2023 Training Program
We are pleased to announce for the 2023 fall academic semester, a scholarship program for Gulf and Caribbean-based fisheries professionals to undertake distance learning courses provided by the University of Florida’s Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences Program. Competitive applicants will be offered learning options that include classes in quantitative fisheries science, management and aquaculture. These are challenging graduate-level courses that will reward participants with new knowledge and perspectives in fisheries science and management. Successful completion of this coursework will require commitment on the part of selected applicants and of their government ministry or organization.
This opportunity is not open to students
To facilitate knowledge sharing and follow up among program participants and sponsors, scholarship awardees will participate in periodic video-conference meetings with sponsors. Courses will involve online learning sessions with instructors but will require a facility for independent learning by selected applicants.
Distance Learning Courses Offered
Applicants will select one course offered from the following options
- FAS 6705 – Fisheries and Aquaculture Economics
- FAS 6355C – Fisheries Management
- FAS 6932 – Marine Protected Areas
- FAS 5015 – Aquaculture 1
- FAS 5203/6932 – Biology of Fishes
- FAS 6337 – *Fish Population Dynamics
*Prerequisite: Basic R – Programming and statistics
See course descriptions and requirements appended to this document.
Important Dates
Application Opens: May 12, 2023
Application Deadline: June 23, 2023
Scholarship Notification: July 14, 2023
Classes Begin: August 23; End: December 15, 2023
Award Requirements
Applicants must be employed by a resource management ministry or government agency located in the Gulf of Mexico or Caribbean region or affiliated with a member state of the Caribbean Regional Fisheries Mechanism (Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Montserrat, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and The Grenadines, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago and The Turks and Caicos Islands). At a minimum, applicants must possess a bachelor’s degree (B.A. or B.S.) or a professional degree (e.g., Juris Doctorate) from an accredited college or university. Candidates must be fluent in English.
This opportunity is not open to persons residing in the continental United States.
Program Sponsors
- Florida Sea Grant
- The Gulf and Caribbean Fisheries Institute
- The UF Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences Program
- The Caribbean Regional Fisheries Mechanism
Application Parts
Please format your application in English according to the following six (A-F) sections.
A. Contact information
Please provide your
- Full name
- Full mailing address
- Telephone number
- Email address
B. Job status
Please describe your current job and professional interests (250-500 words).
C. Training interests
Please identify one course of interest from the choices offered above. Describe how you will apply new knowledge or skills learned to an ongoing project or propose a project that you would like to develop and explain how the implementation of that project would benefit from your participation in this training opportunity (500-1,000 words).
D. Letter of Endorsement
Please include a letter of endorsement from an individual or supervisor who is familiar with your professional status and accomplishments.
E. Educational Achievements
Please include a scanned image of your Bachelors, Masters, Ph.D., or other professional degree (e.g., Law) from an accredited university or college.
F. Professional Accomplishments
Please provide a current resume. Your resume should highlight additional relevant education, experiences, publications and/or reports, honors and/or awards.
Submitting Your Application
- All six sections (A-F above) of the application must be labeled, scanned, combined in order, and emailed in Adobe Acrobat format (PDF file) to Florida Sea Grant c/o Dr. Nancy Montes ([email protected]).
- Applications must be complete. Partial applications will not be accepted.
- Florida Sea Grant will confirm receipt of applications via email at the time they are received.
- Please direct questions regarding this opportunity to Florida Sea Grant c/o Dr. Nancy Montes ([email protected]) or to the Caribbean Regional Fisheries Mechanism c/o Dr. Sandra Grant ([email protected])
Please follow these instructions carefully when preparing your application
Evaluation Criteria & Selection Process
A panel consisting of program sponsors will evaluate applications according to the following criteria.
- Quality of your response to training interests (application section C) – 50%
- Strength of the letter of endorsement (application section D) – 25%
- Educational and professional accomplishments (application sections E, F) – 25%
Please follow these instructions carefully when preparing your application