In the framework of its activities, MEDRAP II organised a Training Course and Sites Survey on Mediterranean Artemia, from 25 to 30 May, 1994 in Tunisia and Libya. This activity was prepared by experts from Algeria, Tunisia and Belgium met on 7 and 8 october 1993, at the Artemia Reference Centre, in Ghent University.
The objectives of this activity, was to update participants with the biology, ecology and production potential of Artemia in and outside the Mediterranean basin. Participants would be urged to learn how to explore the potential of Artemia developments in their own country and to set up integrated systems for commercial production of salt, Artemia, fish and shrimp.
Having been participating to the Mediterranean Artemia Training Course and Site survey, MEDRAP members delegates from Algeria, Cyprus; Egypt, Lebanon, Turkey, Morocco, Libya and Tunisia. These participants were selected upon those who have good background and practical experience on Artemia biology and ecology and upon researchers or engineers involved partly or totally in Artemia studying production activities.
Eminent experts on Artemia from Belgium, Egypt, Greece, Spain, Tunisia, United Kingdom and USA were invited to present conferences on Artemia and enrich the debates through their experience in the relevant field.
The first part of the Mediterranean Training Course and Site Survey started in Tunis - Tunisia. It was organised in concertation with the Tunisian Fishery and Aquaculture General Directory, while the second part ended in Sirte - Libya and sponsored by the Libyan Marine Biology Research Centre.
On the way from Tunis to Sirte a study tour allowed the participants to visit several potential areas for Artemia and to perform demonstrations and practical works related to its ecology and exploitation.
The first session held in Tunis was opened by Mr. H. Akrout, the project coordinator, who welcomed all participants and proceeded to the election of Training Course Officials as following :
| Chairman | : Mr. Samir Ghoneim | (Egypt) |
| Vice Chairperson | : Mrs. Nevin Gokgoz | (Turkey) |
| Rapporteurs | : Mr. George Georgiou | (Cyprus) |
| : Mr. Belkhir Mohiedine | (MEDRAP II) |
The relevant proposed activities agenda was discussed and adopted.
The official session was opened while in Sirte under his Excellency the Minister of Fisheries in Libya. The Lybia Sub-regional coordinator welcomed the participants and enumurated benefits that Libyan scientific and technical staff particularly got from MEDRAP activities. He presented then, the guidelines and main activities that Lybia proposed to enhance and to develop aquaculture sector, and finally stressed the presents for more cooperation in order to promote activities related to Artemia production and uses.
The project coordinator, Mr. Hassen Akrout prsented his congratulations to the Libyan authorities for hosting the Training Course and Site Survey on Mediterranean Artemia and to his Excellency the Minister of Fisheries for chairing this meeting. He notified that Libya was and still playing an efficient role at national and sub-regional scales through their coordinators. Mr. Akrout thanked the UNDP representative for all efforts he did in contribution to MEDRAP activity in Libya and through him, he also addressed the FAO for its support and contribution to MEDRAP activities. Lastly, Mr. Akrout addressed all participants and invited them to forget the long bus way travel wishing to them full success in their works and very good stay in Libya.
Thenafter, the UNDP representative and his Excellency, the Minister of Fisheries in Libya took, successfuly the floor. They each addressed the participants for attending the training course and contributing efficiently to the success of its works. They expressed their full satisfactory with the achievement so far of the project which contributed in the implementation for a permanent cooperation, by creating four network which were already initiated and called the SIPAM (system of Information for the Promotion of Aquaculture in the Mediterranean), the TECAM (Technology of Aquaculture in the Mediterranean), the SELAM (Socio-economic and Legal Aspects of Aquaculture in the Mediterranean) and the EAM (Evironment and Aquaculture in the Mediterranean). They also highlighted the need to consolidate cooperation between north and south, by handling collaborative research in specific activity in the field of cooperation. Artemia activity would be an excellent example to more exchange of experience between the mediterranean countries and to enhance sustainable human development.
The conferences given by the invited experts, Mr. P. Sorgeloos, Mr. F. Amat, Mr. F. Hontoria, Mr. S. Pilla, Mr. V. Stappen, showed that a lot of scientific and technical works having been done on Artemia and results are tremendous and conspeicuous; conferences appended, allowed to rise hereunder, the main groups of accurate subjects related to the promotion of Artemia production, beyond it the aquaculture and the larvae culture in particular:
State of the art on Artemia as basic support to aquaculture (biological and ecological characteristics. Main areas of production and potentialities. Practical requirements for culturists and enrichment of Artemia in larvae culture.
Statement of mediterraneanArtemia and perspective of development (Artemia population. Genetics of bisexual Artemia. Model of quality evaluation. Artemia strain selection. Naupliar manipulation and use in aquaculture. Integration of Artemia with salt production and constraints.
Artemia commercial model system (presentation of case study in USA, Vietnam, Egypt and Tunisia).
The study four which was of a big interest allowed the participants to have field observations and to learn about the ecological characteristics of Artemia in their biotopes either in Tunisia when visiting the saltworks of Megrine (north part) of Sahline (central part) and of Sfax (south part) or in Libya when visiting the salt lake of Abi Kamech;
During the discussion where having field visits, it was pointed out that the geographical distribution of Artemia is covering the whole mediterranean basin and the could be of a big potentiality of Artemia production now technically possible to be reached.
In order to improve Artemia productivity in saltworks, Prof. Sorgeloos emphasised the link between this productivity and the management of saltlakes, he highlighted the need to mainly conduct the following activities:
to deepen the pond when technically possible, in order to increase its water depth;
to apply fertilisation to enhance phytoplankton growth and macroalgae the growth of which should be inhibited if not avoided;
to improveArtemia strain. It was pointed out that Artemia franciscana is a very prolific species even at high salinities (up to 310 %0) while Artemia tunisiana is less prolific and it can only with stand salinities of up to 210 %0. Also, quality of the final product should be taken into consideration (cysts and biomass) and not only the quantity.
Beside the saltworks, participants enjoyed visiting the facilities of the marine fish farming called “Aquaculture Tunisienne de Hergla” in Tunisia and the ones in Libya of aïn kaab aquaculture farm at Khoms. They also have a scope on Artemia use in marine fish hatchery (in Tunisia) and in integrated fish farm of Aïn Kaab which is concerned by both the fresh water culture and marine water shrimp culture.
On the way going from Tunis (Tunisia) to Sirte (Libya) the participants visited the facilities of two research centers and get informed about the existing skills and kind of research programmes going on Artemia and other species in the “Centre National d'Aquaculture de Monastir” in Tunisia and in the “Marine Biology Research Centre” of Tajoura, in Libya. There is need to indicate that the study tour allowed to learn on some economical aspects, when visiting the Man Made River Project in Sirte (Libya), and the industrial complex in Abi Kamech saltlake and also on touristical ones when visiting archeological sites mainly El Jem in Tunisia and Lebda in Libya.
Despite the presence of Artemia and several areas of relatively high potentiality of Artemia natural production, most of the participating countries to the training course seemed to indicate that Artemia population still remain unidentified and needed more cooperation to go further in having food food skills and more knowledge in order to exploit benefically the local Artemia.
Indeed, the delegates national reports related to Artemia activities in Tunisia, Morocco, Lybia, Egypt, Lebanon, Turkey and Algeria showed that Artemia still beeing a big concern in their aquaculture structure and that need more works and studies before getting satisfied in producing qualitatively and quantitatively their respective local Artemia.
Conclusions and Recommendations
Considering:
MEDRAP Project has contributed to more exchange of experience between mediterranean countries.
Artemia production activities are source of creation of jobs, where women should participate actively in development of this matter.
The activity on Artemia would be more productive in the context of marine resources, hence Artemia activity should consider this ultimate objective as an important requirement.
The production of Artemia is a part of achieving sustainable food security of the region.
The production of this activity required development of competence and advanced scientific technologic capacity which would be required only through human development resources and beyond it in the achievement of sustainable human development.
The participants insisted to training and also to promotion of the private sector role.
The participants insisted on the consolidation of cooperation between mediterranean countries on Artemia activities, which is an excellent example of consolidating relations between North and South.
The participants expressed satisfactory with the achievement so far of the MEDRAP Project which lead to landing national project and more important effort in training of national competence; and they recommend:
More exchange in the future through seminars, consultancies, study tours and especially collaborative research.
The identification of existing national resources and the possible areas of Artemia production.
The compilation and the treatment of information on local Artemia strains in collaboration and through SIPAM.
The set up a demonstration project on Artemia permitting the use for extension and advanced training purposes through TECAM.
The identification of the present Artemia requirements and perform commercial feasibility studies possible new market outlets.
