Internet of fins: 200 log on to online fish welfare course
An online fish welfare course run by the NAFC Marine Centre UHI in Scalloway, Shetland has attracted more than 200 students, including some from Norway, Denmark, Switzerland, Spain, Portugal and Canada, since it was launched a little over two years ago.
“Online delivery is allowing NAFC to overcome geographical and other barriers to training,” NAFC’s head of aquaculture training, Stuart Fitzsimmons said in a press release.
“Many of those who sign up for online learning work irregular hours in remote areas and would find it difficult to attend normal college classes. Instead they can study this and other online courses on their smartphone or other internet enabled device at times and places that suit them.
Catchment area
“Online delivery is also allowing us to offer the training to students outside our traditional catchment area and we have seen a growing number of enrollments from throughout Europe and across the Atlantic.”
The course was developed by NAFC at the request of the aquaculture industry to help fish farmers maintain high standards of fish welfare and meet the training and compliance requirements of various certification schemes and codes of practice.
It is relevant to all forms of finfish aquaculture and covers a range of topics including legislation and codes of practice, water quality, husbandry, fish handling and harvesting, and diseases and treatments (including sea lice).
Relevant to operations
Course lecturer Saro Saravanan said: “The course was developed in collaboration with the aquaculture industry and we have continued to work with them since it was launched to make sure that it remains relevant to their operations and the changing regulatory and certification requirements that they face.
“We have also adapted the course to meet the needs of staff working in different sectors of the industry, including hatcheries, marine and freshwater on-growing sites, and live fish transport. Most recently we have started supporting candidates from the aquaponics sector, where fish and plants are grown together in the same system.”
The course is also available as a traditional taught class which NAFC’s aquaculture training staff have delivered to hundreds more students throughout Scotland.
Other NAFC courses available online include Introductory Fish Farm Containment, and the Technical Apprenticeship in Aquaculture Management.
The Centre plans to launch an online version of its RAS Water Quality Awareness course later this year, along with a new continuing professional development course in Aquaculture Management and a new Fish Vaccination course.
