IRELAND’S FIRST CERTIFIED fishmonger qualification was launched today.
The QQI Level 5 programme will “equip you with the essential knowledge and skills to work in seafood retailing” such as technical fish filleting skills, fish quality demonstrations, food hygiene and seafood labelling.
The course is aimed particularly at new entrants working with independent fishmongers or on a supermarket fresh fish counter. It’s also targeted towards existing staff who don’t have any certified training in this area.
State agency Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM) announced the new Certificate in Fishmonger Skills course in Howth today.
The first round of the course will be offered on dates starting in January 2020 and finishing in March. It’ll be mostly based at the BIM head office in Dún Laoghaire with “practical units” taking place in Howth with an added one-day seafood industry study trip.
The course is also being offered in Clonakilty in Cork between April and June next year.
It costs €350 per participant.
BIM’s Ian Mannix said today’s discerning customer expects their fishmonger to have a broad knowledge of seafood.
“They want them to be able to advise them when they are at the counter,” he said. “This new programme will provide solid, fully certified training to anyone working in seafood retailing; practical skills they can then apply in the industry.”
Mannix added the course may help to retain and attract talent in the industry going into the future.
According to BIM, the most popular fish species bought by consumers in Ireland last year was salmon. In all, the value of retail sales of seafood in 2018 was €297 million.
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