

SESSION I. BROODSTOCK MANAGEMENT (zootechniques, nutrition, egg and larval quality, domestication, sperm quality, genetics, germplasm preservation, genomics and proteomics, transgenics and GMOs, ...)

SESSION II. GENERAL LARVAL BIOLOGY, ECOLOGY AND PHYSIOLOGY (ontogeny, developmental biology, behavior..)

SESSION III. LIVE FOOD PRODUCTION (culture techniques, genetics,...)

SESSION IV. LARVAL NUTRITION AND FEEDING (nutritional requirements, feeding schemes, live food substitutes...)

SESSION V. LARVICULTURE ZOOTECHNIQUES (culture systems, environmental requirements, socio-economic aspects,…)

SESSION VI. MICROBIOLOGY AND HEALTH MANAGEMENT (prebiotics, probiotics, diseases and pathogens, viral and bacterial challenge tests, vaccination, phage therapy, …)

Speakers as well as presenters of posters are invited to submit a one to two-page mini-paper of their contribution. Detailed instructions will be provided with the notification of paper acceptance. These mini-papers will be reviewed and selected by the Scientific Committee for publication in the "Book of Short Communications�. Full-length papers and workshop reports will be submitted for publication as symposium proceedings in a peer-reviewed journal.

Call for Paper:
Interested contributors to the symposium programme are hereby invited to submit to the Symposium Secretariat before February 15, 2005 indicative titles and a
10-line summary of the paper/poster/workshop topic they would like to present. The authors will be notified of the acceptance of their contribution and the kind of presentation (oral, poster, workshop) before the end of March 2005 at which time they will receive the instructions to authors for submission of their mini-paper.

Registration:
Persons interested in attending Larvi 2005 are requested to fill in and return the pre-registration form to the Symposium Secretariat at their earliest convenience, in
order to receive further updates on the conference. Instructions for payment will be given in the second announcement.

Special Events in conjunction with Larvi 2005:
At the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the Artemia Reference Center a special 1–day Artemia seminar will be organised on September 5 (see http://allserv.Ugent.be/aquaculture/artemia/)

On September 9, a Rotifer Workshop for Fish and Shellfish Hatchery Producers will take place (see http://allserv.UGent.be/aquaculture/rotifer_workshop/)

For further information, see the symposium website www.UGent.be/larvi or contact the conference secretariat at:

Laboratory of Aquaculture & Artemia Reference Center, Ghent University, Rozier 44, B-9000 Gent, Belgium
Tel : +32-9-2643754
Fax: +32-9-2644193
Website: www.UGent.be/aquaculture
E-mail: larvi@UGent.be

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Other

CORDIS launches information service in support of Marie Curie actions on Human Resources and Mobility

In order to develop and enhance human resources in the European Research Area (ERA) , and thereby improve Europe's attractiveness to researchers and overall research performance, the EU supports human resources and mobility activities, named Marie Curie Actions. CORDIS, the Community Research and Development Information Service, has now launched a new information service that assembles information on participation in these schemes.

The new CORDIS service provides an overview of the training, mobility and career development opportunities covered under FP6, as well as detailed information on
how to participate in the various Marie Curie schemes available. It provides detailed information on each of the types of funding available and background information on the type of scheme, and publishes the open calls for proposals. Each section also includes detailed information on how to apply for funding according to each type of action, and guidance on how to manage the project.

Data Source: Cordis
For further information visit:
http://www.cordis.lu/mariecurie-actions/
Information on Marie Curie actions within FP6 can also be found at: http://europa.eu.int/comm/research/fp6/mariecurie-actions/

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Post your Student placement and MSc/ PhD vacancies on WWW.PISCESTTJOBS.COM

piscesttjobs.comPISCES TT Jobs, an exciting and valuable free online service provided by AquaTT UETP Ltd. to employers and potential employees in aquaculture and related science sectors. Using a secure and innovative site format, employers and job searchers can post job vacancies and CVs, respectively, thus facilitating human resource development in the industry.

Upon registration, companies can post and instantaneously edit job vacancies, including permanent, temporary, MSc/PhD and student placement positions. Companies will only receive CVs of those applicants who are qualified for the position requirements. To ensure privacy and lessen the hassle of unsolicited calls and queries, company/organisation contact details will not be published online.

Prospective employees can use the online registration facility to obtain a username and password, post and edit their employee profile, upload a CV and apply online for positions.

If you are interested in posting a job vacancy or registering for the service, please contact aquatt@aquatt.ie

AquaTT, the European Network for Education and Training, is providing the site as an additional service to compliment their flagship project, PISCES TT, found on the web at www.piscestt.com and host to a comprehensive education database, occupational profiles, virtual tours, a discussion forum, and marine sciences activities for children.

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Student Corner

The Aquaculture Sector in Turkey - article by Ilhan Yandi, Karadeniz Technical University, Turkey

The aquaculture sector in Turkey has enjoyed rapid development during the last decade with full public support, cheap labor and lack of strict environmental regulations. Production has reached over 60,000 tons/year from around one thousand farms producing rainbow trout, seabass, seabream, tuna and common carp. Its share in total fishery production is around 10-12% in volume and around 25% in value terms. Currently, the country has a significant know-how and research capacity, although it is not well organised. R&D activities are mainly performed by Fisheries Faculties, Research Institutes and Production Development Centres of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs. There are 13 fisheries faculties and 5 departments at agriculture faculties providing undergraduate and graduate education in fisheries (including aquaculture) and aquatic sciences. Each year more than 300 students graduate from these faculties, but the numbers employed by the sector are very limited, mainly in marine aquaculture. Aquaculture producers have recently started organising themselves and formed three associations, one fisheries foundation and one fish promotion group.

Lack of natural resource management, the system, low species and product diversity, insufficient legal and institutional structures, quality and utilisation of manpower, organisation of research and development activities, dissemination of research results and partnerships between stakeholders, producer associations and public institutions seems to be the major constraints for development of environmental sustainability, food safety and industry competitiveness.

Turkey is a large country with a size of about 779,452 square kilometers and a relatively young population approaching 70 million, which is increasing at around 2 percent a year. The country has rich and diverse water sources ranging from fresh to brackish and marine: 8,333km of coastline, 151,080 square kilometers economic coastal zone, 177,714 km total river length, around 900,000 ha natural lakes, 500,000 ha of dam reservoirs. Despite these large resources, Turkish fisheries has stagnated at annual production of around 600,000 tons and depends mainly on small-scale and largely small pelagic. Freshwater fisheries production has also leveled off at around 40,000-50,000 tons.

Similar to global trends, demand for fish is increasing in Turkey. As the landings of fish from capture fisheries fail to meet the demand, the role of aquaculture is increasing and it has become an important and viable sector with an average annual increment of over 30% in the last 10 years. Currently the government of Turkey is committed to ensuring the responsible and sustainable development of the aquaculture industry. Recent efforts on relationships with international organisations, legal arrangements such as environmental impact assessment (EIA), direct income support for fish farms are clear expression of this commitment. The major objective is to support the sustainable development of the aquaculture sector, with a focus on increasing production and diversity, enhancing public confidence in the sector and improving the industry’s competitiveness.

If you would like to write an article for the student corner please contact Caoimhe at aquatt@aquatt.ie

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About AquaTT

AquaTT through its extensive network has realised that essential information on upcoming changes is not being effectively disseminated to all parties. Thus, AquaTT is producing this free news service "TRAINING NEWS" specifically for the Aquaculture industry. The newsletter is intended to keep you informed of developments in Education & Training and related areas. Support material will be available on the new European Education Forum website www.piscestt.com . All old Training News will be archived on the piscestt site.

The main target audience for this newsletter is teachers, trainers and students in the aquaculture area but will also be of interest to policy makers, companies and associations.

AquaTT welcomes any feedback regarding content, presentation and user-friendliness of the newsletter. Please forward this mail to any colleagues that may be interested. Please submit any relevant information for dissemination in the newsletter.

DISCLAIMER: AquaTT provides this newsletter as a free service to interested parties. Most of the information is provided by AquaTT. Where it is not, the source of the news is provided in the text of the news brief or else AquaTT attributes the news to the coordinating body as the "Data Source Provider". In no way does this newsletter, by promoting events not coordinated by AquaTT, intend to wrongly or inappropriately claim projects, news, etc. as its own nor is it responsible for incorrect information provided from other sources. "Training News" is a promotional tool and forum for both AquaTT and other organisations.

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