As part of a new program by the Marine Aquarium Council (Honolulu), experienced collectors of marine fish and other organisms are learning how to train other collectors the skills they need to meet MAC certification standards.

Launched this spring, the MAC Training of Trainers Workshop taught 34 collectors from Batangas, Bohol, Cebu and Leyte in the Philippines new skills in post-harvest handling, packing and more. The top 10 graduates from the workshop, named team leaders, received additional training in team building and management, as well as funding to complete a scuba diving certification course.

At press time, 10 MAC training teams were ready to begin training other collectors the skills associated with safely collecting and holding marine ornamentals while protecting local ecosystems and fisheries. The program provided the teams with nets suitable for collecting marine species to promote the use of sustainable collecting techniques.

The trainers are using a new manual, field-tested in the Philippines, that covers dive safety, collecting gear and methods, post-harvest holding and packing techniques, and documentation.

MAC has conducted collector training in the Philippines and Fiji, and plans to hold additional sessions in Kiribati, the Solomon Islands and Tonga. [September 2004 PET AGE]