by
LIC. ALEJANDRO CERVANTES DELGADO
Assistant Director for Economic and Fisheries Affairs
Mr. Plácido García Reynoso, Under-Secretary of Industry and Commerce; Dr. Sidney Holt, representing the Director-General of FAO; Dr. Miguel de Albornoz, Mexican Representative to the United Nations Development Programme; Mr. Adolfo Alarcón, Assistant Regional Representative of FAO for Latin America; Guests of Honor; Participants in this Conference; Ladies and Gentlemen:
It is a great honor and a matter of great satisfaction for me to welcome on behalf of my Government such a select group of scientists and technicians from all corners of the globe gathered here to consult each other and exchange experiences in one of the many fields of scientific research: shrimp and prawn biology.
This is neither the correct time nor place even to outline the long and impressive history of science dealing with the exploitation of marine resources. Yet I do consider it vital to mention one fact that is pertinent not only to such study but to the whole enormous task of achieving scientific and technological progress upon which mankind is embarked considering the aims, variety of methods and broad scope of this work. This unending, multifaceted task involving citizens of many nationalities, creeds and backgrounds, opens new avenues to international co-operation and the conquest of nature; above all, however, it opens the road to peace and harmony among nations, built not on fear but on understanding; may this peace and harmony be lasting:
Science - objective and selfless - seems to be the hope and guide of our times; it furnishes the great lesson of generosity, promoting justice and social balance.
Our growing interest in encouragement of scientific research and technology is neither accidental nor fortuitious. The United Nations and each of its Specialized Agencies, the governments of both the more developed and the emerging countries, and private enterprise are all contributing ever larger funds for the attainment of these noble ideals.
Man's demand for a better life, free of want, is being more and more strongly and insistently voiced throughout the world.
This, as I see it, is the reason the United Nations, and especially FAO, are anxious to have men pool their experience, exchange ideas and hold conferences in which those who subscribe to scientific humanism participate, men and women like yourselves who are striving to restore to scientific creativeness its essential role as the harbinger of welfare and happiness.
It is universally recognized that, for science to make progress, theory and practice must go hand in hand. This can readily be accomplished in the rich and more advanced countries, but the vast “third” world, with less resources and where scientific work is only in its infancy, can contribute very little to universal scientific theory. Mexico is enthusiastically and unswervingly marching along the road to development, but unfortunately is still in the latter category.
Indeed we watch with great admiration the formidable progress being made in the application of science to the processes of primary production, especially in agriculture and fisheries, and the unceasing appearance of new scientific and technological inventions strengthening the foundations of industry and the service trades. Frequently, however, our admiration is tinged with discouragement, for even when we learn of the scientific achievements of the more advanced countries we are not in the position to apply them, chiefly because of insufficient economic means.
Above all, when we think of the enormous volume of resources allocated to the production and perfection of instruments of war, of materials the only purpose of which is massive destruction, our discouragement turns into dismay. For - a sad fact to be reminded of just now - neither science nor technology have remained extraneous to negativistic tendencies although it is true - and this is encouraging - that there is a great legion of men working in science and technology for peaceful purposes. It is equally true that the arms race swallows up much of the labour force and economic resources of the great powers. This fact strengthens our conviction that we must struggle resolutely to take scientific research out of the service of war and discord. At best, science wasted thereon will be sterile. The efforts of all men and all nations should be bent in the opposite direction, toward productivity instead of belligerency; toward construction rather than destruction.
Until international disarmament becomes a reality, or at least until the arms race has been stopped, the co-operation of countries of goodwill with the dedicated support of world-wide organizations like FAO will continue to be essential for the development of scientific theory and practice in emerging countries.
The uneveness of development observable in many phase of economic life between a few major powers and the vast majority of member countries of the United Nations is evident in the field of fisheries as well. Therefore FAO's task of encouraging scientific investigation and sponsoring broad yet coherent international programs deserves our recognition.
Because the living conditions of a vast majority of the world's population are still deplorable, the emerging countries have the imperative obligation to make the utmost use of the advance achieved in the great centres of research for the best possible exploitation of their own resources.
Scientists setting out today to study the seas start out from advance bases of research, and with perseverance they will gradually establish new outposts of progress in scientific knowledge. The food deficiencies from which a great portion of humanity still suffers and the sombre predictions made by FAO as to the outlook for food production in the world, demand that oceanographic research be intensified. The investigation of aquatic resources must be systematic, comprehensive and thorough-going, not stopping at the upper surface of the oceans but penetrating into the mysteries of their currents and abysmal depths, so as to obtain the greatest benefit from the resources they offer us.
Unfalteringly moving ahead on the road to the material welfare of humanity, we must quicken our pace in scientific research for peaceful purposes. We must multiply our exchanges of experience, affording, as at this conference, opportunities for obtaining a panoramic view of present scientific achievements in all their up-to-date, wonderful complexity.
The occasion that brings us here today reveals FAO's deep concern to establish order and co-operation and improve conditions in the major sectors of fisheries. That is why it has convened this World Scientific Conference on the Biology of Shrimps and Prawns after the 1959 Meeting on Sardines and Related Species in Rome, and the 1962 World Scientific Conference on the Biology of Tuna and Related Species in La Jolla, California, the results of which have proven so beneficial to the countries participating.
The Government of Mexico, as your host, is confident that the Conference will be notably successful also in promoting the exchange of information on the classification and distribution of fish stocks, their spotting and assessment; on the life cycles, physiology, behaviour and breeding of certain species as well as on fisheries statistics-in short, all information regarding marine resources, fishing methods and the rational exploitation of the seas.
Allow me to describe in very general terms the beginnings of fisheries in this country.
In Mexico, fishing dates back to the very start of the Mayan and Totonaco civilizations and to that remote time when the tribes of our ancestors settled on the shores of the great Lake of Tenochtitlán. They caught not only fish but also great quantities of what they call “acocil” or freshwater shrimp and certain other species which have only recently begun to be eaten in other countries, frogs and turtles. Legend has it that from the coast of what is now Veracruz, fleet and tireless relay runners, well organised, carried succulent fish fresh from the gulf to the table of the great Montezuma. Somewhat later in our history the Conquistadores directed the economy toward mining and the formation of large landed estates, the latifundia, rather than toward fisheries.
My country, torn by internal strife and foreign intervention during the first decades of its independence, could not undertake the exploitation of its own sea resources, so that ships from other latitudes pillaged our wealth. Even though our republican institutions had become consolidated by 1867, it was not until after the revolution of 1910 that we started to outline our political and social policies in which for the first time fisheries received some attention. Indeed it was not until our revolution had reached its constructive stage that effective improvements were made in this occupation. One particular improvement desrves mention: the concession to fishermen's co-operatives of exclusive rights to catch shrimp, lobster and five other leading species.
The most curious feature of fisheries in present-day Mexico is the narrow range of species landed; one species alone, shrimp, constitutes about one quarter of the total catch and nearly 60 percent of its commercial value. The preponderant emphasis on this crustacean is evident if we consider that over half of the fishing fleet is made up of shrimpers and over two-thirds of the net annual investment in fisheries also goes to this speciality. It is indeed the main source of foreign exchange, as in recent years shrimp exports occupy fourth and fifth place in our total sales to foreign countries.
Various fishing centres of this country owe their development to the exploitation of this crustacean. The vitality of ports such as Guaymas, Mazatlán, Salina Cruz and Ciudad del Carmen, is the result of the abundance of this one species, and the contribution of the co-operatives, both private and government sponsored, has been the determining factor.
Notwithstanding the preponderance of shrimping in Mexico's fisheries, neither the shrimping fleet nor its industrial processing plant are working at full capacity, a circumstance which forces us to intensify our biological and technological studies and to seek new markets. Considering Mexican fisheries as a whole, we must recognize that production levels and structures are not in keeping with our degree of economic development, nor do they cover the food requirements of our population. The contribution of fisheries to our gross national product is relatively low, representing only 0.3 percent of the national production of goods and services. The number of people directly deriving their livelihood from this occupation is also relatively low, and the per caput consumption of fishery products is scarcely 3 kg a year.
Considering this situation and with full awareness of the potential wealth represented by our marine resources and the greatly significant increased production and consumption of this sea food in the future economy and the diet of a constantly growing population, the Government of President Diaz Ordaz is unswerving in its purpose of promoting this economic activity.
In 1966, it became possible to shake fisheries out of the stagnation of the previous two years and obtain landings of 207,000 tons, worth 828 million pesos - an increase of 10 and 14 percent respectively over the 1965 figures. Indeed, although the catch of all species did not increase, it is gratifying to point out that the greatest expansion was achieved in landings of species of popular consumption and in products the supply of which still does not meet internal demand, for instance, fish meal.
Shrimp landings that year also showed a considerable increase, as nearly 40,000 tons were obtained, 12 percent more than in 1965 and, a very important point, this reported percentage increase in fish landings was greater than the rise in gross national product (7 percent) or in the rate of expansion in industry (8.6 percent). The 1966 upward trend noticed in aggregate fishery production has continued for the first months of 1967. During the first quarter an increase in the total catch 23 percent higher than for the same period in 1966 was recorded.
Even though it is encouraging to note this degree of recovery of Mexican fisheries one must realize that the rate of development can, and must, be further improved, due to the relatively low levels of production under present conditions and especially remembering that the development of this industry, besides requiring firm foundations, needs to be balanced as much from the regional as from the structural or sectorial standpoint. For this reason the fishery development program of the present Administration, while basically aiming at increasing the shrimp catch also calls for diversification and overcoming of the handicaps of present structures - all with a social purpose, that is: more fish consumption by the people, greater industrial exploitation of aquatic resources and improvement in the living conditions of fishermen.
Along this same line of though it is well to repeat that before availing ourselves of offers of foreign financing, we should undertake detailed technical studies so as to avoid over-investment in certain fields to the detriment of others, and to obtain the highest returns on such investments as are made, whether they be in infrastructure building for the fishery sector or in connection with the respective phases of catching, fishery operation, industrial processing and packing or marketing of fishery products. This should be done through co-operatives, private enterprise, and public agencies concerned in the fisheries sector.
The Mexican Government is aware that the rational exploitation of its resources must be preceded by research and appraisal and is giving increasing support to its Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones Biológico-Pesqueras (National Institute of Biological and Fishery Research) whose programs place special emphasis on shrimps and prawns. Acknowledging the competence of FAO personnel, it has also applied to that international organization for technical assistance in the carrying out of a fishery research and development project. Indeed, negotiations are in the final stages calling for the investment of about 50 million pesos.
The principal purposes of this project are: research on present fishing grounds and exploration for new ones; research for the improvement of shrimp fisheries; provision of consultant services and co-operation in dealing with problems relating to industrial processing of various species of sea fauna. The Mexican Government fully recognizes the value of this project, which will use the combined financial and technical resources of our own country and of the United Nations Special Fund in the development of our fisheries.
At this time, when world tensions are so great as to worry us all, it is comforting to attend the inauguration of a conference having as its purpose the assessment of scientific data and the exchange of experience with a view to improving living conditions for many social groups and ultimately all of mankind.
The Mexican Government is well aware of your scientific and technical competence, and tenders its best wishes to your personally and for greatest success of this Conference. It welcomes you to Mexico and wishes you an enjoyable stay here.
