1. The FAO Expert Consultation on the use of irrigation systems for sustainable fish production in arid countries of Asia was held in Almaty, Kazakhstan, 25-29 September 2001. The meeting of Experts was organized with the close cooperation of the Kazakhstan Scientific Research Institute of Fisheries. The Expert Consultation was attended by 19 participants including national experts from 10 countries: China, India, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Pakistan, Syria, Turkey, and Uzbekistan. Among the participants were two irrigation experts and a FAO consultant. The presence of irrigation experts made possible close interaction on common problems, especially in areas where fisheries interests in water resources have been in conflict with demands from irrigated agriculture.
2. The major objectives of the FAO Expert Consultation were:
to review the current achievements and identify constraints in managing fish stocks in irrigation systems of arid countries of Asia, and
to assess the potential and to develop strategies for further improvement of inland fisheries production.
3. To achieve these objectives, the Expert Consultation addressed the following:
the present use of irrigation systems, including drainage waters, for fish production in the respective river and lake basins,
current fishery management practices in irrigation systems;
constraints to improving fish production in irrigation systems;
existing measures for protecting fish biodiversity in irrigation systems as well as in the river and/or lake basins affected by them;
introductions and fish stock enhancements and their impact on fish yields;
adequacy of the existing fishery laws and regulations and their enforcement;
transboundary aspects of fish stock management in irrigation systems;
regional and subregional collaboration.
4. The Agenda and List of participants are appended in Appendixes A and B. The List of papers presented at the Expert Consultation is in Appendix C. Full versions of the papers presented are produced as Fisheries Technical Paper No. 430 “Fisheries in irrigation systems of arid Asia”.
