Training women in fishing professions

Women, young girls, and Seychellois entrepreneurs are learning to transform fish skin into leather during a three-day training program at the Seychelles Maritime Academy (SMA) in Providence.

This is the second phase of training aimed at raising awareness among women about economic opportunities in the blue economy sector. The initiative is launched by Entreprendre Au Féminin Océan Indien Seychelles (EFOIS) and the COMESA Federation of Business Women (COMFWB) Seychelles.

In his opening speech, Phillippe Michaud, a consultant at the Ministry of Fisheries and the Blue Economy, stated, « Fish leather is one of the products we can use to add value ». He emphasized that this would enable participants to create new businesses, earn money, and support the community and the country.

The Seychelles Fishing Authority (SFA) is also participating in the training session. According to Michaud, people should not necessarily fish more but should maximize the use of what is caught, including bycatch. About twenty representatives from various local organizations involved in the fishing sector are participating in the training sessions. Topics include how to properly slice the fish to remove the skin for later use in creating fish leather.