The development of the programme of work has started with some delays and a reduction in the scope of the activities of the work programme put forward in 1989. The work season of 1990 should therefore be considered a training and orientation period in preparation for next year's full season of research and investigation.
The individual technical inputs continue to be satisfactory.
The translation needs continue to be well covered by Mr Yang Hongzhi, with additional support from Mr Zhou Yiming. There are the expected delays and additional workload due to the language transfer, but these are giving no significant problems in the development of the work programme.
The Qinghai Lake Investigation Team has received one new member during the year. Assistant Engineer, Ms Wang Lihua has joined the team and will be engaged primarily in laboratory work, including scale readings for age determination of the fish sampled. It is understood that Assistant Engineer, Ms Hu Chueihua, is no longer a member of the Lake Investigation Team, but continues to be in charge of the equipment for the whole project. In 1991 it is expected that Mr Yan Zhongshuen will be transferred to the Fishculture Team, in order to take over the management of the proposed naked carp hatchery.
Under the overall direction of the National Project Director (NPD) Mr Qiu Ben Chen, the team now consists of the following personnel:
| Mr Wang Jiling | - | Team Leader/Senior Engineer |
| Mr Yang Honzhi | - | Deputy Team Leader/Engineer |
| Ms Wang Lihua | - | Assistant Engineer |
| Mr Yuan Yuongguo | - | Assistant Engineer |
| Ms Chen Yanging | - | Technician |
| Mr Wan Zhenji | - | Technician |
| Mr Yan Zhongshuen | - | Technician |
Mr Wang Jiling continues to be in charge of the scientific work and Mr Yang Hongzhi continues to be responsible for the administration and day-to-day running of the team.
The accommodation provided at the Extension and Training Centre and the Institute of Aquatic Products at Xining is continuing to be quite adequate to the present needs of the project. However, there has been no work carried out on the proposed installation of a laboratory at the Centre.
A decision as to the laboratory accommodation must be made before the installation of the project equipment. This is anticipated for early 1991.
The accommodation at the lakeside is minimal and no proper storage or working facilities have been provided as recommended and promised.
There are continuing problems with the carriage of equipment (including the dinghy). There have been numerous instances when the project transport has not been given priority for project work and the promised auxiliary transport from the Bureau pool of vehicles has not been readily available.
Considering the difficulties observed during the mission of the consultant, it can be assumed that these difficulties will be greater when he is not present on the project. A part of this problem is the lack of administrative authority on the part of the Lake Investigation Team members (see Section 3.6).
This vessel is proving quite adequate as , a work vessel for the investigations on the lake. The modifications that were, for the most part, completed in the first half of the year have provided a suitable working environment. There are still some minor works and repairs to accident damage that have to be completed and a memorandum covering these aspects has been left with the NPD (see Appendix 1).
Of particular concern is the current low safety standards on board. There is no survival gear, life rafts, fire extinguishers etc. It is understood that the equipment ordered is somewhere en route but as to exactly where this consignment is, or its probable arrival date, there seems to be no definite information.
The work programme of the lake investigation team does not appear to be always given first priority in the use of this boat and its crew. It is also noticed that when required for use the state of preparedness is poor.
The standard of crew and investigator comfort, catering and hygiene is low, and the conditions make it difficult for the crew to spend more than a night or two on the vessel. This is unfortunate as the distance along the E-W axis of the lake from the team base at the fish factory to the important migration and spawning areas is a full day's voyage. This situation can readily be corrected by attention to the delegation of authority and responsibility (see Appendix 2).
Most of the equipment is now on site, with the major exceptions of the boat safety equipment (see section 3.4.2) and the experimental nets. The delays in the specifying and ordering of these nets means that the material will not be on site until, at the earliest, April/May of 1991. The delay in the arrival of this equipment should not significantly affect the progress of the Lake Investigation Team work programme.
The limnological survey equipment that has been used so far in the work programme has proved very satisfactory. It is proposed that some minor additions/modifications to this equipment are requested after discussions with the technical staff at FAO HQ.
Despite repeated requests there is still no shelving, or similar provision, for the storage of the project equipment at the Institute Building in Xining. The disorder and lack of control of the considerable quantities of high value equipment lead to risk of loss and damage and difficulty in finding the equipment when needed.
Despite requests, over the last 12 months, it has proved difficult to provide simple purpose-built wooden containers for the storage and protection of equipment during transport and use in the field. This problem should be attended to during the winter season.
The further calibration and functional checks of some of the survey equipment is still required. It is hoped that this can be done after the laboratory is established during the proposed consultancy visit of Mr Smith at the beginning of the the next field work season (April 1991).
The major administrative issue is the continuing lack of a team member with the seniority or ability to make any but the most minor administrative or day-to-day work programme decisions. In consequence the technical staff are under-employed; work programme priorities in the use of personnel, materiels and equipment are ill-defined; the adherence to work programme time-tables is difficult; and there is poor organisation in the details of the field work activities. This lack of an adequate team leadership can only lead to project work programme delays and an unsatisfactory technical level of investigatory work throughout the lifetime of the project.
It is essential, therefore, that this problem is addressed with top priority, and a senior professional with adequate administrative authority, is made an active, full-time, working member of the Lake Investigation Team.
