4. The pilot workshop on the application of biotelemetry to fish studies for West African inland fisheries management was held in the buildings of the Office for Rural Development of Sélingué (ODRS) in Sélingué, Mali, from 29 January to 10 February 2001. The workshop was organized by the Institute of Research for Development (IRD, France) and in particular by its center in Bamako in cooperation with the Malian Institute of Rural Economy (IER) and the Office for Rural Development of Sélingué (ODRS). Also involved was the University of Liège in Belgium and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).
The list of resource persons and participants from Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire and Mali is included as Annex 1. The workshop prospectus and agenda are presented in Annexes 2 and 3.
5. The pilot workshop opening ceremony was held in the IRD center building in Bamako on 29 January 2001 in the presence of representatives from IER, ODRS, DNAER[1], the University of Liège and FAO. The president of the opening session, Professor J. Brunet-Jailly, IRD representative in Mali, welcomed partner organization representatives as well as IRD managers and participants from five countries in Western Africa. In his opening speech Professor Brunet-Jailly recalled the long tradition of IRD in Mali and reviewed the most important aspects of this scientific relationship. In particular, in the context of this workshop, he highlighted the importance of cooperation with Malian partners, especially with IER and ODRS, and also with international organizations such as FAO. He then wished the workshop all possible success.
6. The IER representative, Mr N’Diaye, also welcomed the participants and the distinguished guests present. Having described the restructuring of his Institute, Mr N’Diaye outlined the sixteen different IER research programmes and stressed the importance of the workshop for the IER which is involved in fishery management through its Fishery Research Programme.
7. Dr Vincent Bénech, researcher in ichthyology with IRD in Bamako, presented a summary of the studies undertaken collaboratively with IER on the migratory behaviour of catfish Claria anguillaris in the lower delta of the River Niger. This study, which was the first application of radiotelemetry in Mali, aimed at obtaining bio-ecological information that could not be obtained using standard investigative tools in the vast floodplain of the River Niger.
8. Mr Gerd Marmulla, a fish resource specialist in the Fisheries Department of FAO Rome, thanked the Institute of Rural Economy and the ODRS for hosting this workshop (Annex 4). He also thanked the Institute of Research for Development for organizing this workshop so efficiently and making available considerable human and material resources. Mr Marmulla stated that the aim of this workshop was to increase and diffuse knowledge on biotelemetry, a very useful tool in obtaining the more precise information which was essential for improved sustainable management of aquatic resources. He added that he was very pleased that Mali had welcomed this workshop as inland fishing was very important for this country where 80 to 130 000 tonnes of fish were caught every year. Moreover, Mali had already acquired some experience in radiotelemetry as was demonstrated by Dr Bénech in his presentation.
9. The general importance of biotelemetry, as well as the objective and agenda of the workshop, were presented by Dr Etienne Baras, research associate of the Belgian FNRS at the University of Liege. The efficient use of biotelemetry depends on mastering biological, physical and mathematical parameters central to the tagging of fish, to their behaviour, to the propagation of radio and acoustic waves in an aquatic environment and to the statistical data analysis underlying fishery management recommendations. Dr Baras mentioned that these key factors, the mastery of which determines the success of research projects, would be analysed in detail during the workshop, in the context of seminars and practical sessions so that participants could develop projects involving the use of biotelemetry.
10. The opening of the workshop was followed by refreshments in the IRD garden. Photo 1shows the trainees, the trainers and the distinguished guests who attended the opening ceremony of the pilot workshop in the IRD centre in Bamako. A minibus transferred the group to Sélingué in the afternoon. The same evening, a first round table provided an opportunity for the participants and the main resource people (Messrs Etienne Baras, Vincent Bénech, André Mahieux, Gerd Marmulla and Jean Raffray) to give a brief account of their background and the reasons for their interest in participating in the workshop.
