1. The first session of the COPESCAL Working Party on Aquaculture on 18 April 1983 was opened by Mr Frank Omar Perez, the Minister of Agricultural Development, after a few brief words of welcome.
2. Next, Mr M. Pedini, Technical Secretary of the Working Party, took the floor. On behalf of the Director-General of FAO and the Officer-in-Charge of the Fisheries Department, Mr Pedini welcomed participants.
3. The local organizer, Dr Richard Pretto Malca, National Director of Aquaculture of the Ministry of Agricultural Development (MIDA) made a short speech welcoming participants from nine Latin American countries.
4. This was followed by the adoption of the agenda, with no modifications. As this was a working party, the officers were appointed by the local organizer, Dr Richard Pretto Malca, and the Technical Secretary, Mr Mario Pedini.
