The intergovernmental meeting on the protection of the Mediterranean held in Barcelona from 28 January to 4 February 1975, in recommending the establishment of a coordinated programme for promotion of the better utilization of marine resources, specifically mentioned aquaculture as one of the ongoing activities to be developed or expanded. An expert consultation, convened by UNEP and FAP and held in Athens in 1978, reviewed the aquaculture situation in the region and approved the proposal for a regional cooperative project. Following further discussions, a preliminary project (RER/78/004) was approved by UNDP and FAO. Under this project, an expert mission was sent to the field to work out a cooperative programme and investigate the possibilities of using existing technologies, improving techniques, of conducting research and of testing new techniques on a pilot scale.
In 1980, a preparatory phase (DRER/78/033) was approved to investigate and select activities to be launched prior to the principal phase. The senior project specialist was recruited and, after visits to and discussions in each country of the region, he drew up an action programme for basic training of specialized personnel and support and monitoring of pilot projects financed by the countries themselves, to provide for practical training and dissemination of techniques chosen for their regional interest, a network for dissemination information, particularly through the establishment of a technical data bank, etc.
This report describes the activities and results of the preparatory phase of this project.
The immediate objectives of the project were to carry out the preparatory activities necessary for the implementation of the main phase of the Mediterranean Regional Aquaculture Project (MEDRAP), and more specifically:
select a site for the project's headquarters;
negotiated the agreement on responsibilities of the host government and the executing agency;
identify candidates and undertake preparatory action for the recruitment of technical and administrative personnel for the project;
take necessary preliminary action for the procurement of essential equipment and supplies for project activities;
in consultation with the participating countries, formulate in further detail activities to be carried out on a regional and national basis;
initiate discussions with sub-contracting institutions for the implementation of relevant aspects of the project.
In addition, it was requested that discussions on additional financial support be undertaken and that project activities proposed during the main phase be initiated.
The preparatory phase started on 16 June 1980, with an initial duration of 12 months, and the project coordinator was recruited on this date. Due to the financial situation of UNDP and difficulties in communication between UNDP and FAO, the start of the main phase (initially planned for July 1981) was postponed and the preparatory phase continued to December 1983. This period should therefore be considered as the beginning of project activities planned for the main phase but their execution was constrained by ad hoc extensions, resulting in difficulties in preparing and adhering to work plans.
UNDP inputs amounted to US$ 732 550, including US$ 120 000 for the preliminary mission (1978/79); as there was no cost-sharing, there were no government inputs. UNDP inputs covered the project coordinator post, consultants, training activities and provision of equipment.
The project was based in Tunisia (September 1981) and benefited from the hospitality of the Institut National Scientifique et Technique d'Océanographie et des pêches (INSTOP), Commissariat Général à la Pêche, Ministère de L'Agriculture, which provided office space and local personnel assistance (secretaries, drivers, etc.).
The project also benefited from the assistance of FAO's Technical Cooperation Programme which contributed substantially to the planning of aquaculture development in some countries of the region (Tunisia, Syria, Morocco) and assisted in initiating pilot project in Tunisia and Morocco. FAO/TCP inputs amounted to US$ 244 000.
The project organized a training session on marine hatchery technologies in Sète, France and gratefully acknowledge the support of France's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and of the Université des Sciences et Techniques du Languedoc, Department of Aquaculture, which provided grants for the trainees, experts and the location for the session.
The project also received assistance from the EEC, Direction Générale de l'Environnement, which provided hydrobiology experts for studies in Greece and Morocco.
In addition to the UNDP standard progress reports, several reports were prepared in the form of travel reports and field documents; these are listed in Appendix 1.
During the preparatory phase, the project carried out two priority activities:
- the implementation of pilot projects in the countries;
- the initiation of the first training activities.
The most important portion of the inputs and activities, although the budget was equally shared between the two UNDP bureaux, was devoted to the Arab countries which received about 60% of the training funds, 95% of the consultancies and 64% of the equipment (see Appendix 2). Owing to the more advanced state of aquaculture development in some of the European countries and the very high demand from the Arab countries for consultancies and training, this distribution appeared appropriate but it was proposed that for the next phase, the budget provided by the Regional Bureau for the Arab countries, be increased.
