This report has been prepared as a contribution to the Steering Committee Meeting - Third Session convened in Tirana Dec. 10 and 11 1992.
In performing its intended role in Croatia MEDRAP II has been severely limited by lack of financial and staff support in the 1992. Some problems were partially overcomed by involving host institution (Institute of Oceanography and Fisheries, Split); unfortunately this Institute in the second half of 1992 has suffered from under-funding.
The main benefit of MEDRAP II came through information flow, personal contact via seminars workshops, and institutional interactions.
Eventhough general conditions for most of the MEDRAP II related activities were suboptimal and the time will be needed to be able to support all the MEDRAP functions, some very promising signs of progress could by mentioned. Majority actions are recognised in the private sector rather than public sector. Most of these initiatives were motivated in getting something started in more effective way (license for site being used, legislative measures, feed production problems, supply of fingerlings etc.).
The main concern of both, existing fish producers and these who are getting involved in production is market which was found significantly changed. Italian market, where majority of the mariculture product, was focused is not willing to pay high prices for mariculture product, not at least as used to be. In the situation in which local market is handicapped with tourism being collapsed, average export price drop down for ca 5000 lit/kg. If the quantities of sea bass and sea bream will keep supplying Italian market, "excess" high value fish will be sold on a much lower prices than it is now.
It seems that market is going to be important consideration for new investors in the mariculture industry in Croatia. We think that the time comes when market is to be create instead considering it as a something given. Market development could depend greatly on introduction of new product and distr4ibution of these product.
This will ask diversification in fish production by developing a continuously available product. Further important aspect is sales promotion of mariculture by promoting acceptabilities of these product.
Following recommendation of the MEDRAP II programme, national committee was constituted by involving various interested institutions and individuals dealing with mariculture or mariculture related activities. This committee, under the chairmanship of the national coordinator has started activities by elaborating complementarity of national mariculture programme with MEDRAP II, and defining the mechanisms for further cooperation.
The committee acknowledge the potentiality and interest in increasing fish production from mariculture.
It was concluded that the national activities relative to the MEDRAP II should be intensified and financially supported by the respective Ministry.
The following themes were identified as priority:
- Environmental aspect of mariculture by including site selection for implementation of various mariculture technologies (inshore, semi-offshore, offshore) and monitoring of mariculture related environmental parameters;
- Marketing in sense to promote market opportunities by diversifying production;
- Fish pathology oriented to prevention, diagnosis and control;
- Fish nutrition by developing and formulating feed for sea bass and sea bream based on utilization of local ingredients;
- Genetics, to the production of hybrids, triploids and monosex populations.
In addition to above mentioned priorities a number of mariculture related activities are pointed to be initiated if the effective development of mariculture industry is to be achieved. In spite of interest shown by private sector there is doubt about the effective participation of this sector unless the sufficient incentives is provided by the government. Poor economic prospect in the past - war situation may be the main problem in getting up a well organized mariculture development.
If MEDRAP II in Croatia will fulfill the objectives in 1993 there will be need to have more local support, to have enthusiastic staff involved in national committee while managing and implementing project.
Cyprus during 1992 participated quite actively and efficiently in all the MEDRAP II activities, with the exception of the Seminar on planification on aquaculture in Algeria due to difficulties in securing entry visa on time, and the workshop on mollusc culture in Nantes, France, since molluscs are not cultured in Cyprus.
The experimental projects on marine aquaculture, carried out at the Department's Experimental Marine Fish Culture Station at Meneou, progressed successfully. The major ongoing research projects were:
Diversification of aquaculture. This project concerns the diversification of the species under culture, but also their culture and marketing methods, as well as the system. The main species presently tried out are: Puntazzo puntazzo, Pagrus major, Siganus spp., Dentex dentex, Crassostrea gigas. The aim is to develop hatchery, nursery and fattening methods and techniques for rearing species with high aquaculture potentials, with long term objective, their commercial exploitation by the private sector of Cyprus.
Environmental impact of aquaculture. The objective is to study the impact of the aquaculture activities (seabass and seabream culture) on the aquatic environment in an effort to minimize it, through a series of corrective measures.
Improvement of live food production. The main live food species concerned are chlorella sp., Nannochloris sp., Isochrysis Tetraselmis suecica, Rodomonas sp., Brachionus Plicatilis, Tigriopus Japonicus, Artemia salina and some species of ciliates.
Environmental management of aquaculture development
The FAO/TCP project initiated in 1991 on the above subject was
reaching completion by the end of 1992. Within this project the
national expertise was enhanced on environmentally acceptable
aquaculture technology and appraisal was made on environmental
feasibility and development potentials of aquaculture.
Aquaculture legislation was drafted defining the regulatory and
administrative measures for sustainable aquaculture development.
Training
In addition to training within the MEDRAP II framework the Department of Fisheries organised a group of 1112 interested Cypriot fish farmers who attended in Greece a one month seminar on marine aquaculture. The seminar covered all aspects of mariculture and included some field trips to aquaculture installations.
Constraints
The mass growth of the alga Cladophora sp. that caused problems to the tourist industry of the island, disappeared in the autumn of 1991. During 1992 the alga not appear in significant numbers in any of the sea areas of Cyprus. the government withdrew its decision of suspending the operations of the nearby fish fattening farm and the mass growth of Cladophora was attributed by various experts to the unusual environmental parameters that prevailed during 1990 and 1991 in the area. An agreement was made between the owner company and the government to transform the farm into a hatchery, to install an effluent treatment system and to carry out its fish fattening activities in open sea cages.
Due to economic and environmental considerations the government stated encouraging the establishment offshore cage culture Units.
Production
The total fry production (Seabream, seabass) of Cyprus during 1991 was 6.7 million as compared with 5.5 million in 1990. Out of these 6.3 million were exported and 0.4 million were kept in Cyprus for ongrowing.
The total 1891 production of table size fish (350g) , mainly seabream and a small quantity of seabass, was 60 tons compared with 50 tons 1990.
The production of table size fish is expected to increase sharply in the future with the implementation of the offshore cage culture system. One such unit started operations in 1991 and three others in 1992.
In order to manage the sector better than nowadays, The Government has given a proposal to The Parliament in view of the fisherman's desire to set up a General Directorate or related Ministry on Fisheries and Aquaculture in 1992. As you know, fisheries has been managed. by the some subdivision of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affaire since 1983 in Turkey. The state will be clear at the beginning of next year.
The National Committee was established with the relevant to MEDRAP II. Fisheries Research Council accepted a aquaculture project proposal of this Committee. These follow
The research about aquaculture possibilities of some marine fishes in The Black Sea.
Trial aquaculture activities on Lobsters.
Sponge culture.
Fish culture in net cages in Egirdir Lake.
The other project is “to determine the suitable areas and/of species for aquaculture in turkey” that supported by the World Bank. the mentioned project is going to begin this month.
About the information system that decided to the meeting in Egypt, the collecting of static data is being continued/ This will be finished until middle of next year.
On the other hand Turkey participated to all activities organized by MEDRAP II except the seminar on planification of aquaculture production in Algeria.
Some companies are investigating to make investment on the matter of diversification of aquaculture products, especially the joint-venture with Fussion is being thought.
Moreover Rainbow trout (Salmon gartner) in floating net cages was cultured in the Black Sea 1992 and about 700 tons production was estimated but some difficulties were happened during marketing due to high temperature of sea water in summer.
The expected conflict between tourism and aquaculture sector has seen but this problem has been solved by active campaign of farmers who culture in net cages around the Bodrum peninsula.
The construction of two hatchery plants that belongs to Government have been finished as well as other two hatchery plants that belongs to private sector, that 5 plant would serve reproduction purpose of marine species (seabass and seabream) in next year. The number of floating net-cages farm reached about 100 and the total production of seabass and seabream will increase from 1200 tons in 1992 to 3–4000 tons in 1993 (estimated).
Although Lebanon could not formalise as yet its national aquaculture development programme, it did however, participate in MEDRAP II manifestations whenever possible.
Various members of the staff of the NCSR/Marine Research Center benefitted from the training sessions and the workshops.
Communication with Lebanon, and the Coordinating Unit in Tunisia, FAO/Rome, and the Sub-Regional Center in Cyprus continue to be difficult at times. However, no effort is spared to betsituation. Lebanon is particularly grateful to the Sub-Regional Coordinating Unit for their cooperation and assistance.
A new effort will be done with collaboration of the Ministry of
Agriculture in order to reactive the national programme through the
National Council for Development and Reconstruction.
We feel FAO and UNDP could play a catalytic role in this respect in
view of the exceptional situation Lebanon faces.
The sub-regional center of Ex-yugoslavia was faced with objective difficulties which were, caused mainly by war. The main difficulty was insufficient communication with the countries concerned, and Coordination Center in Tunis.
As regard to the MEDRAP II activities National Coordinators of Croatia, Turkey an Albania have highlighted present situation and problems in their countries.
The participation of countries representatives of the sub-region to the MEDRAP II activities was very active, except representatives of BULGARIA.
It is recommended that due to the constant difficulties in participation of Bulgarian representatives, this matter has to be checked by Project Coordinator and Sub-Regional Coordinator.
The role that the Sub-regional Center was expected to play within the structure of MEDRAP II was confined by objective difficulties.
Lebanon and Syria still did not proceed with their national projects on marine aquaculture and aquaculture in these countries was limited to freshwater species, while Cyprus has marine aquaculture and paid much attention to its further development.
Revised terms of reference for the UN-Volunteer, who was originally agreed to be posted at the Cyprus Sub-regional Center, were prepared by the Sub-regional Coordinator and forwarded to Tunis Center in order to facilitate the recruitment of the right person. The post of the UN-volunteer finally was not filled for reasons beyond our control.
The only activity taking place at the Sub-regional level was the forwarding of the information received from the Tunis Center to the countries of the Subregion and vice versa. Also this role of the intermediate is the flow of information was played, on several occasion, for Bulgaria and Albania, because of the difficult situation prevailing at their Sub-regional Center.
The feedback from the countries of the subregion has considerably improved compared with the year before, but, despite our efforts, it declined again by the end of summer. So we assume that direct contact with the Tunis Center has been established.
The participation of the countries of the subregion to the MEDRAP II activities was very active and representatives from the three countries attended most of the seminars and workshops organized by MEDRAP II.
As a general conclusion it is recommended that due attention should be paid to some of the facts referred to, in this report when deciding for MEDRAP III structures and modes of operation.
The constitution meeting of the Network of Diversification of aquaculture production in the Mediterranean Region took place in Cadiz, Spain, on the 13th April, 1992 following the workshop on Marine Hatchery Management, organised by MEDRAP II.
Cyprus is the Network Coordination Center, and Mr. G. Georgiou the Network Coordinator.
Thirteen MEDRAP II member countries were represented by one or two participants: Albania, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Egypt, Lebanon, Libya, Malta, Morocco, Portugal, Syria, Tunisia, Turkey, and Croatia. The following decisions were taken:
The Network will cover mainly three aspects:
Species diversification.
Technology and Culture systems diversification.
Marketing diversification
As focal points from each member country will act the relevant institutes/bodies. Each country indicated the species on which work will be carried out within the framework of the diversification Network.
Offshore cage culture was the main interest regarding diversification of technology and culture systems.
The services of a consultant may be employed for research in the field of marketing diversification.
Cooperation can be managed by such activities as:
exchange of information
exchange of biological material
working group meetings.
establishment of a data base
Financial aspects will be managed by member countries, according to their research plans, priorities and resources.
The next meeting on diversification, during which research papers will be presented form the focal points was decided to be organised in about one year. The financial venue will be decided later.
It was stressed by all participants, including those from the private sector, that a close cooperation should exist between administration/research center and the private sector of each country to enhance the objectives of the network. Activities carried out by the private sector, within this framework, can be associated with the Network through the National Coordinator of each country.
Delegates present
Prof. C. Agius (Malta) Chairman; Dr. J. Menezes (Portugal) Vice-Chairman; Mr. E. Angoni (Albania); Mr. O. Beji (MEDRAP); Mr. A. Savides Cyprus); Mr. I. Katavic (Croatia); Mr. A. Frappas (Greece); Mr, K. Karanikolas (Greece); Mrs. H. Attia (Tunisia); Mr. V. Ashwa (Egypt); Prof. G; Koksal (Turkey); Dr. H. Kouyoumjian (Lebanon); Dr. Talbouti (Morocco); Dr. T. Matsusato (FAO)
Country Reviews
The chairman asked all country representatives to provide a succinct review of the status of fish pathology activities and needs in their countries.
In all MEDRAP countries such activities are still in their infancy
(as is the industry itself in a good number of cases) with no more
than one or two institution being in any way involved with fish
pathology diagnostic, research and development work.
Diseases reported and investigated are largely of a parasitic
origin reflecting probably the more straightforward nature of the
diagnostic technique involved. A few microbiological conditions
were described but only in a very rudimentary manner.
Some representatives presented full country reports which are appended.
MEDRAP II have already collected statistics and it is the aim of the newly formed network to keep an updated set of statistics always available.
Conclusions and Recommendations
Referring to the list of urgent needs in the discipline of fish pathology in the Mediterranean as approved by workshop delegates on 25/11/92 (workshop report refers) it was agreed that priorities be established and a limited number of top priority but low cost deficiencies be tackled in order to keep within a moderately ambitious and realistic set of objectives. This approach is more likely to lead to the success of the network as it allows it to get into gear, achieve some results and at the same time give the required breathing space to prepare thoroughly for the equally urgent but more expensive needs.
During the network meeting it was decided to priorities the following targets:
Production of a Newsletter
This will be entitled: Mediterranean Fish Health Netowrk: Aquatic marine animal diseases. It will be published quarterly in English. Prof. C. Agius will be the editor/Coordinator an its production will be coordinated by the National Aquaculture Center of Malta. The main scope of this newsletter will be to create a permanent forum of rapid exchange of new ideas and developments throughout the Mediterranean region in the discipline to fish pathology. Member countries were urged to contribute generously so as to ensure the establishment and long-term success of this publication. The first publication is expected in March 1993.
Review publication on Mediterranean fish diseases
In order to rectify the lack of information on fish pathology in the region and its disparate distribution it was agreed to explore the possibility of commissioning a comprehensive review of the state of the knowledge on Mediterranean marine fish pathology which apart from reviewing the essential aspects of the discipline should emphasize current diagnostic methodology and its application to the Mediterranean region.
Dr. Matsusato, the FAO representative, strongly supported the
proposal and promised he would secure financial assistance towards
this publications. He referred specifically to being in a position
to support a consultant for this assignment.
Prof. C. Agius promised to initiate procedures by preparing draft
terms of reference for such a consultant and to propose a draft
contents of such a publication.
High-Level training on specialised diagnostic methodology
In order to address the deficiencies in the human resource sector particularly at the specialised level it was agreed to explore the possibility of organising a series of highly specialised training courses on topics which from time to time are considered as crucial for the development of commercial agriculture.
To serve as a teething problem resolver as well as a model it was decide to propose the organisation of such a course on methodology specific to diagnostic bacteriology in Mediterranean marine aquaculture. The target audience would be fish veterinarians or biologist/microbiologists who are in charge of diagnostic bacteriology for the aquaculture industry in their respective countries.
It would desirable that this course be held in a Mediterranean institution which is considered as a specialised and lead laboratory in this highly specific discipline. This is likely to be in France, Italy, Spain or Portugal.
Prof. Agius with Dr. Menezes and Mr. Beji's assistance agreed to prepare a tentative programme, costing and any other documents necessary at this early planning stage.
It was also agreed to start exploratory discussions with institutions that could potentially host such an activity
Diagnostic Service Center
It is considered of utmost priority to establish in the Mediterranean region a specialised diagnostic service center in marine fish diseases which would serve primarily as:
a reference center for the region i.e. to establish reference collections of pathogens, data etc.,
a center for diagnosing new disease conditions and for providing a regional service in diagnosis requiring high level technologies eg. certain virological technologies, electron microscopy.
It is obvious however that such an undertaking requires very substantial investments and it was considered prudent at this stage to propose the commissioning of a consultant's report on the regional need for such a facility and to recommend what the precise needs are as well as advice on the setting up of such a center. Professor Agius agreed to provide a set of draft terms of reference for the appointment of such a consultant.
Dr. Matsusato, the FAO representative reiterated this is of significant interest to FAO and promised he would do his best to secure financial support for this consultant.
