Director's voice

FMI opened its doors in September 2000 and took in new entrants for the Basic Safety Courses. Since then, several classes have been held, from Basic Safety to Restricted Class 6 Master/Engineer to Class 6 Master/Engineer and on to the Watchkeeping Rating courses. FMI has also been involved in conducting several workshops for the past several months both at its premises and in the other States. Since its opening, therefore, FMI has conducted a total of eight (8) sessions of the safety courses, two (2) of the restricted class 6 master/engineer course, four (4) of the Watchkeeping Rating course, two (2) of the class 6 master/engineer course, two (2) Outboard Motor course and three (3) Local Fishermen's Workshop.

The total number of students passing through the courses are in excess of 270. In actual fact, there are about over 100 of them but some did not return after their first course or midway through their courses, while others have been constantly returning for more courses. Some of them are existing seafarers who are required by the STCW 95 Convention to upgrade their qualifications, while most of them are regular students who are either on board ships doing shipboard training or have gone on land to wait out the time until the next school year.

For the past three years, FSM FMI has been following the sandwich type of training which after each time of theory in classroom, a significant period of time is spent on board ships to master the practical side of the theory. The curriculum were offered in the modular format, thus making it possible to offer extra number of courses over normal number of courses offered in colleges.

Greetings! If you have been to Yap in the 1970's and as late as 1985, the buildings that used to house the United States Coast Guard Loran Station at the northern end of the island is now the site of the FSM Fisheries and Maritime Institute (FMI). Founded in August of 1999 to fulfill the needs for the FSM in the development of human resources in the fisheries and maritime sectors, FMI will be offer training for both existing seafarers and new entrants with curricula that were developed in accordance with the standards of the International Convention on the Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW), 1978, as amended in 1995. This international treaty prescribes the minimum qualification for seafarers internationally, and the Federated States of Micronesia became a Party on October 14, 1998 to that treaty when it deposited with the Depository (IMO) the Instrument of Accession on July 14, 1998.

The Institute admits all eligible FSM citizens and foreign students of all genders. Please refer to the COM-FSM General Catalog for information relating to admission, programs offered, costs, personnel and others. For additional information, write to the Director, FSM Fisheries and Maritime Institute, College of Micronesia-FSM, P.O. Box 1056, Colonia, Yap, FM 96943, or the Office of the Registrar at the same address. The phone numbers are (691) 350-5244/5395; and the fax number is (691) 350-5245. The Director's e-mail address is mewarmai@comfsm.fm and the Registrar's e-mail address is sarongelfeg@comfsm.fm.