Profile

Key Profile:

-      Significant experience in providing expert consultancy services in diversified fish products production, added-value processing, handling, marketing, and seafood safety from both aquaculture and fishery supplies (artisanal and industrial); plus in water quality systems and laboratory accreditation.

-      Usually recognized, by the people to whom have worked for, at the vanguard in seafood safety assurance systems and respective controls (namely HACCP implementation, HACCP verification / audit and Inspection Systems Organization for Competent Authorities);

-      Has acquired quite successful outcomes when conducting training aimed at institutional strengthening in developing countries or directly to fish industry personnel, merging a productive combination of theoretical and practical expertise applied with a "hands-on" approach;

Major strengths lie in the required technical and behavioral competencies for which the following is highlighted:

- has the ability and skills to apply appropriate technologies in real contexts or accordingly to the concrete needs;

- Seafood Safety and Quality expertise is approached by applying an integrated and in-depth knowledge of marine biology, fisheries and aquaculture sector activities

- has relevant international practical knowledge based on first-hand experience of production (fisheries and aquaculture) and post-harvest practices (handling, preservation, processing, marketing, quality and seafood safety assurance / HACCP) in different countries and cultural environments,  that enables the potential to offer sound, pragmatic advice and to produce measurable and potentially sustainable results.

- easily establishes warmth and smooth working relationships with counterparts, although always keeps the focus on the standard and level of exigency of the technical needs and the project objectives, which brings very fruitful results and high satisfaction of the final work. 

Countries and cultural environments in which has worked around the world:

Africa – 10  (Mozambique, Angola, Ghana, Sierra Leone, Guine-Bissau, S. Tomé & Principe, Cape Verde, Ivory Coast, Mauritius, Swaziland);

Europe – 5 (Portugal (also Azores and Madeira), Latvia, Montenegro, Serbia, Spain)

Central / South America - 4 (Belize, Chile, Venezuela, Brasil)

Middle East - 2 (Yemen, Oman)

Asia and others - 4 (Cambodia, Malaysia, Bangladesh and Papua New Guinea)

Seafood products - Experience in diversified fish and fishery products, to include:

Shrimp, prawns, tilapia, catfish, tuna, lobster, finfish, demersals, small pelagics, squid, cuttlefish, bivalve molluscs;

Aquaculture products and feed;

Fresh, Frozen, Salted, Dried, Smoked and Canned products, Surimi, Modified Atmosphere Packaging, Vacuum packaging, etc

Subsector Activities - Experience in diversified fishery sector activities, to include:

Fishing vessels, Freezer vessels, Reefer vessels, Artisanal Fishing, Aquaculture, Processing Industry, Post-harvest  activities, landing sites, unloading / loading centres, auction sites, ice-plants, distribution trucks.

Food and Water Quality Control Laboratories.

Water Quality Distribution Systems.

Inputs and Outputs – usual inputs and outputs account for:

Training, Technical Assistance, Institutional capacity building, Transference of know-how, Consultancy.

Review of Food (in particular Seafood) Safety Systems and Regulations, Review and implementation of Official Control Systems.

Design and delivery of tailor made training courses delivered to industry and inspection authorities (HACCP, Inspection. Development of HACCP plans, HACCP Systems implementation, HACCP verification and audits).

Development of HACCP manuals, Development of Inspection Manuals, Inspectors Manual and Inspection Checklists, Development of Seafood Safety Regulations, Development of HACCP and Hygiene Guides, Development of Codes of Good Manufacturing Practices.

Strengthening, improvement and upgrade of food quality and safety conditions, in particular of seafood.

Laboratory Accreditation Systems (ISO/ IEC 17025). Specification of laboratory systems and layouts. Validation of analytical methodologies. Water & Food testing parameters and methods (chemical, physical and microbiological)

Water Quality Systems / Water Safety Plans, Food Safety Management Systems (ISO 22000/ HACCP) and Product Certification. 

Beneficiaries

Competent Authorities (mainly of third countries outside of the European Union) for the implementation of Official Controls and Health Certification of Fishery and Aquaculture products. Competent Authorities for the application of SPS (Sanitary and Phyto-Sanitary) measures.

Ministries of Fisheries, Inspection Institutes, Standards Boards, Health Authorities; Quality Control Laboratories.

Private sector industries

Funding Agencies and Donors – for which has worked for:

UNIDO, DfID, SFP-ACP, European Commission, Intra-Cen (UN), Governments of third countries (ex. Angola, Papua New Guinea, Oman)

Project implementation:

Experience of about 20 years in assisting developing countries, mostly by strengthening their exporting industry, accounts for projects:

- having as main general objectives, to add value to the output of fisheries sector and to generate increased employment opportunities in sub-sector activities at artisanal level, contributing to increased food security and a sustainable reduction of poverty;

- aiming for the strengthening of up and downstream industrial linkages to improve employment and income, support economic transformation and sustainable livelihoods;

- contributing for the rehabilitation of fisheries sector seafood industries; as well to water quality supply systems;

- providing technical assistance, training, institutional strengthening and capacity-building;