We often get asked what qualifications are needed to work at sea on onboard a Waterdance vessel. Below is a quick guide.

To be a deck-hand on a fishing boat you need to complete four one-day sea safety courses:

• Basic sea safety
• Fire-fighting
• Sea survival
• First aid

Sea Survival must be completed before going to sea for the first time; the other three courses must be completed within three months of starting work.

These can be done at Western Maritime Training in Plymouth as well as other training providers.

For general info, Seafish training is the best place to start: www.seafish.org/safety-and-training/

Seafish may be able to help new entrants to the industry access funding for these courses. You can contact Simon Potten and the Fishermen’s Training team at [email protected] for more information.

If you are looking for a professional qualification and a structured course, an 18-month fishing apprenticeship is about to be launched by South Devon College. The first intake will be in 2022. Please contact [email protected] for more information.