1. The Committee for Inland Fisheries of Africa (CIFA) held its Second Session from 3 to 7 October 1975 in Accra. The Session was attended by representatives of twenty member countries, a representative of the United Nations and United Nations Development Programme, by observers from the United Kingdom, Belgium, Brazil and France, and from six international organizations. A list of participants is given in Appendix A of this report.
2. The Session was opened by Mr. Y. Habtu, FAO Acting Regional Representative for Africa who called upon Lt. Col. Alhaji Idissa, Commissioner for Trade and Tourism who, speaking for Lt. Col. P.K. Nkegbe, Commissioner for Agriculture for Ghana, welcomed the participants on behalf of the Ghanaian Government (Appendix B).
3. The FAO Acting Representative for Africa, Mr. Y. Habtu, then addressed the participants on behalf of the Director-General of FAO. He stated that the inland fishery catches of Africa could be practically doubled if appropriate measures were taken to improve management methods. He reviewed the main constraints to further fishery development and the progress achieved by the Committee since its inception late in 1972. He informed the participants of the reorganization of the FAO Regional Office which now reflects better the importance of fisheries and food production in Africa (Appendix C).
4. The activities of the Committee were reviewed in an address by Mr. C. Clay, speaking on behalf of the Director-General of FAO and Mr. F.E. Popper, Assistant Director-General (Fisheries). Specific references were made to CIFA's efforts in the field of aquaculture, to the action programme for the protection and development of the fisheries in the Sahelian zone and the proposed multidisciplinary small-scale fisheries development programme. The need to further develop cooperation between international fishery organizations interested with inland fisheries in Africa and CIFA was stressed and their interest in CIFA evidenced by the numerous organizations represented at this Second Session (Appendix D).
5. The Committee adopted the agenda reproduced in Appendix E with some small changes in its presentation.
6. In the absence of both the Chairman and the Vice-Chairman elected at the First Session of the Committee in N'Djamena, Chad, 29 November - 5 December 1972, the representative of the Director-General, in accordance with the rules of procedure of the Committee, called for the nomination of an ad hoc Chairman and a Vice-Chairman to preside over the Second Session of the Committee. The delegates from Ghana, Mr. J.N.N. Adjetey and from Senegal, Mr. E.H. Sène were proposed by the delegate from Nigeria and seconded by the delegate from Ivory Coast. They were duly elected Chairman and Vice-Chairman, respectively.
7. The Committee took note of document CIFA/75/8, Development of Fisheries in the Sahelian Zone and document CIFA/75/Inf.4, Summary report of the consultation on fisheries problems in the Sahelian Zone. It congratulated FAO and UNDP for their quick reaction to the emergency situation faced by the fisheries in the Chad, Niger and Senegal basins due to the long drought.
8. The conclusions of the Consultation on Fisheries Problems in the Sahelian Zone (Bamako, Mali, 13–20 November 1974) were reviewed by the participants. They were informed that the Regional Project for the Preparation of an integrated development plan for optimal utilization of the fishery resources in the inland waters of the Sahelian Zone resulting from the Consultation had been approved by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and that the Executing Agency, FAO, was in the course of recruiting a project manager. The Committee expressed its concern for the delay in starting this important project and urged that FAO spares no effort to get it under way with the shortest delay.
9. The Committee unanimously approved the following recommendation (No.1) aiming at the creation of an Ad hoc Sub-Committee of CIFA for the Protection and Development of the Fisheries in the Sahelian Zone.
The Committee for Inland Fisheries of Africa
Considering the special conditions of the fisheries of the Sahelian Zone and the long-term effect of recurrent droughts on the fish stocks, the fishing yield and the fishermen;
Considering the recommendation of the Consultation of Fisheries Problems in the Sahelian Zone to develop an action programme of assistance to the fisheries of the Sahelian Zone in the fields of training, research and management and considering also the need for constant review of fishery development problems in the area;
Here by establishes in accordance with Rule IX, paragraph 1 of the Rules of Procedure of CIFA an Ad hoc Sub-Committee for the Protection and Development of the Fisheries in the Sahelian Zone, hereinafter referred to as the CIFA Ad hoc Sub-Committee for the Sahel.
Terms of Reference
The functions of the CIFA Ad hoc Sub-Committee for the Sahel shall in particular include the following:
to act for CIFA during the inter-sessional periods with respect to matters relating to the fisheries of the Sahelian Zone;
to maintain close liaison with regional organizations concerned with the fisheries of the Sahelian Zone and CIFA;
to provide guidance, as required, to the Regional Project for the Preparation of an Integrated Development Plan for the Optimal Utilization of the Fishery Resources in the Inland Waters of the Sahelian Zone and, eventually, to provide guidance to the long-term Integrated Development Plan;
to report to CIFA, at each session, on its activities during the preceding inter-sessional period.
Meetings
The CIFA Ad hoc Sub-Committee for the Sahel shall meet once every two years at the time of CIFA Sessions or at such intervals as may be necessary to carry out its responsibilities.
Membership
The membership of the CIFA Ad hoc Sub-Committee for the Sahel shall consist of CIFA member countries that participate in the Regional Project mentioned above and the eventual long-term project and that express the desire to be members and, at least, one member of the CIFA Executive Committee.
The CIFA Ad hoc Sub-Committee for the Sahel shall elect its own officers.
Regional organizations dealing with fisheries in the Sahelian Zone shall be invited to attend, as observers, meetings of the CIFA Ad hoc Sub-Committee for the Sahel.
Secretariat
The Secretary of the CIFA Ad hoc Sub-Committee for the Sahel shall be designated by the Director-General.
Financing
The travelling expenses of the representatives of the participating countries, when attending meeting of the CIFA Ad hoc Sub-Committee for the Sahel shall be borne by the countries themselves or other sources of finance identified for this purpose.
10. The Committee studied with interest document CIFA/75/9, Cooperation with African Bodies dealing with fisheries, and congratulated the Secretariat for the preparation of this comprehensive study of international bodies dealing with continental fisheries in Africa.
11. Observers, representing the majority of the international bodies reviewed, were present and they took this opportunity to give to the Committee additional information on the fisheries functions these bodies were fulfilling. It was noted by the Committee that the bodies were unevenly distributed throughout Africa. Some river basins such as the Niger, for example, benefit from the activities of several organizations while some other international basins do not have the mechanism needed to solve fisheries problems at the international level. The Executive Secretary of the Niger River Commission underlined the fact that his Commission, having the largest number of members belonging to various bodies in Western Africa, had an important coordinating function.
12. It was reaffirmed that CIFA was the only international body dealing exclusively with inland fisheries for the whole African Continent and should be fully responsible for the main coordinating functions thus linking all fishery experts and organizations.
13. The Committee supported the main conclusions expressed in document CIFA/75/9, and recommended (No.2) that:
CIFA should invite African international bodies dealing with fisheries to send observers to all relevant CIFA meetings and likewise be invited by these bodies to meetings where inland fishery matters are discussed;
CIFA should carry out in-depth studies of those bodies more concerned with fishery development. In this context, the OMVS, the Niger River Commission, the Lake Chad Basin Commission and the future Lake Victoria Fishery Commission were mentioned;
CIFA should, upon request, provide assistance to countries having international fishery waters but no agencies to promote international collaboration, with a view to establish such agencies.
14. While realizing that the International Foundation for Science (IFS) was not based in Africa, its role in promoting research and collaboration in the field of inland fisheries, particularly fish culture, in Africa was nevertheless recognized. In this context, the Committee urged that official thanks be forwarded to IFS by the Secretariat for the support given to aquaculture research in Africa and, specifically, for facilitating the participation of a number of African experts in the Second Session of CIFA and related symposium on aquaculture.
15. The Committee took note of the Report of the CIFA Working Party on Artisanal Fisheries (CIFA/75/5) which met in Accra, Ghana on 17–18 February 1975 and expressed its satisfaction with the work completed. The Committee reviewed again the common constraints facing Artisanal Fisheries in Africa. These were listed by the Working Party as follows:
lack of knowledge on the potential of the resources;
lack of capital (credit) for the purchase of adequate modern fishing gear and boats, often over-priced on the local markets;
scattered and often inaccessible fishermen's villages, lack of access roads, lack of fast water transport and landing points;
inadequacy or total lack of fish preservation, processing, marketing and distribution, thus resulting in important product losses due mostly to insect infestation;
seasonal character of the fishery resulting in irregular income and loan repayment difficulties;
rapidly ageing fishermen population due to urban migration of younger fishermen;
lack of effective fishermen's organizations such as cooperatives, credit organizations, etc.;
inadequacy of government fishery services and personnel and inability of the fishery services to obtain additional posts and retain trained fishery personnel.
16. The Committee endorsed the conclusions and recommendations of the Working Party and commended FAO for its rapid action in implementing some of its recommendations. The Committee referred in particular to the proposed regional project for the development of small-scale fisheries in Africa outlined in document CIFA/75/5 supp.1, which was discussed in great detail.
17. A number of delegations, while grateful to FAO for its efforts to develop small-scale fisheries, stressed the fact that the regional project, as proposed, did not correspond exactly to the needs of the countries. Other delegations felt that the proposed project might have an adverse effect on present national projects or other UNDP projects and that assistance should instead be given to countries to carry out their present plan for the development of their inland fisheries. Others felt that not enough practical demonstration of methods for bringing about fishery development was included in the proposed workshops.
18. It was finally agreed that the meeting be suspended to allow the CIFA Working Party to convene an ad hoc session to re-examine the short-term objectives of the proposed project.
19. The CIFA Working Party on Artisanal Fisheries, conscious of the fact that large budgetary allocations for UNDP projects on artisanal fisheries could not be expected in the present UNDP five-year planning cycle which ends 1 January 1977, felt that the most likely alternative acceptable to UNDP would be a small project which should be the preparatory phase of a larger regional project. The Working Party then suggested that the short-term objectives of the proposed project be revised, to reflect better the needs as expressed by the Committee, along the following lines:
that the proposed project be based at the FAO Regional Office for Africa, in Accra, and that, as far as possible, its consultants be available to participating countries to assist in the implementation of national projects;
that the project concentrate its efforts on the gathering of data and information on small-scale fisheries (in both languages of the Committee) and, when possible, to distribute these data at the appropriate levels in the fishery sector of all CIFA member countries;
that the UNDP sums allocated for the workshops be increased sufficiently to allow the participants to take part in field study tours which were considered a most effective way of speeding up the transfer of technology.
20. The proposals of the Working Party were endorsed by the Committee which recommended (No.3) that the short-term objectives of the proposed project (see CIFA/75/5, Sup. 1) be revised by the Secretariat in accordance with the wishes of the Working Party on artisanal fisheries and that the proposed project thus amended be given the full support of FAO and UNDP for its early implementation and that supplementary support from appropriate donor agencies be sought.
21. The First Session of CIFA and the related Symposium on the Evaluation of Fishery Resources in the Development and Management of Inland Fisheries (N'Djamena, 1972) recommended that a Correspondence Working Group be established for the collection of data on floodplains and for the stimulation of work in these areas.
22. The Correspondence Working Group assembled data on this topic during the inter-sessional period. These have given rise to the four following documents:
CIFA Occasional Paper No.3, published in 1974, examines the general and theoretical considerations on the fish yields of African rivers and shows clearly the value of river fisheries on the continental scale. It also highlights the floodplains as the major foci of biological and fishing activity in river basins;
CIFA Technical Paper No.3, The Fisheries Ecology of African Floodplains, presents in synoptic form existing data on floodplains;
CIFA/75/Inf.9 describes a generalized computer model which examines the relationships between the flood regimes, fish populations and various types of fishery;
CIFA/75/SE 16 describes the techniques for extensive aquaculture that may be practised in these areas.
23. Many delegations drew attention to the considerable importance of floodplain fisheries and expressed concern at the way in which floodplains were being managed for a variety of agricultural or industrial purposes with no consultation with the national or international organizations responsible for fisheries. Such management actions were threatening fish populations and disturbing fisheries with a consequent fall in catch. In addition to changes in the floodplain and the flood regime, use of insecticides was in some cases posing a potential health hazard for consumers of fish products. These problems had now reached serious proportions and it was felt that some mechanism whereby coordination with projects designed for the development of alternative aspects of the floodplain should be established. Furthermore, investigation of alternative methods, such as extensive aquaculture or the manipulation of water regimes, which were more suited to the overall development of the floodplain or river system, was of high priority.
24. The conclusion to be drawn from the analysis of existing data was that there was a lack of information upon which to base management plans. It was felt by the majority of delegations that an increase in basic and applied research was necessary and it was recommended (No.4) that member countries concentrate more effort on the gathering of data. There is however a need for advice as to research objectives and programmes which should come from an international group or body.
25. Due to the need for increased assistance on a continent-wide basis, the Committee recommended (No.5) that the possibilities for a regional project for river and floodplain fisheries be investigated. Action at the national level, concerned with particular flood-plains, should take the form of projects within overall national planning which could eventually be coordinated by the regional project.
26. It was recommended (No.6) that river and floodplain fisheries should form the subject of a Symposium or Seminar to be held in conjunction with the next session of CIFA.
27. The most immediate needs for additional data and advice can be satisfied in part by the transformation of the existing Correspondence Working Party into a Working Party on River and Floodplain Fisheries. The Committee therefore strongly recommended (No.7) the setting-up of this working party.
The Working Party on River and Floodplain Fisheries shall:
assemble and interpret existing data on the morphology, hydrology, ecology and fisheries of the rivers and floodplains of Africa;
assemble data on plans and proposals for development of river basins and identify possible effects of such developments on the river and floodplain fisheries;
develop methods for the rapid assessment of stocks in rivers and floodplains, to identify techniques for the management of their fisheries and to advise member governments on programmes and objectives for research on these topics;
prepare a project idea for the regional study and development of floodplain and river fisheries;
formulate the prospectus for a Seminar or Symposium on river and floodplain fisheries to be held in conjunction with the Third Session of CIFA, and;
work in coordination with other groups interested in the various aspects of floodplain management.
28. To ensure the adequate coverage of floodplain types, it was felt that the Working Party should meet twice during the inter-sessional period; once in west Africa and once in east Africa.
29. Because of the world-wide interest in the subject of river and floodplain fisheries and the similarity of conditions in tropical rivers from other continents, the Committee felt that it would be mutually profitable to discuss these problems at an international meeting in the next or subsequent biennium.
30. The First Session of CIFA recommended the establishment of a Correspondence Group in Stock Assessment and, further, asked that an ad hoc meeting on fish stock assessment be held in connexion with the Second Session.
31. A Correspondence Group was duly established and subsequently agreed on a number of problems which deserved priority consideration: the need for more definite guidance from policy makers on the real objectives of management, the need for better communication among workers in stock assessment, the need for assistance and advice in the various stages of data processing, and the need for fundamental improvements in the methodologies and tools available for reliable stock evaluation in the inland waters of Africa.
32. In consideration of the priorities so identified, an Ad hoc Meeting on the Development of Quicker Methods of Resource Appraisal in Inland Waters had been arranged for 1–2 October 1975. The meeting, chaired by M.C.J. Vanderpuye (Ghana), was attended by twelve persons from seven African countries, and by FAO staff from Rome. Its summary report was adopted by CIFA as follows (paragraphs 33–34):
33. The use of acoustic gear for rapid estimation of the quantity of fish in a lake was discussed. It was pointed out that before reliable estimates of biomass can be obtained by this method several kinds of preliminary work must be done, much of which can be accomplished with ordinary acoustic gear. Specialized sampling equipment may be needed to identify different kinds of echo traces. With modification such ordinary acoustic gear may even be used for roughly estimating changes in biomass. Secure estimates require relatively expensive gear and calibration by a variety of techniques. An analysis of the cost of obtaining the latter type of estimate indicates a great advantage in sharing this specialized equipment and personnel among a number of projects and institutions.
34. The Ad hoc Meeting therefore endorsed the proposed UNDP/FAO Regional Centre for Acoustic Surveys in the Inland Waters of Africa, and recommended (No.8) that the Centre provide assistance and training in the use of ordinary acoustic methods and gear as well as providing the specialized expertise and gear needed for biomass estimation.
35. It was shown that age determination, difficult in tropical fisheries, was not a necessary pre-requisite to the use of conventional methods of assessment of individual stocks. However, it was also noted that the rapid changes normally occurring in fisheries, high and unpredictable variability in recruitment of young fish to the stock, and many interactions among stocks, severely limited the usefulness of classical approaches. Evidence was presented which showed that the level of exploitation which could maximize the yield in the Malawi trawl fishery also alters the species composition of the resource, even reducing the number of species existing in the exploited portion of the lake.
36. The meeting, noting the difficulties encountered in using the theoretical approaches to stock assessment, recommended (No.9) that institutions engaged in research in stock assessment and fish management give more attention to empirical studies of the effects of exploitation. Particularly needed was a large-scale approach through which detailed fishery research could be directed toward a statistically valid sample of each of several types of inland fisheries.
37. The total catch from a river has been found to be the function of either the length of the river or its drainage basin area. These relationships have been used to predict productivity of river systems. As the total production of African rivers, so predicted, is considerable in relation to other sources, river fisheries deserve more attention than they have received.
38. The meeting concurred that rivers had been neglected in fishery research and noted especially that they must be developed for many purposes in addition to fishing. The group therefore recommended (No.10) that a continent-wide programme should be established to develop knowledge of river fisheries and improve strategies for their development and management.
39. Advanced data processing methods were being used by many fishery workers in Africa. The gill-net monitoring programmes as described during the meeting for the Kainji and Volta lakes are particularly demanding in this respect. However, most workers are not expert in data processing techniques and require assistance in deciding when and how to use the various levels of processing techniques available.
40. Noting the need for such advice at all levels, including even the preparation of working sheets for hand calculations, the meeting recommended (No.11) that FAO consider the establishment of a post of Adviser in Fishery Data Processing with particular attention to African fishery needs.
41. The various kinds of statistical surveys needed to evaluate the behaviour and performance of inland fisheries were discussed. In order to obtain reliable statistics useful to administrators and managers, high reliability is needed which can only be obtained with a sampling approach. The need for integration in the planning and execution of all such surveys was emphasized.
42. The Meeting agreed that fishery statistics continued to be inadequate and recommended (No.12) that fishery departments, institutes and projects should expand the coverage of statistical programmes especially to include economic data, and seek advice of statisticians when planning and designing all such programmes, to ensure both scientific reliability and integration within an overall evaluation programme.
43. The Committee endorsed the recommendations of the Ad hoc Meeting and agreed to the continuation of the Correspondence Group on Stock Assessment. It was further noted in discussion of the report that there were very few persons in Africa with proper training in stock assessment and it was recommended (No.13) that a training course(s) in inland stock assessment be arranged in Africa as soon as practicable, and that additional fellowship assistance be sought for in-depth training of qualified individuals. It was noted that countries have some difficulty in obtaining the fishery statistics requested of them by FAO, as well as those needed locally for planning and evaluation. It was therefore also recommended (No.14) that FAO should explore the possibilities of setting up short training courses in statistics on a country-by-country basis.
44. The need for more research in stock assessment, especially in relation to river fish resources, was mentioned with the hope that such work could be partly accomplished through such FAO/UNDP projects as the Regional Project for an integrated development plan for the optimal utilization of the fishery resources in the inland waters of the Sahelian Zone.
45. The report of the Symposium on aquaculture in Africa was presented by the Chairman of the Symposium, Mr. B.F. Dada (Nigeria), and the Technical Secretary, Dr. Z.H. Shehadeh. The report and recommendations were approved by the Committee. The recommendation were as follows:
46. Estimation of aquaculture potential (No.15)
Reviewing data on the present status and potential of aquaculture, on the basis of the country reports presented to the symposium;
Recognizing that the lack of information on development potential is chiefly due to the fact that in many countries no complete exploration of areas or adequate feasibility studies have yet been done;
Noting that information on aquaculture development potential is an essential prerequisite for national development planning;
Recommends that governments undertake surveys of the aquaculture potential in their countries.
The Symposium further recommends that the governments avail themselves, wherever necessary, of the assistance that may be obtainable through FAO, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the World Bank, the Regional Development Banks, bilateral aid agencies and other national and international agencies.
47. Aquaculture planning (No.16)
Noting that the lack of rational aquaculture development planning is one of the major constraints to the orderly development of the industry;
Considering that inadequate planning can lead to the failure of programmes;
Recommends that the governments draw up plans for aquaculture development with the assistance of qualified specialists, wherever necessary, and that they lay down in advance the concrete objectives to be pursued and procedures to be followed.
The Symposium also recommends that the governments integrate aquaculture development in national fishery development, rural development schemes and overall economic development plans.
48. Development of pilot commercial farms (No.17)
Having recognized that certain systems of aquaculture have proven technically and economically feasible in some countries and are ready for development on a commercial scale;
Being aware that the economic infrastructure associated with aquaculture in other regions does not as yet exist in Africa;
Noting that trained technical personnel and extension services are essential for and basic to the success of aquaculture;
Recommends that governments whose programmes are approaching the stage of large-scale development take the initiative to establish pilot commercial farms.
The Symposium further recommends that established pilot farms be subsequently used as national research and training centres.
The Symposium also recommends that governments avail themselves of the assistance that may be available from FAO, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the World Bank, the Regional Development Banks, bilateral aid agencies and other national and international agencies for this purpose.
49. African centre for aquaculture (No.18)
Bearing in mind that aquaculture is being promoted in Africa and requires concerted efforts for its development;
Noting the urgent need for qualified and experienced technical personnel to undertake the necessary developmental work;
Recognizing that regional cooperation in research and training can enhance the efficiency and yield of these activities;
Recommends that a centre for aquaculture be founded in Africa to conduct research on problems of a regional scope and organize advanced training for aquaculturists.
The Symposium further recommends that this regional centre maintain close ties with selected national research and training centres.
The Symposium also recommends that FAO seek the assistance of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and other financing agencies for the establishment of this centre as soon as feasible.
50. Research on endemic species (No.19)
Recognizing that a lack of adequate basic data on the biology and ecological requirements of endemic species has been a major constraint to the development of techniques for their culture;
Noting that the culture of some endemic species of proven potential in aquaculture is limited by the lack of reliable techniques for their controlled breeding and the production of stocking material;
Being aware that many research institutions do not have the necessary resources to carry out the needed studies;
Recommends that the governments of the region give these institutions the support needed to develop an intensive programme of studies aimed at determining the suitability of endemic species for cultivation and expediting domestication of those proven to have potential.
The Symposium also recommends that studies on the impact of introduced species on the ecology of indigenous species receive special attention.
The Symposium also recommends that research programmes include studies on the development of artificial feeds from locally available ingredients and upgrading of nursery management techniques.
51. Use of low-cost production systems (No.20)
Noting the capital-intensive nature of conventional fish culture systems;
Being aware that culture of fish in cages and enclosures, in lakes and reservoirs, special fish culture in floodplains and fish culture in rice fields can increase fish production substantially with relatively low-capital investment;
Recommends that governments of the region undertake feasibility studies aimed at the integration of aquaculture in these environments.
52. Coordination of aquaculture research (No.21)
Noting the increasing number of national research programmes on aquaculture in the region;
Recognizing that transfer of information and techniques would expedite aquaculture development in the region;
Recommends that governments in the region endorse and support the exchange of information, experience and personnel.
The Symposium also recommends that the CIFA secretariat investigate the possibility of establishing a cooperative programme of research on aquaculture among participating countries along lines followed in other regions.
CIFA Working Party on Aquaculture
53. The CIFA Working Party on Aquaculture, created at the First Session of CIFA (1972) met in Nairobi, Kenya, 19–22 March 1974. Document CIFA/75/4 gives the report of the Working Party.
The Symposium recommended (No.22) that the Working Party be continued with the following terms of reference;
to collect and disseminate information to government agencies and research workers on:
aquaculture economics available from national UNDP development projects and government fish culture establishments;
the major parasites and diseases of cultivated fishes and methods for their prevention and control;
the ecological impact of introduced exotic fish and shellfish.
Considering that these terms of reference constitute information gathering activities it is suggested that the Working Party be enlarged and initiate its work by correspondence.
54. Two proposals on this subject were before the Committee. The first, which was presented in document CIFA/75/10, suggested as principal theme the development and planning of inland fishing. The second, arising from discussions held in the preceding days, suggested the management and development of floodplains. It was recommended (No.23) that priority be given to the second theme, i.e. the organization of a symposium on the management and development of floodplains, while retaining in the objectives of the symposium, consideration of questions on the planning and the economics of floodplains. It was decided that the subject planning and development of inland fisheries should form the subject of a basic study by FAO which should be presented at the third session of CIFA and, ultimately, provide the basis of a future symposium.
Training of extension workers
55. Certain delegations requested the possibility of organizing seminars for the training of extension workers for inland fisheries similar to that organized by the FAO/SIDA (Sweden), at Kelibia (Tunisia) in July 1975. In this connexion, one delegation raised the need for a seminar on the processing of fish.
Small fishing crafts
56. The general wish was formulated that FAO should take interest in the question of motorization of small fishing crafts and should seek to interest the bilateral aid agencies in this type of project.
International Conference on Handling, Processing and Marketing of Tropical Fish Products
57. The delegates were informed by the observer from the United Kingdom that the Inter-national conference on handling, processing and marketing of tropical fish products will be organized in London, England, from 5 to 9 July 1976. It will be followed by a study tour in the region.
Miscellaneous
58. Several other observations were made on the following subjects: a new type of surfboat of catamaran model has been developed by the United Kingdom and Nigeria for coastal fisheries; the collaboration between Ghana, Togo, Nigeria, Dahomey and Ivory Coast on a regional project for lagoon fish culture, and the development of cooperation between the States bordering the Nile basin.
59. Under Rule II of its Rules of Procedure, the Committee is required to elect, at the end of every session, a chairman and a maximum of three vice-chairmen who shall remain in office until the election of the new chairman and new vice-chairmen. Before the election of officers the Committee agreed to interpret this rule to mean that the chairman and first vice-chairman should be elected by name and that the remaining two vice-chairmen should be elected by country.
60. With this understanding the representative of Nigeria (Mr. B.F.Dada) was unanimously elected Chairman of the Committee and the representatives of Ivory Coast (Mr. A.R. Vieyra), Egypt and Burundi as Vice-Chairmen.
61. The delegate of Egypt kindly invited CIFA to hold its third session in that country subject to official approval by his Government. The delegate of Burundi raised the need to alternate the CIFA sessions between English and French speaking countries. Because many participants had expressed the wish to organize the next meeting in east Africa, he invited the delegates to hold the Third Session in Burundi also subject to the official agreement of his Government. The Secretary informed the meeting that an official invitation coming either from Egypt or Burundi, or from other interested countries would be considered by the Director-General of FAO, who, in the light of the needs, would select in consultation with the Chairman of CIFA the place of the Third Session.
62. The end of 1977 or the beginning of 1978 were suggested as possible times to hold the Third Session.
