TRAIN-SEA-COAST BENGUELA COURSE DEVELOPMENT UNIT

About TSC/Benguela Current

The TSC/Benguela Current Course Development Unit (CDU) is based and managed in IOI-SA. UWC and IOI-SA have a strong history of community involvement and outreach.

The TSC/BENGUELA CURRENT CDU is associated with the Benguela Current Large Marine Ecosystem project (BCLME), and is supported by the TSC Central Support Unit at UN/DOALOS in New York. The CDU develops courses, within the limits of its experience and access to expertise, as requested by the management of the BCLME in response to needs identified by project members.

TSC/BENGUELA CURRENT courses will be highly transferable to other CDUs within the TRAIN-SEA-COAST and TRAIN-X networks. Making course packages available for other CDUs to use will give us access to the course packages developed by other CDUs. This also gives us access to courses of other TRAIN-X CDUs, such as CC:Train & TRAIN-FISH. In addition, the TRAIN SEA-COAST methodology will gradually be applied to other courses within IOI-SA, such as our seaweed mariculture course. This will generate extended regional benefit from hosting the CDU.

Approach to training

TRAIN-SEA-COAST provides a common methodology for training development. TSC methodology follows a systems approach to the development of training packages, and separates the course development team, the sources of expertise, and the delivery of the course.

A further important benefit is the sharing of course materials within and among TRAIN-SEA-COAST units, as well as with other TRAIN-X member programs. Another important aspect of the TRAIN-SEA-COAST approach is the availability of a central team to provide assistance with course development.

	The TSC Scheme

The Benguela Current

The Benguela Current is a relatively cool ocean current that is the result of the South Atlantic Gyre that crosses the Atlantic from Africa to South America south of the Equator as the Guinea Current. The current in this gyre flows down the coast of South America as the Brazil Current before crossing the southern Atlantic and reaching the coast of South Africa. It flows northwards along the coasts of South Africa, Namibia and Angola as the Benguela Current, and then turns westward on its return journey.

The prevailing winds along the coasts of South Africa, Namibia and Southern Angola are southeasterly, and Coriolis force that results from the spinning of the earth on its axis causes the water to be deflected offshore. The surface waters are replaced by deeper water that is cooler and rich in the nutrients needed for phytoplankton growth. As a result, the coastal waters of the Benguela Current are highly productive, supporting some of the richest fisheries in the world.

The Benguela current area is also important for its offshore gas and oil deposits, as well as diamonds.

Countries involved in the CDU

The Benguela Current washes the shores of three countries, South Africa, Namibia, and Angola. All three countries share the Benguela Current Large Marine Ecosystem, and are dependent on the Benguela Current for their major fisheries. Also common to the region are marine diamond mining, and offshore oil and gas.