BOBP, the Bay of Bengal Programme for Fisheries Development, is a regional FAO fisheries programme. We like to cooperate wherever possible with national and regional organizations such as NACA, and welcome this opportunity to attend NACA's Governing Council.
In examining ways of working together, we ought to keep in mind the major features of collaborating organizations, contrary to NACA. BOBP is not a semi-permanent institution, nor a legal entity, but rather a common administration for various fixed term projects. It cannot therefore enter into any formal or long-term agreements. BOBP is not a funding agency either; it is an implementing agency. Finally, BOBP is primarily target-group oriented; it does not usually promote any particular set of technologies. Its main aim, in fact, is to demonstrate ways and means to improve the economic base of small-scale fisheries communities. In some cases, aquaculture is thought to be appropriate.
At present BOBP has three operational aquaculture projects. Two, one each in India and in Sri Lanka, deal with the culture of seaweed (Gracilaria). They are located in areas where the natural seaweed stocks seem to be getting depleted through over-harvesting. A regional Gracilaria workshop is planned for 1989 to discuss views and experiences. The third project, in Malaysia, tries to introduce oyster culture. Preparatory work has also started on a project concerning shrimp seed in West Bengal, India. A similar project is planned for Bangladesh. The possibilities of small-scale artemia production in India are being explored. Further, there are aquaculture inputs into BOBP extension projects; an example is an activity to extend oyster culture in Ranong province, Thailand.
BOBP's major interests in a relationship with NACA are to obtain and exchange information about brackishwater and coastal aquaculture development in the region, and training courses and workshops that are directly related to our ongoing activities. As an example of fruitful collaboration, I wish to mention the NACA training course on oyster farming in Korea, where three participants from our Malaysian Project attended. One of them, a potential farmer, has already taken to oyster culture and is actively adapting and trying out what he learned. Such development is very encouraging and greatly helps our work.
