STATEMENT OF DR. VERAVAT HONGSKUL
Secretary-General
of the Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center (SEAFDEC),
On behalf of the Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center (SEAFDEC), it gives me great pleasure to participate in the Second Advisory Committee Meeting of the Network of Aquaculture Centres in Asia. I am especially happy to say a few words about SEAFDEC's collaborating role with NACA.
As you know the SEAFDEC Aquaculture Department, on behalf of the Government of the Philippines, has served as the NACA lead centre since 1980. A Memorandum of Understanding between SEAFDEC and NACA was signed on 13 May 1982 to describe the mode of operation of the activities of the RLCP.
The SEAFDEC Aquaculture Department and NACA have similar objectives to stimulate fisheries development, including aquaculture. Up to the present time, AQD has done its utmost to collaborate with NACA. For example, at least thirty AQD personnel are assisting the RLCP research activities as well as office facilities. Also, AQD has provided 28 fellowships for the one-year training course for senior aquaculturists at the RLCP. In addition, AQD provided financial support to date amounts to $ 172,227.-
The collaboration between AQD and RLCP comprises three main areas:
The NACA training course for senior aquaculturists which is incorporated as part of the AQD Training and Extension Division's activities.
Research on brackishwater fish and shrimp (sugpo or tiger prawn) culture system.
Information services which are being implemented by AQD personnel.
SEAFDEC also gives great attention to transferring technology to the grass-roots fish farmers. As a joint project between SEAFDEC and NACA, the information which has been compiled thus far will be utilized in digest form for wider distribution.
Lastly, let me assure NACA that SEAFDEC will continue to collaborate as much as possible in order to avoid unnecessary duplication of effort. Such collaboration based on mutual understanding as exemplified by the pooling of expertise and resources of SEAFDEC, NACA, and the University of the Philippines in the Visayas avoids problems. However, the collaboration must be undertaken on an equal basis in order to be effective. In this spirit, SEAFDEC will continue to support the NACA program.
