The representatives of aid agencies from Scandinavian countries participating in the Round Table provided the following information on aid for aquaculture by their agencies:
DENMARK
Denmark has a rather extensive cultivation of rainbow trout. Some expertise is also to be found in other fields related to aquaculture, e.g. fish nutrition and diseases. In aquaculture, DANIDA is assisting developing countries, but has so far only given substantial assistance to one country, viz. Bangladesh. This aid has been concentrated on two projects, which are:
(a) Aquaculture Experiment Station, Mymensingh
(b) Fish culture component in the Noakhali Integrated Rural Development Project.
NORWAY
While capture fisheries all through Norwegian history have been among the main economic activities in the country, aquaculture is a fairly new phenomenon. In the 19th century hatching of salmon was started in order to stock the rivers, but the present production of fish (trout and salmon) for consumption dates from the fifties. The start was made in fresh water, but from the sixties it has mainly been carried on in marine waters. There is a production of some 7 500 tons from some 300 cage farms. There is also a limited production of molluscs.
Research and training has traditionally been concentrated on subjects of interest for capture fisheries, but in the later years more emphasis has been put on aquaculture.
Considering Norway's lack of experience in tropical aquaculture it is only natural that no requests have been addressed to Norway from the developing countries for assistance in aquaculture, while Norwegian (capture) fisheries projects are to be found in most of the countries receiving aid from Norway through its developing agency NORAD. It would also seem that no Norwegian business enterprise has taken any interest in going into joint ventures or other forms of profit-oriented aquacultural activities in the developing countries.
This being the situation one has up to now not felt the need in NORAD to debate seriously whether assistance for aquaculture should be part of its programmes for the developing countries and no specific projects have been studied, although the subject has been touched upon in connection with some integrated rural development projects.
It would appear that the time is now ripe to take this matter up for a thorough study with a view to formulating a policy, and if a positive attitude is decided upon, to give an indication to recipient countries that requests for assistance in this sector would be favourably considered. Before any decision is taken it would seem appropriate to enter into thorough-going consultations with the other Nordic countries.
SWEDEN
Sweden has good experience in cultivation of salmonids (mainly Atlantic salmon and rainbow trout), eels, fresh water crayfish and marine mussels (Mytilus edulis). There is also some experience in cultivation of other species, e.g., for stocking of lakes and for research purposes. Some people have experience of aquaculture in tropical countries. There is some expertise in fish diseases and fish genetics. Technically Sweden can contribute to constructing and equipping aquaculture sites, hatcheries, etc. and some private firms specialize in producing fish feed.
Swedish assistance to developing countries in the field of fisheries has mainly developed during the seventies. In 1974 the National Fishery Board became institutional consultant to SIDA and a special secretariat for assistance was set up.
The assistance has been both bilateral and multilateral and to some extent concentrated on the development of small-scale fisheries in a limited number of countries. The first real support for aquaculture was given at the turn of the seventies to the Bay of Bengal Programme, administered by FAO.
In connection with discussions on the state of world fisheries and the importance of aquaculture for the future food production, SIDA is now contemplating support to aquaculture programmes/projects on a wider scale.
There is already a close cooperation regarding assistance to developing countries between the Nordic countries. A Committee for assistance questions related to fisheries, reporting to the Nordic Council of Ministers, has recently been set up and it is suggested that a discussion on Nordic cooperation in the field of aquaculture be taken up both by this Committee and between the professional assistance agencies. Contact could also be made with relevant credit institutes and private enterprises interested in development questions.
In all the three countries there are institutions charged with promoting cooperation by providing cheap loans, etc., between companies in the home countries and counterparts in the developing countries.
Among programmes/projects which could be supported by the Nordic countries are:
(a) Training and information of various kinds and for various purposes(b) Development of integrated small-scale aquaculture in rural communities
(c) Construction of hatcheries, especially for rural areas
(d) Finding of new, cheap feed sources for cultivated fish and shell-fish (incl. using of sewage and other waste material)
(e) Ecological, social and economical planning of aquaculture projects
(f) Promotion of suitable marketing techniques
(g) Research on genetical and disease problems.
