Since it started, STARFISH (Strategic Trainer Alliance for Responsible FISHing) has drawn attention from Spanish media, especially in Galicia, home to one of Europe’s leading fishing ports. Below is a selection of that coverage. Each entry has a short summary and a link to the original piece on the outlet’s own website.
Europa Azul: “La formación pesquera europea se abre a la innovación digital con el proyecto STARFISH”
(European fishing training opens up to digital innovation with the STARFISH project)
Europa Azul, a publication specialising in fisheries and the blue economy, looks at the turning point fishing-sector training has reached. It points to a lack of generational renewal, mandatory international certification under the IMO’s STCW and STCW-F conventions, and the need to fit courses around crews’ time ashore. Drawing on comments from Rosa Meijide, Head of Training at ARVI, the article explains how STARFISH is updating Basic Safety Training through a dossier of good practices in safety and sustainability, a serious game and short learning “microcapsules.” It argues that digital tools complement in-person practice rather than replace it. It also reports that the partners met Carmen Crespo, Chair of the European Parliament’s Fisheries Committee, and committed to presenting the project’s results to the Parliament.
Source: Europa Azul, 7 May 2026.
Read the full article on Europa Azul →
Vigo Hoy: “FEMXA y ARVI se unen al proyecto europeo STARFISH para modernizar la formación en seguridad en el sector pesquero”
(FEMXA and ARVI join the European STARFISH project to modernise safety training in the fishing sector)
Vigo Hoy reports on the project launch in Utrecht (Netherlands) and introduces the consortium: ProSea Marine Education (NL), Europêche (BE), the Centre Européen de Formation Continue Maritime (FR), and FEMXA and ARVI (ES). The article explains each Spanish partner’s role. ARVI coordinates pilot courses in the three participating countries, including one in Vigo, and develops short training modules. FEMXA builds the innovative content, educational games and an e-learning platform aligned with STCW-F. The piece highlights that the training will run on mobile devices and can be downloaded for offline use, so fishers can study while at sea. Patricia García, Institutional President of FEMXA, describes making essential training accessible and engaging for the digital age as “part of Femxa’s DNA.” Edelmiro Ulloa, Manager of ARVI, says the project’s core goal is improving safety in the fishing sector.
Source: Vigo Hoy (Redacción), 6 February 2025.
Read the full article on Vigo Hoy →
Faro de Vigo: “Seguridad marítima: ARVI y FEMXA modernizan la formación para la UE”
(Maritime safety: ARVI and FEMXA modernise training for the EU)
Faro de Vigo, Galicia’s leading daily newspaper, reports on how ARVI and FEMXA are working with Europêche (BE), ProSea Marine Education (NL) and the Centre Européen de Formation Continue Maritime (FR) under Erasmus+. Together they are modernising the mandatory basic safety course for fishing and merchant navy crews. The official STCW content stays the same, but the way it is taught changes, with digital materials, microlearning, gamification and online learning. The aim is to make the course more engaging and to attract young people to a sector struggling with generational renewal. Mamen López, Director of European Funds & Development at FEMXA, points out that the resulting materials will be free for any nautical training centre in the EU to use.
Source: Faro de Vigo, Mar section, 6 February 2025.
Read the full article on Faro de Vigo →
Capital Radio, Gestión del Talento: “Starfish, proyecto para modernizar la capacitación marítima”
(Starfish, a project to modernise maritime training)
STARFISH was featured on Gestión del Talento (“Talent Management”), Capital Radio’s programme on training and digital skills, hosted by José Joaquín Flechoso. The programme interviewed Rosa Meijide, Head of Training at ARVI, and Mamen López Cruz, Director of European Funds & Development at FEMXA. They talked about the lack of generational renewal in European fishing and why maritime training needs updating. They also explained how STARFISH’s digital, mobile-friendly approach can help attract and protect the next generation of fishers.
Source: Capital Radio, Gestión del Talento, April 2026.
Listen to the interview on Capital Radio →
Summaries prepared by the STARFISH consortium. All original articles and broadcasts belong to their publishers, and the full content can only be found at the links above.
Co-funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or Nationaal Agentschap Erasmus+ Onderwijs & Training. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them. Project no. 2024-1-NL01-KA220-VET-000250791.