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The Fisheries Managers of the Future
Su Painting
Marine and Coastal Management
Eight South African students have been fortunate to receive scholarships to study fisheries science and the specific issues related to the sustainable management of fisheries resources, through the University of Bergen and Marine and Coastal Management (M&CM). Kwanele Booi, Mark Goodman, Jimmy Khanyile and Genevieve Maharaj started their course in April 1998, and will graduate with M. Phil degrees in Norway in December 2000. Granville Louw, Mandisile Mqoqi, Saasa Pheeha and Nondumiso Gloria Sikiti started their training this year, and will be off to Norway in August.
The scholarships have been made possible by the bilateral agreement between Norway and South Africa – all in all, students spend almost two years in Norway, at the University of Bergen, and one year in South Africa, at M&CM. The third major role player in the scholarships is NORAD (the Norwegian Agency for Development Co-Operation), who provide generous funding for the training programme.
The students come from a diversity of backgrounds, but all have honours’ degrees from South African universities. Kwanele, Jimmy and Saasa completed their degrees at the University of Fort Hare, Genevieve, Mark, Granville and Gloria completed their degrees at the University of the Western Cape, and Mandisile graduated from the University of the Transkei. |
 Left to right. (Back row) M. Goodman, G.Louw, S.Pheeha, K.Booi
(Front row) N.G. Sikiti, J.Khanyile, G. Maharaj and M. Mqoqi |
Before they head off to Norway, the students participate in an intense 6-month in-house training programme at M&CM, which introduces them to fisheries science and attempts to prepare them for their first year in Norway. A year which is filled with lots of course-work, field trips and interaction with students from other developing countries.
After exams and a well-deserved holiday, the students spend another 6 months at M&CM, doing their Masters’ projects under the supervision of local scientists: collecting samples and/or data, analysing samples, analysing data. Armed with results and literature, the students then complete their final 10-month stint in Norway, where they write up their theses under the guidance of their Norwegian supervisors.
Scholarships for the M.Phil course in Fisheries Management will hopefully be awarded again in 2002. Any students who intend to finish an honours degree by the end of 2001, and have an interest in any aspect of fisheries science, are encouraged to apply to Su Painting (painting@sfri2.wcape.gov.za) or the Chief Director of M&CM by the middle of 2001.
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