The report summarizes the discussions and conclusions of the FAO/NORAD Round Table on Aid for Aquaculture Development in the Third World held in cooperation with the Svanøy Foundation in Svanøy, Norway, 2-6 August 1982. The Round Table reviewed the present state of aquaculture and recognized that production has risen by about 42 percent in the last five years, when landings from conventional fisheries have shown only much smaller increases. There is now an increasing reliance on aquaculture as a means of achieving fishery production targets and for the generation of part-or full-time employment in rural areas. However, to achieve the potentials of aquaculture, third world countries require massive aid in the form of investment, research support, manpower development, technology transfer input production and distribution and organization of extension services. Though Scandinavian countries have provided extensive aid to developing countries for development of conventional fisheries, their assistance in the field of aquaculture has been limited due largely to limitations of expertise in tropical aquaculture. The Round Table concluded that aquaculture deserves high priority in Nordic countries' aid programmes as development of this sector is likely to benefit the poorer sections of populations and contribute substantially to rural development. Recommendations were made on ways and means of improving competence in tropical aquaculture in Scandinavian countries and the nature of assistance to be offered to third world countries.
