International Master in
FISHERIES ECONOMICS AND MANAGEMENT (2nd edition)
Barcelona (Spain), 2 October 2006 – 4 April 2007
April 2007 – March 2008
Introduction
and objectives
Organizing
institutions
Structure
Diplomas
Admission
Registration
Scholarships
Programme
of the Postgraduate Specialisation Course
Programme
Director, Section Coordinators and Scientific Committee
Fishery resources are an excellent source of food and of jobs in the coastal areas. According to the FAO, supply of fish for food from capture fisheries (marine and inland) and aquaculture at present provides more than 15% of the total supply of animal protein. Furthermore, international trade of seafood products has once again reached a maximum level with an annual growth rate of 4% in the past decade. These statistics meanwhile, serve to highlight concern for the rise in fishing pressure, increasing the number of overexploited, depleted and recovering fishery resources.
Great changes have been taking place in the fishing sector in recent times, including: (i) growing demand and high fish prices that are stimulating the increase in fishing effort; (ii) global technological advances that are affecting the structure of the fleets and their fishing capacity; (iii) protection of the environment, which, as in other sectors, is becoming a priority; and (iv) growing importance of the international scope of fisheries.
The exploitation and management of fisheries has been, until very recent times, in the hands of the fishing communities, supervised by the national administrations. But today, a new type of management is necessary, flexible enough to respond to the evolution of the fishery resources, enabling stable and sustainable long-term exploitation. Therefore the administration and the fishing sector must be capable of interpreting the reality of a situation, its probable evolution, and the repercussions that adopting (or not adopting) given measures will have in the medium term, in the biological, social and economic frameworks.
In order to obtain and interpret management-supporting data, experts with multidisciplinary background are needed, covering diverse perspectives such as biology, economics, sociology or law, allowing them to valuate and assess fishery resources and to propose management measures through different techniques such as mathematical simulations, statistics, surveys, assessments or negotiation. Therefore, it is of maximum interest to train these experts so they may advise stakeholders in the diverse world of fisheries: different administrations (local, regional or state), fishermen (artisanal or semi-industrial), social groups (shipowners, trade unions, consumers, processors, fish farmers, etc.).
Furthermore, given the international scope of the marine environment, the need arises to establish a common method and language to be used between experts of the different countries sharing fisheries. To train specialists, that can, from their respective countries, contribute to facilitating the search for cooperative measures that may benefit all stakeholders, is, undoubtedly the great challenge to which this Master programme rises.
The objective of the Master is to provide high level specialisation in issues related to the economics and management of the fishing activity through:
- An analysis of the fishing system, exploitation mechanisms, marketing, evaluation and management, with special emphasis on the economic perspective and interpretation of fishing issues in the Mediterranean, an area which, due to its diversity of species and fleets and fragmented vessel ownership, requires management based on control of the fishing effort.
- A multi-disciplinary vision of fisheries management from the perspective of different sciences such as biology, economics, law and sociology.
- Acquisition of experience in the use of new techniques and methods for the development of a more efficient fisheries management, adapted to the conditioning social and environmental factors.
- An initiation into research, making a critical application of the knowledge, skills and competence acquired in the treatment of real problems related with the economics and management of fishing activity.
The Master is jointly organised by the University of Barcelona (UB), the Spanish Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (MAPA), through the General Secretariat of Maritime Fisheries (SGPM), and the International Centre for Advanced Mediterranean Agronomic Studies (CIHEAM), through the Mediterranean Agronomic Institute of Zaragoza (IAMZ).
Furthermore, the Master counts on the collaboration of the Department of Fisheries of the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO).
The Master is developed over two academic years on a full-time basis [120 credits, following the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS)], and is structured in two parts. The first part is the Postgraduate Specialisation Course and the second is devoted to the preparation of the Master of Science Thesis. Participants who so wish may complete only the first part.
First Part – The Postgraduate Specialisation Course
The course (60 credits), constitutes the lecturing part of the programme and will consist of lectures, practicals and technical visits. These activities will be complemented with open seminars, debates, group work, etc.
The course will be held in Barcelona, in the Faculty of Economics and Business Studies of the UB, from 2 October 2006 to 4 April 2007.
The programme will be delivered by highly specialised lecturers from the organising institutions and prestigious guest lecturers belonging to universities, research centres, administrations and private bodies from various countries.
The course is structured in complementary but independent sections, in order to allow professionals from the sector, who may be unable to attend the whole course, to enrol in the sections of their interest and thus complete a retraining period. The sections and their corresponding assignation of credits are specified in the Programme section. In order to participate in section 8 it will be necessary to register in at least one other section.
Second Part – Master of Science Thesis
This second part constitutes an initiation to research or to professional practice and lasts approximately 10 months (60 credits).
Participants that have obtained a grade of 70 out of 100 or more in the Postgraduate Specialisation Course may opt to go on to this part, following approval of a work protocol presented by the candidate under the supervision of the Thesis Director.
The topic of the thesis will be chosen by the candidate in accordance to his or her training interests, upon approval of the Thesis Director, who should be a Doctor or Researcher of renowned experience.
This second part will begin in April 2007 and end in March 2008 with the public presentation and defence of the theses before an examining board.
Those participants in the Postgraduate Specialisation Course that have passed the stipulated tests will receive the Postgraduate Specialisation Diploma in Fisheries Economics and Management.
Once the Master Thesis has been completed, defended and approved, participants will obtain the Master of Science Degree in Fisheries Economics and Management.
Both diplomas will be jointly awarded by the UB and the CIHEAM.
Participants that only attend certain sections will receive a Certificate of Attendance for those sections.
The Postgraduate Specialisation Course is designed for a maximum of 25 participants that should fulfill the following conditions:
a) University degree related with the topic of the Master; preference will be given to graduates in Economics, Business Studies, Biology, Marine Science, Law, Agronomy or Fisheries. Candidates with professional experience in the specialist topics will also be given preference.
b) Knowledge of Spanish, which will be the working language of the course. For admitted candidates that so require it, an intensive Spanish course will be organised from July to September 2006.
c) Understanding of English, given that some lectures and part of the teaching material will be in English.
Applications should be addressed to the Director of the Programme:
Ramón
FRANQUESA
Gabinete de Economía del Mar
Facultad de Ciencias Económicas, Universidad de Barcelona
Espai Recerca 310, Av. Diagonal, 690, 08034 Barcelona, Spain
Fax: +34 93 402 72 42, E-mail: ramon@gemub.com
They should enclose:
- Registration form
- Curriculum vitae, stating university degree, experience and professional activities
- Copies of certificates of courses undertaken, with grades achieved
- Certificates of language knowledge
- Reasons for applying to the course
The deadline for the application for scholarships by candidates from CIHEAM member countries is 15 May 2006. For other applications the deadline is 15 June 2006. Provisional acceptance will be notified in due time and will become definitive once registration fees have been paid.
Applications from those candidates who cannot present their complete records when applying, or those requiring authorisation to attend the course, may be accepted provisionally.
Registration fees amount to 4,000 euros. This amount covers tuition fees, course documents, practicals and visits. In no case will travel, board and lodging expenses be included. For candidates wishing to attend part of the course, the fees will be calculated on a pro rata basis and will be established individually.
Participants should take out their own accident and health care insurance valid for Spain. Proof of insurance cover must be provided at the beginning of the course.
Candidates from CIHEAM member countries (Albania, Algeria, Egypt, France, Greece, Italy, Lebanon, Malta, Morocco, Portugal, Spain, Tunisia and Turkey) may apply for scholarships covering all or part of the registration fees, and for scholarships covering the cost of travel and accommodation.
Candidates from other countries who require financial support should apply directly to other national or international institutions.
Programme of the Postgraduate Specialisation Course
1. Marine living resources (8 credits)
1.1. Introduction (0.5 credits)
1.2. The marine ecosystem (1.5 credits)
1.3. Fishery resources (2.5 credits)
1.4. Fisheries ecology (1.5 credits)
1.5. Population dynamics (2 credits)
2. Economic utilisation of the marine environment (9 credits)
2.1. Basic economics (2 credits)
2.2. Production factors in fishing (2 credits)
2.3. The fishing vessel and fishing technology (1.5 credits)
2.4. Aquaculture (2.5 credits)
2.5. Recreational activities (0.5 credits)
2.6. Marine protected areas of fisheries interest (0.5 credits)
3. Fishing trade and processing industry (5 credits)
3.1. The world fishing trade and institutions involved (2 credits)
3.2. Fish marketing (1.5 credits)
3.3. Fish processing (1.5 credits)
4. Theory of fisheries management (7 credits)
4.1. Theory of fisheries management (1 credit)
4.2. Bioeconomic modelling (1.5 credits)
4.3. Applied bioeconomic models (2.5 credits)
4.4. Use of indicators in fisheries management (2 credits)
5. The legal, social and cultural context (7.5 credits)
5.1. The historical overview of the fishing activity (0.5 credits)
5.2. The socio-cultural perspective (1 credit)
5.3. The socio-political context (0.5 credits)
5.4. Types of activity from the social science perspective (0.5 credits)
5.5. Social analytical issues in fisheries (0.5 credits)
5.6. Management of employment and social services (1 credit)
5.7. The economic context of fishing (1.5 credits)
5.8. Legal framework in fisheries (2 credits)
6. Fisheries research and statistics (6.5 credits)
6.1. Fisheries research (1.5 credits)
6.2. The multidisciplinary approach, a Mediterranean application (1 credit)
6.3. Statistical analysis in fisheries research (2 credits)
6.4. Statistical data and information management (1 credit)
6.5. FAO statistical services (1 credit)
7. Practical fisheries management (10 credits)
7.1. Fisheries policies and management instruments (2 credits)
7.2. Regional Fishery Organisations (RFOs) (1 credit)
7.3. The sustainable development of fisheries (1 credit)
7.4. The common fisheries policy (CFP) of the European Union (1.5 credits)
7.5. National fisheries management: the case of Spain (1 credit)
7.6. National fisheries management: the case of Morocco (1 credit)
7.7. Fisheries monitoring and surveillance (1.5 credits)
7.8. International cooperation (1 credit)
8. Technical trip and seminars (7 credits)
Programme Director, Section coordinators and Scientific Committee
Programme director
R. FRANQUESA, Universitat de Barcelona (Spain)
Section coordinators
J.L. ALEGRET, Universitat de Girona (Spain)
R. FRANQUESA, Universitat de Barcelona (Spain)
F. MAYNOU, CSIC-ICM, Barcelona (Spain)
P. OLIVER, IEO, Palma de Mallorca (Spain)
R. SÁNCHEZ TABARES, Universitat de Barcelona (Spain)
R. ROBLES, Consultant, Madrid (Spain)
Scientific Committee
J.L. ALEGRET, Universitat de Girona (Spain)
A. BERRAHO, INRH, Casablanca (Morocco)
E. DE CARDENAS, SGPM-MAPA, Madrid (Spain)
A. DI NATALE, AQUASTUDIO, Messina (Italy)
R. FRANQUESA, Universitat de Barcelona (Spain)
J. LLEONART, FAO, Roma (Italy)
J. LØKKEGAARD, Danish Res. Inst. Food Econ., Copenhagen (Denmark)
R. M'RHABET, INSTM, Tunis (Tunisia)
P. OLIVER, IEO, Palma de Mallorca (Spain)
R. ROBLES, Consultant, Madrid (Spain)