Mohamed Shariff
Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universiti Pertanian Malaysia,
43400 Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia
Shariff, M. 1996. Role of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in fish health management in the Asia-Pacific. In Health Management in Asian Aquaculture. Proceedings of the Regional Expert Consultation on Aquaculture Health Management in Asia and the Pacific. R.P. Subasinghe, J.R. Arthur & M. Shariff (eds.), p. 51–59. FAO Fisheries Technical Paper No. 360, Rome, FAO. 142 p.
Abstract
NGOs are self-governing, independently financed organizations and societies that assign themselves specific roles, issues or disciplines paralleling governmental or intergovernmental organizations that have similar mandates. In Asia, regional NGOs have been quite active in promoting sustainable fisheries and aquaculture. In particular, the Asian Fisheries Society (AFS) has been involved in this activity for more than a decade, and its Fish Health Section (FHS/AFS) is an NGO with a clear mandate to promote aquaculture health management in the region, to ensure sustainable development of the sector. This paper outlines the activities of the NGOs in the Asian region, especially those of the AFS and FHS/AFS in promoting aquaculture health management in Asia-Pacific. It also briefly examines the relationships between NGOs and the government agencies responsible for fish health management, and recommends ways by which NGOs may function more effectively
INTRODUCTION
Non-governmental organizations or NGOs, in a broad sense, embrace everything outside the public and private commercial sectors (Farrington et al., 1993). However this definition is too broad and a more useful definition would be that NGOs are self-governing, independently financed organizations and societies that assign themselves specific roles, issues or disciplines paralleling governmental or intergovernmental organizations that have similar mandates.
NGOs have played a crucial role in various aspects of development in many countries around the world. This role is more significant in developing countries, where there is often a lack of political will for action plans to tackle important issues that require attention. NGOs also complement government approaches towards undertaking work on policy issues. Some NGOs have actively prioritized research according to the needs of the countries. In addition, NGOs have played an important role in networking and information sharing. Many operational NGOs work closely with grassroots groups via extension agents who live in rural communities, speak the local languages and share local concerns. NGOs have successfully operated by having the right expertise in the form of advisors or operation managers who plan, execute and implement without favor or prejudice.
The Agenda 21 (adopted by the UN Conference on Environment and Development on 14 June, 1992) program of action to be implemented from now and into the 21st Century, has stressed the crucial role of major social groups, including the NGOs, in all program areas.
This paper will discuss the role of NGOs in fish health management in the Asia-Pacific Region.
NGOs INVOLVED IN FISH HEALTH
Since fish health science is a relatively new field which has been neglected in the past and a field that is highly specialized, it is indisputable that the major organizations involved with fish health are scientific organizations, such as fisheries and veterinary societies. In the Asia-Pacific, the involvement of the fisheries societies has a longer history than that of the veterinary societies. Since the Asian Fisheries Society (AFS) has made the major contribution towards the science of fish health management, I would like to provide a brief background on the society.
The AFS is a scientific society formed in 1984 for fisheries professionals in Asia. The Society undertakes relevant and service-oriented activities which include:
organizing regular triennial fora where fisheries professionals can interact and discuss broad issues and specific topics related to the region;
publishing a scientific journal of an international standard;
providing financial and technical support to young scientists from developing countries to conduct quality research; and
addressing important fisheries issues via workshops and publications.
The Society has three branches; the Indian, Japanese and the Taiwan Branch. In addition, the China Fisheries Society and the Malaysian Fisheries Society are affiliated to the AFS. The difference between the affiliated societies and the branches of AFS is that the latter use the same constitution as the parent society while the former have their own constitutions.
ROLE OF AFS IN FISH HEALTH
Workshops and Fora
The AFS's role in fish health management began in 1986, when a one-day workshop on two topics, current fish disease problems in the region and the status of programs for fish quarantine, was held in Manila on 30 May, 1986. Twelve papers from seven countries were presented during the workshop. During the same period, many fish health scientists also presented scientific papers on fish health management issues at the First Asian Fisheries Forum, held in Manila during 26–31 May, 1986. Scientific papers related to fish health management were also presented during the subsequent triennial fora which were held in Japan (1989), Singapore (1992) and Beijing (1995).
Publication of the Journal
The Society began publishing Asian Fisheries Science, an international fisheries journal, in December 1987. To accommodate the growing number of manuscripts submitted, the journal increased the number of issues from the initial two in 1987 to three issues in 1990 and to four in 1994. The publication is receiving support from SEAFDEC, ICLARM and private companies such as Charoen Pokphand Group, Thailand, and the Hanaqua International Corporation and Fwu Sow Grains Products Co. Ltd from Taiwan. Many contributions on fish health have appeared in this journal. Special publications on specific topics or proceedings of workshops organized by the AFS are also published. To date, there are 12 publications of workshop proceedings and the first of this series focuses on fish health: Fish Quarantine and Fish Diseases in South and Southeast Asia: 1986 Update (Arthur, 1987).
Research Fellowship Awards
The AFS also provides research fellowship awards to promising young scientists in developing countries in Asia. The project is officially known as the Asian Fisheries Society Fellowship Award Scheme. The main target applicants are new Ph.D. and M.Sc. graduates.
The aim of this project is to:
increase the technical competence of young scientists through the conduct of well-framed research which will produce useful results;
develop a core of quality fisheries researchers whose outputs will enhance the development of fisheries science in the region and hence upgrade national and regional technical capabilities in Asia; and
encourage and enhance linkages among fisheries scientists in the region and promote relationships between senior and young fisheries scientists.
This Fellowship Award Scheme was launched in 1987 with financial support from the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) of Canada. The Society provides technical and administrative support, with a number of its members serving as scientific advisors and project reviewers. Under this program US$ 10 000 to 12 000 is awarded to the scientist and matching funds for the project are given by the International Foundation for Science (IFS). Of the 38 research grants so far awarded, five were for fish health projects.
Training Attachment
More recently, the fellowship award scheme has been broadened to provide training to scientists from developing countries in more developed countries or in advanced institutions in the region. The two institutes that have signed a memorandum of understanding to provide such training are the SEAFDEC Aquaculture Department in Iloilo and the Taiwan Fisheries Research Institute (TFRI) in Keelung. One candidate from India is already undergoing training at the TFRI and another from Vietnam will be sent to SEAFDEC.
AFS FISH HEALTH SECTION
In January 1989, the formation of the Fish Health Section (FHS) of the AFS provided another avenue to focus on fish health issues. The purpose of the Section is:
to promote effective interaction among persons involved in fish health research;
to encourage and promote investigation and advancement in the knowledge of fish health;
to focus attention on fish health problems by disseminating technical and other information; and
to promote the proper implementation of effective fish health protection practices in the region.
The first meeting organized by the FHS was held in Bali in 1990 and was attended by 177 participants from 19 countries. During the four days, on 26–29 November, 77 oral and 18 poster presentations were made on various aspects of fish health. In conjunction, a special session on the use of chemotherapeutic agents in Asian aquaculture was also held. At the special session, papers were presented by participants from Australia, India, Indonesia, Iran, Japan, Malaysia, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Taiwan and Thailand. The proceedings of the first meeting were published as Diseases in Asian Aquaculture I, edited by Shariff, Subasinghe and Arthur (Shariff et al. 1992).
The second symposium, convened in Phuket, Thailand, from 25–29 October, 1993, was attended by 170 participants from over 30 countries. Along with various fish health issues, shrimp health management was given special emphasis. There were 70 oral presentations and 36 posters on prevention of diseases in fish, shrimp, and other shellfish. These papers will be published shortly in Diseases in Asian Aquaculture II (Shariff et al., 1995). Besides the formal presentations, the FHS also prioritized regional needs for fish health research. This exercise was held at the request of Strategy for International Fisheries Research (SIFR). The Priorities for Disease Research: Towards Minimizing Losses from Diseases in Asian Aquaculture was published in FHS Newsletter 4 (2), 1993.
The Third Symposium of the FHS will be held jointly with the World Aquaculture Society in Bangkok from 29 January to 2 February, 1996. This will be the FHS's first joint activity with another NGO from the West.
Besides organizing the fora and the special symposia, the FHS also publishes a newsletter which is well received by its members. Two issues are published annually and it features new research findings, updates on members, a list of recent publications and information on fish health activities in the region.
The FHS also publishes a series of regional bibliographies on all fish health research. Two such bibliographies, one covering Southeast Asia and another for Japan, have been published (Arthur, 1992; Wakabayashi, 1994). The former provides abstracts of all available literature covering Southeast Asia and includes English language abstracts, covering many articles published in national languages. The bibliography for Japan, a contribution of the Japanese Society of Fish Pathology, provides the titles of all the fish health publications in Japan. It contains 2 271 references which are listed under seven sections: cell lines, non-infectious diseases, viral, bacterial, fungal, protozoan, metazoan diseases and immunology. A bibliography on South Asia, which will include Bangladesh, India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, is in preparation. The FHS has also proposed that all references cited in these bibliographies be housed at the FHS Resource Center at the Universiti Pertanian Malaysia. Currently the Resource Center has copies of all the articles cited in the Southeast Asian bibliography. The references for South Asia are already in UPM, but are not yet catalogued.
BRANCHES AND AFFILIATED SOCIETIES
Besides the parent society, the branches and the affiliated societies have also been involved in addressing fish health issues.
AFS Taiwan Branch
The AFS Taiwan Branch (formerly known as the Taipei Branch) was formed in 1985. It works closely with the Taiwan Fisheries Society in organizing fora and is one of the major contributors to the parent society by generating funds from the National Science Council, Council of Agriculture and from private companies. It publishes its own scientific journal which has featured several fish health papers. In 1994, the Taiwan Branch held an International Symposium on Biotechnology Application in Aquaculture from 5 to 10 December. Besides reproductive physiology and endocrinology and gene transfer, the other main topics for the meeting were disease diagnosis and therapy (see Kuo et al., 1995).
AFS Indian Branch
The AFS Indian Branch was formed in 1986. Fish health issues have been addressed through annual fora and also in the regular quarterly newsletter. No special meetings to focus on fish health have been held but a substantial number of papers on the subject have been presented at annual meetings.
Taiwan Fisheries Society
The Taiwan Fisheries Society was established in 1955 and is one of the few societies in Taiwan to receive an annual grant of 400 000 NT from the National Science Council. The Society holds annual meetings where scientific papers are presented. The Society also publishes its own journal which has four issues a year and contains fish health papers.
Malaysian Fisheries Society
The Malaysian Fisheries Society (MFS), which was formed in 1987, has held annual seminars which include fish health presentations along with other scientific papers on fisheries. Most of these seminars were organized jointly with the Department of Fisheries, Malaysia and the Faculty of Fisheries and Marine Science, Universiti Pertanian Malaysia. On three occasions the seminars were sponsored by the Ministry of Science and Technology and, on two occasions, by the Fisheries Development Authority. In 1993, the MFS held a seminar specifically to address fish health issues. Diseases in Aquaculture: the Current Issues was co-sponsored by a private company which sponsored speakers from Thailand and Taiwan. This seminar was attended by 143 participants (see Subasinghe and Shariff, 1994).
OTHER NGOs
Japanese Society of Fish Pathology
The Japanese Society of Fish Pathology (until 1979 known as the Japan Research Group of Fish Pathology) was established in 1966. Its objectives are promotion of studies on fish pathology and dissemination of knowledge about fish diseases and related subjects. The Society publishes the scientific journal Fish Pathology and holds two meetings annually (spring and autumn) where more than 50 scientific papers are presented. Last year the Society started giving a one-week course on fish disease to entrepreneurs from the private sector.
The Veterinary Association of Malaysia
More recently, veterinary associations have also started to address fish health issues in their meetings. In November, 1994, the Veterinary Association of Malaysia, together with several other organizations and the Department of Veterinary Services, Malaysia, jointly held an International Congress on Quality Veterinary Services for the 21st Century. Fourteen papers on aquatic animal health were presented at this meeting.
CONCLUSIONS
In Asia, fish health management issues have been actively addressed by the fisheries societies and more recently and to a lesser extent, by the veterinary associations. Although there are other societies and organizations that have been indirectly involved in fish health issues, their activities have been restricted to publication of scientific articles in journals and have been small in number. These NGOs do not have a commitment to address fish health issues per se.
In organizing their meetings, the NGOs usually adopt a flexible approach, and they are free to choose the venue and the agenda, and to involve the expertise or invite the speakers of their choice. Several of the fora organized by the societies have been jointly held with the various departments related to fisheries and attended by officers from the government, university staff and members of the private sector. These fora are the only gatherings where there is a free flow of information between the various sectors participating. They thus enhance interaction between fisheries personnel from the private and the public sectors and facilitate transfer of technology from research institutions to the industry. The NGOs, with their pool of expertise, have generated several reports which serve as valuable references for policy makers.
However, in spite of their many advantages and achievements, NGOs face many constraints. One major constraint is the lack of financial resources that hamper activities. The government sector has considerable resources which are beyond the scope of the NGOs e.g., well equipped research institutes and universities. Another dilemma is that the NGOs are often regarded with suspicion and as potential competitors by governments and other organizations. These constraints, however, should not be considered major drawbacks, since many members of NGOs are renowned experts in their fields and well respected in the scientific community and by policy makers. Thus, as long as there is a clear understanding as to the roles of the government sector and the NGOs, NGOs will always be seen as significant contributors to the development of the fisheries industry. However, it is important that the NGOs, after identifying the role they can play effectively, continue to develop linkages with the appropriate agencies. The NGOs role should be to provide the missing links or even to complement the ongoing process by strengthening the aspirations of the identified partners. In the process, it is also important that professionalism be maintained in all dealings. Future strategies of NGOs should be to communicate more effectively their visions and policies to the parties concerned, including governments and donor agencies, to ensure effective implementation. The NGOs are a foundation for good organizational operations and, as seen in the case of the AFS, an excellent form of networking which should be further utilized by the agencies concerned. Meanwhile, the establishment and maintenance of good relationships between all partners and the NGOs are crucial to their success.
REFERENCES
Arthur, J.R. (ed.), 1987. Fish Quarantine and Fish Diseases in South and Southeast Asia: 1986 Update. Report of the Asian Fish Health Network Workshop held in Manila, The Philippines, 30 May 1986. Asian Fish. Soc. Spec. Publ. No. 1, 86 p.
Arthur, J.R. (ed.) 1992. Asian Fish Health Bibliography and Abstracts I: Southeast Asia. Fish Health Sect., Asian Fish. Soc., Spec. Publ. No. 1, 252 p.
Kuo, C.-M., J.-L. Wu and P.-P. Hwang, 1995. Proceedings of the International Symposium on Biotechnology Applications in Aquaculture. 5–10 December, 1994, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC, Asian Fish. Soc. Spec. Publ. No. 10, 252 p.
Farrington, J., D.J. Lewis, S. Satish and A. Miclat-Teves, 1993. Non-governmental Organizations and the State in Asia: Rethinking Roles in Sustainable Agricultural Development. Routledge, London, 366 p.
Shariff, M., J.R. Arthur and R.P. Subasinghe (eds.), 1995. Diseases in Asian Aquaculture II. Proceedings of the Second Symposium on Diseases in Asian Aquaculture, 24–29 October, 1993, Phuket, Thailand. Asian Fish. Soc., Fish Health Sect., Manila, Philippines. 550 p.
Shariff, M., R.P. Subasinghe and J.R. Arthur (eds.), 1992. Diseases in Asian Aquaculture I. Proceedings of the First Symposium on Diseases in Asian Aquaculture, 26–29 November, 1990, Bali, Indonesia. Fish Health Sect., Asian Fish. Soc., Manila, Philippines, 587 p.
Subasinghe, R.P., and M. Shariff (eds.), 1994. Diseases in Aquaculture: the Current Issues. Proceedings of a Seminar Organized by the Malaysian Fisheries Society and the Department of Fisheries, Malaysia, 6 February, 1996, Kuala Lumpur. Malaysian Fish. Soc. Publ. No. 8, 173 p
Wakabayashi, H. (ed.), 1994. Asian Fish Health Bibliography III. Japan. Asian Fish. Soc., Fish Health Sect. Spec. Publ. No. 3, 136 p.
