GRÓ FTP Scholarship Recipient Carina Fernandes Earns PhD in Food Science
GRÓ Fisheries Training Programme (GRÓ FTP) is delighted to celebrate the achievement of Carina Eveline M. Pina Fernandes, a former fellow (2016) and GRÓ FTP scholarship recipient from the Cabo Verde Islands, who successfully defended her PhD in Food Science at the University of Iceland on December 10, 2025. Her thesis was entitled Product development from well-fed Atlantic mackerel (Scomber scrombus): effects of smoking and canning.
Carina’s research focused on developing high-quality products from Atlantic mackerel caught in Icelandic waters. Traditionally, mackerel has been used mainly for fishmeal and oil production, but Carina’s work explored its potential for ready-to-eat products such as hot-smoked and canned fillets. Her findings show that frozen mackerel fillets can be processed into smoked products with excellent quality, making year-round production possible. She also demonstrated that canning smoked fillets ensures food safety and extends shelf life up to 12 months, opening new opportunities for the seafood industry in Cape Verde to create value-added products for both domestic and international markets.
Carina carried out her PhD studies in collaboration with Matís and GRÓ FTP, under the supervision of Dr. María Guðjónsdóttir and Professor Emeritus Sigurjón Arason. She currently contributes to fisheries and food science development in her home country, as a lecturer in the Faculty of Sciences and Technology at the University of Cabo Verde, where she teaches and mentors students and shares the knowledge gained during her studies.
GRÓ FTP congratulates Carina on her hard work and dedication in reaching this milestone. Her journey shows how targeted training and scholarships can empower fellows to build expertise and lead change in partner countries. We wish Carina continued success and look forward to her future contributions to sustainable seafood development.
