50. This topic was considered under “Any other matters” as it arose from the conclusions and recommendations of several working groups. Initially action on training was requested under articles 27 and 28 of the first session of COPESCAL, Mar del Plata, March 1979. The need for training in resources was further raised as point 3.2 of the report of the Working Party on Fishery Resources (COPESCAL/81/4), recommendations 11 (b) and 13 (a) of the report on the Working Party on Fisheries Technology (COPESCAL/81/5) and was also identified as a possible need for aquaculture. In presenting the topic the Secretariat pointed out the difficulties inherent in the formulation of a policy on training arising from the many different levels at which training is needed. Three main levels may be defined: (1) training of high level specialists and administrators, (2) training of middle level technicians and supervisors and, (3) training and extension at the most basic level of the fishermen and allied industries. It was agreed that discussions of this topic should be limited to categories (1) and (2) above and that extension should be considered as the concern of individual countries although FAO through COPESCAL can assist national programmes through the preparation of simple guides such as those currently being issued on rural aquaculture, simple techniques of boat building, etc.
51. Arising from the recommendations of the first session of COPESCAL, the delegations of Colombia renewed its offer to provide an international training centre for inland fisheries at the University of Sucre. This University, ideally situated for such training in the basin of the Magdalena, Cauca and San Jorge rivers, is at present developing a programme of instruction in inland fisheries in conjunction with the National University.
52. Attention was drawn by many delegations to the large numbers of centres in the region providing training in aquaculture. The International Training Centre at Pirassununga, the promotion of exchange of trainees among various training programmes of the region coordinated by SELA project 5, and the facilities for training in many of the individual countries were particularly referred to, and it was decided that no further major facility for training in aquaculture are at present needed in the region. However, the Commission strongly endorsed a further exchange of personnel for training and asked that the Secretariat prepare an inventory of institutions offering training in the region. In this respect the Dominican Republic made a formal offer of the experimental fish farming station at Nigua as a sub-regional centre dealing with problems of aquaculture in the Caribbean and allied areas. Mexico also offered its training facilities in aquaculture for use by other countries in the region to meet some of their training needs.
53. There remains the need for training at both the post-graduate and graduate levels in other aspects of the development and management of capture fisheries and of fish and fishing technology. All delegations strongly supported the Colombian proposal to provide a training centre for inland fisheries. To assist the Colombian authorities in elaborating a programme fully adapted to the needs of the continent, it was recommended that the various countries forward details of the prospectuses of any fishery courses in their own national institutions to the University of Sucre. It was also recommended that FAO provide a consultant to assist in the preparation of the courses to be presented at the centre using the material at present being prepared for the West African Economic Community (CEAO) region of Africa as a basis.
