Starting a business is not always easy, and it certainly isn’t in the world of fishing. In France, to help young people enter the industry, the Finistère Regional Fisheries and Marine Aquaculture Committee has created the EU-funded Pathways to Fisheries project. This one-stop shop is designed to help young people find their way through the maze of information and procedures
The Pathways to Fisheries project guides and informs newcomers to the profession about all the requirements for a career in fisheries, including specific regulations, social aspects, maritime safety and education.
The initiative first saw the light in 2016-2017, when the committee used its own funds to support individual fishers. Because of its immediate success, the fisheries committee needed more resources to support the project. With funding assistance from the EU, the Pathways project has grown. It now offers individual structured interviews addressing all the subject any young fisher needs to be aware of when starting up a business.
The project helps those who want to set up a fisheries business to navigate the administrative maze of the fishing sector better, according to Solenne Le Guennec Finistère Committee.
A detailed questionnaire looks into the fishers’ personal background and professional experience, as well as the type of business they would like to launch, the licences and vessels they need, and where they plan to fish. The process also helps them connect with local banks, accountants, training institutions and producer organisations.
The programme gives new new entrants a clear overview of where their startup process is and what they need to do next. It also gives them the support and training they need to succeed in the fisheries trade.
This project has already been successful in helping around a hundred people. 85% of these have successfully settled into fishing careers – a welcome achievement in tackling the issue of generational renewal within the fishing sector.
Other regional fishing committees have noticed the success of the Pathways to Fisheries project in Finistère and are interested in bringing it to their local areas. Part of the EU funding was used to develop a guide that can be shared with them to help them set up similar projects and encourage generational renewal, currently in preparation.
Image: © Solenne Le Guennec
