STATEMENTS OF REPRESENTATIVES OF OBSERVER - ORGANIZATIONS/ INSTITUTIONS
Thank you very much for giving me this opportunity to deliver a statement on behalf of SEAFDEC.
SEAFDEC was established in 1967 to develop fisheries in the Southeast Asian region. There are three different departments under SEAFDEC, namely the Training Department in Thailand; the Marine Fisheries Research Department, which mainly conducts post-harvest technology in Singapore; and the Aquaculture Department in the Philippines.
The Aquaculture Department was established in 1973, with the objective of developing modern technologies for tapping Southeast Asia's vast potentials for aquaculture.
More specifically, the Department promotes, undertakes and cooperates in aquaculture research relevant and appropriate to the region. It also develops human resources for aquaculture development and dissemination and exchanges of information on aquaculture.
The Seminar on Aquaculture Development in Southeast Asia was held in September in Iloilo City to commemorate the 20th anniversary of SEAFDEC. It reviewed the progress of various research activities for each major species of fish and discussed the constraints. The Recommendations were submitted to the 20th Council Meeting for the further development of aquaculture in the region.
A collaborative programme with NACA and UPV was started in 1982. Since then, this one-year programme has graduated over 100 senior aquaculturists from 17 countries.
As the objectives of the NACA and AQD are the same, we would like to continue to cooperate with NACA.
However, AQD is also facing financial difficulties and has to reduce its staff. Therefore, it will be necessary to review our cooperative programme and change the agreement when NACA becomes an inter-regional organization.
I wish NACA well in being enabled to contribute to the development of aquaculture in the region effectively.
