Today is 21 September 2023; back in 1983, it was my first trip on a commercial fishing boat. I had to be 18 years old to get my “2nd mate ticket”, and even if I had done the equivalence from my Navy one a couple of weeks before while still 17, the day after my b’day (16/9), I was at the Argentinean coastguard (Prefectura) with all the papers.

I had a job lined up as a deckhand in a small coastal trawler of Mar del Plata because while I knew how to take a boat and operate it from A to B, I didn’t know anything about fishing. Thankfully, a skipper (a good man named Braulio who lost his son in the war just the year before) took me under his wing and allowed me to learn from him and many others after him.

This article was published in: INFOFISH International 1/2024

Read more: https://v4.infofish.org/index.php/a-personal-rant-on-the-day-of-my-40th-year-anniversary-in-fishing

Seaweed exports from Sri Lanka supply the fertilizer and food industries mainly in Europe, followed by Asia, with India being the single largest importing nation in the region. Initiatives are being taken to expand the industry but there are some crucial hurdles to address, including adverse climatic conditions, lack of robust parental strains, inadequately regulated purchasing systems, predators, and technical barriers. The potential of seaweed in contributing to livelihood development and empowerment of women in Sri Lanka could be greatly enhanced through technological approaches, ongoing assistance from the government, awareness and promotion sessions, investments, and the creation of a “one-stop-shop approval” system.

This article was published in INFOFISH International Issue No 1/2024

Read more: https://infofish.org/v4/index.php/seaweed-production-trade-and-marketing-status-in-sri-lanka

Q: Dr Essam, you have multi-country experience in Sub-Saharan Africa, (South, Southeast and East) Asia, Latin America, and Europe. In which region of the world have you observed the most significant progress in aquaculture over the past decade, and what have been the factors that have been the main drivers in this process?

A: In reflecting upon my experiences in various global regions, it’s evident that Asia stands out for its significant progress in aquaculture over the past few decades. The key drivers of this growth have been well-aligned policies and the adoption of adaptable technologies, especially by smallscale operators.

Read more: https://v4.infofish.org/index.php/dr-essam-yassin-mohammed

More info: INFOFISH International