1 Following a recommendation of the Symposium on the Major Communicable Fish Diseases in Europe and their Control organized in conjunction with the Seventh Session of the European Inland Fisheries Advisory Commission (EIFAC) in April 1972, a first Government Consultation on an International Convention for the Control of the Spread of Major Communicable Fish Diseases was held in Aviemore, Scotland, in April–May 1974 to discuss a draft text prepared by the FAO Secretariat.
2 The first Consultation expressed a general support for a Convention and recommended that a revised draft should be prepared taking into account the views expressed at the Consultation. A new draft was accordingly circulated to interested governments in August 1975.
3 The replies from Governments, which were generally favourable to the proposed draft Convention nevertheless indicated that a number of problems still remained to be solved and that a further Government Consultation would be necessary. The replies also indicated a feeling that the competent organizations dealing with fish diseases, and in particular the International Office of Epizootics (OIE) and FAO should cooperate in promoting international control over fish diseases.
4 Accordingly, meetings were organized at the Secretariat level between OIE and FAO and as a result it was agreed to organize jointly a second Government Consultation to discuss the proposed draft Convention further.
