1. The Commission for Inland Fisheries of Latin America (COPESCAL) held its Sixth Session from 27 to 31 May 1991 in the conference room of the Hotel Libertador in Lima, Peru, at the kind invitation of the Government of Peru.
2. The session was attended by delegates from 18 member countries of the Commission, by observers from Guyana, Italy and the United Kingdom, as well as by representatives of regional and international agencies. The list of participants is given in Appendix A to this report.
3. The inaugural session was presided by Mr. Félix Canal Torres, Minister of Fisheries of Peru. It was also attended by Mr. Ricardo Segura, Vice-Minister of Fisheries of Peru, Mr. Hugo Pérez, Chairman of the Commission, and representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, national authorities from the fisheries sector, ambassadors and representatives of regional and international agencies concerned with fisheries in the region.
4. In his words of welcome, the Minister of Fisheries of Peru said he was sure that the active participation of delegates in the Commission's deliberations would bring benefits to the countries of the region through the development of their inland fisheries and aquaculture programmes. He pointed out that the meeting was taking place at a particularly crucial moment for Peruvian fisheries, as new institutional structures were being designed and a new legal framework was being developed in order to allow for sustained growth in the fisheries sector of his country. He also stressed that his Government's policies were geared towards creating favorable conditions that would allow for private investment without neglecting the role of the State. He informed members of the creation of a “National Fisheries Network” and of the “National Aquaculture Network”, whose main objectives are coordination and cooperation among the different agents of both sectors.
5. Dr. Armin Lindquist, Assistant Director-General in charge of the FAO Fisheries Department, speaking on behalf of Mr. Edouard Saouma, Director-General of FAO, said he wished to convey to the Government of Peru the appreciation of FAO and of the participants at the session for its kind hospitality. He recalled that in previous years, Peru had hosted a meeting of one of the Commission's Working Parties, held at Iquitos, as well as the Expert Consultation on the Living Aquatic Resources of the Amazon Basin, which had met at the same venue just the week before the Commission's current session.
6. Referring briefly to the items to be discussed during the course of the current session, Dr. Lindquist stressed the fact that inland fisheries and aquaculture offered an excellent opportunity for increasing the supply of food in several areas of Latin America. However, the countries would have to make a concerted effort to implement measures to conserve the resources involved and protect the environment. This, in turn, would call for the adoption of appropriate legislation, and FAO was committed to helping the countries of the region in that regard. FAO was also working to strengthen technical cooperation among the countries of the region, mainly through the Technical Cooperation Networks in Aquaculture and Artisanal Fisheries being promoted by the FAO Regional Office for Latin America and the Caribbean in Santiago, Chile. Dr. Lindquist also referred to FAO's support of programmes aimed at benefitting artisanal fishermen and their communities and promoting the integration of women and youth in fishing activities.
7. The meeting was presided by the delegate of Panama, Mr. Hugo Pérez, National Director of the National Directorate for Aquaculture of the Ministry of Agricultural Development. The Commission adopted the agenda (see Appendix B); it was suggested that, under item 10, “Other Matters”, provision should be made for a discussion of the results of the Expert Consultation on the Living Aquatic Resources of the Amazon. The list of documents for the session is given in Appendix C.
8. The Secretariat introduced document COPESCAL/91/2, containing a summary of the measures taken by FAO during the inter-sessional period to implement the recommendations of the fifth session, most of which had been carried out despite the Organization's financial constraints. The Secretariat listed the reports and documents produced for each activity carried out during the inter-sessional period, and indicated that the publications in question had been distributed to the countries and circulated as background papers to participants at the current session. Pointing out that many of the activities had been carried out within the context of the Technical Cooperation Networks in Aquaculture and Artisanal Fisheries, sponsored by the FAO Regional Office for Latin America and the Caribbean (FAO/RLAC), the Secretariat indicated that it would appreciate receiving feedback from the countries in order to exchange information through the Newsletters.
9. The Secretariat also referred to document COPESCAL/91/Inf. 12, which described other activities carried out by FAO in the region, and mentioned those matters included in the Commission's Plan of Action which would merit attention in the near future.
10. The Commission expressed its satisfaction with the activities carried out by the Secretariat during the inter-sessional period. Some of the member countries reported on changes in their national authorities, and the Secretariat asked them to make the relevant corrections in the list of correspondents. The updated list appears as Appendix D.
11. The delegations of Mexico, El Salvador, Paraguay and Panama expressed their appreciation and gratitude to the Secretariat of COPESCAL for its efforts to coordinate the activities carried out by FAO in the framework of the Commission. They recognized, however, that the member countries should, in turn, make a greater effort to implement the proposals and recommendations made by the Commission, in order to expedite the development of inland fisheries and aquaculture in the region.
12. The Technical Secretary of the Working Party on Fisheries Technology presented a summary of the main conclusions and recommendations of the Working Party's third session, held in Santiago, Chile, from 7 to 11 May 1990, as well as of the suggestions and recommendations of several FAO bodies concerned with women and youth in fisheries, all of which are set forth in document COPESCAL/91/3. He explained that the Working Party on Fisheries Technology had to cover a wide range of issues; at each meeting, therefore, it dealt with only one specific topic, chosen by the Commission. At its third session, it had dealt with the organization of artisanal fishermen and their communities and had discussed alternatives for improving the living standards of fishing communities.
13. In view of the growing interest that had been shown in the situation of women and youth in fisheries, summaries were given of the recommendations of the Workshop on the Role of Women in the Artisanal Fishery Sector in the Southeast Pacific (Concepción, Chile, 4–6 September 1990) and of the Workshop on Improving the Participation of Women in Fishery Development (Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe, 4–7 December 1990), as well as of the recommendations made in that regard at the nineteenth session of the FAO Fisheries Committee (Rome, Italy, 8–12 April 1991).
14. The Commission expressed its satisfaction with the attention given by the Secretariat to the social and economic problems of artisanal fishermen and the promotion of the role of women and youth and their integration in fishing activities, and it approved the recommendations and plan of activities proposed by the Working Party for the next inter-sessional period. In this regard, the Commission recommended that, even if a different topic was chosen for the fourth session of the Working Party on Fisheries Technology, the Secretariat should continue providing support for efforts to find a solution to the social and economic problems of artisanal fishermen and improve the living standards of fishermen and their families.
15. The delegate of Cuba briefly described the work being done in Cuba to improve the living standards of inland fishermen, and offered to share his country's experiences. In particular, he said that his Government had designed projects for setting up centers for the storage, handling and conservation of fish at reservoirs; any country that might be interested was welcome to request information on those projects. In addition, Cuba was prepared to receive personnel from COPESCAL member countries who wished to receive training in the various aspects of inland fishery development.
16. The delegate of Mexico said that in his country, not much attention had been given to the question of women in fisheries; however, his Government was interested in promoting the participation of women, and had set up three training centers to offer courses for women on family organization, production of fishing gear, fishery credit mechanisms, the smoking of fish and other practical subjects. Mexico would be glad to train women and youth from other countries of the region in those centers; local expenses would have to be covered by the sending country. In response to an observation by the Secretariat regarding the difficulties many women encountered when they tried to leave their homes for extended periods, the Mexican delegate indicated that the courses could be shortened or, as an alternative, they might be taught by Mexican extension workers in other countries.
17. The delegates of El Salvador, Paraguay and Suriname expressed great interest in the training courses offered by Cuba and Mexico, and stressed that it would be most convenient to have the courses taught in the different countries by instructors from the country offering the training. The Commission recommended that FAO should support the holding of such courses through the Technical Cooperation Networks in Aquaculture and Artisanal Fisheries, in the context of TCDC. The delegate of El Salvador proposed that the interested countries should inform the Secretariat of their needs in the area of training for women and youth, with a view to combining and centralizing requests in light of the offers made by Cuba and Mexico.
18. The representative of Peru suggested that each country should prepare films and other teaching materials on inland fisheries and aquaculture, with a view to exchanging them with other member countries, within their strategy for quality control.
19. The delegate of Cuba said that his country had successfully introduced herbivorous carp, but that they were difficult to catch, especially in deep reservoirs. He requested that the Secretariat of COPESCAL seek the cooperation of EIFAC in transferring capture technology for this species.
20. The Commission recommended that at its fourth session, the Working Party on Fisheries Technology should take up the issue of the reduction of losses between the catch and the market. In designing the agenda for the next session, due account should be taken of the need for certification of quality, product conservation and infrastructure, bearing in mind the different needs of member countries, within the strategy of total quality.
21. Since it had not been possible to hold the third session of the Working Party in Colombia, as originally planned, the delegate of Colombia said that in principle, her country would like to offer to host the fourth session, to be held in May 1992, in Cartagena. The offer would have to be officially confirmed by her Government.
22. The Technical Secretary of the Working Party on Fishery Resources presented a summary of the major conclusions and recommendations of the fifth session of the Party, held in Santiago, Chile, from 24 to 28 September 1990. The summary appears in document COPESCAL/91/9. Pursuant to the decision of the fifth session of the Commission, the Working Party had discussed the Code of Practices for the Introduction of Exotic Species drawn up by EIFAC, with a view to adapting it to the needs of the Latin American and Caribbean countries. The Working Party had also drawn up a plan of activities for the next two-year period, to be carried out by the three subgroups charged with studying (a) the effects of pollution and the environmental impact on fishery resources, (b) river fisheries, and (c) lake and reservoir fisheries.
23. The Commission decided that the findings of the Expert Consultation on Planning and Management of the Living Aquatic Resources of the Amazon Basin, held in Lima, Peru, from 23 to 25 May 1991, would be submitted to the Commission for consideration under agenda item 10.
24. The delegates of Cuba and Mexico offered to cooperate with the Secretariat in updating the study on the effects of pollution on inland fisheries in their respective countries, and requested information on how and when to do this. The Secretariat explained that FAO would hire a consultant, who would visit several member countries in order to gather data and draft a paper; however, the countries themselves would have to gather and supply the basic information. The expert would be hired in 1992; the countries would be notified six months in advance and informed as to what data they should obtain and what support they should provide for the consultant.
25. In line with the recommendation made at the Fifth Session of COPESCAL, on the programme of work on fishery resources, the delegate of Cuba said his country would be pleased to host a symposium on management of fishery resources in reservoirs, which would be held in Cuba in 1993. The Commission accepted the offer with appreciation and agreed to hold the symposium with a view to making a contribution towards improving the management and enhancing the sustainability of fisheries in Latin American dams and reservoirs. The symposium would have the following specific objectives:
to review: (i) the current status and the prospects for fisheries in dams and reservoirs throughout the hemisphere; (ii) the various fishery management practices currently in use; (iii) the impact of fisheries on changes in the environment upstream and downstream from the dam; and
to suggest: (i) strategies for improving the management of fisheries in different types of dams and reservoirs; (ii) strategies for reducing the negative impact of fisheries on changes in the environment upstream and downstream from the dam.
26. In view of the emphasis placed on the Working Party's programme of activities in connection with the management of international river basins, the Commission recommended that a workshop should be organized to discuss the status of fisheries in the River Plate Basin. The workshop would have the following objectives and terms of reference:
To contribute towards improving the management of fisheries in the River Plate Basin system, in order to assess their current status, the degree and type of exploitation involved and the effect of environmental changes on the system.
To propose to the signatory countries of the River Plate Basin Treaty that they carry out actions to foster the organization, conservation, utilization and sustained development of the fishery and hydrobiological resources of the system.
To promote programmes for the exchange of experiences and technologies, as well as cooperative research activities.
To establish networks for the collection and exchange of information on fisheries and the aquatic environment.
To draw up a plan of action on fisheries and a related project.
27. After a lengthy discussion on the question of the creation of information centers on international river basin fisheries, the Commission reached the conclusion that the most effective way to collect, process and exchange data on river basin fisheries would be to make full use of the existing local institutions, and to expand or strengthen them.
28. The report of the Working Party and the proposed plan of activities for the inter-sessional period were fully adopted by the Commission.
29. The delegate of Uruguay confirmed the willingness of his Government to host the sixth session of the Working Party, in Motevideo, Uruguay, in September 1992. He also suggested that the technical workshop on the status of fisheries in the River Plate Basin should be held jointly with the sixth session, at the same venue.
30. The Secretariat introduced documents COPESCAL/91/4 and COPESCAL/91/5 which pointed out that rural aquaculture is a relatively recent innovation in Latin America. Early attempts to apply aquaculture in the rural environment have largely been replaced by a successful and growing commercial aquaculture. As a result, rural aquaculture has largely been accorded a lower priority in development plans for the sector. Recently, however, a re-awakening of interest in this activity has led to a re-evaluation of its importance. The Thematic Evaluation of Aquaculture analyzed the causes for the earlier failure of efforts to popularize the sector. Several meetings organized by the project (AQUILA) financed by the Government of Italy highlighted some of the problems encountered in formulating and implementing rural aquaculture projects, and discussed solutions that could be adopted in Latin America as well as Africa.
31. Existing levels of production from subsistence aquaculture remain low despite the considerable potential of the sector as a source of protein for the rural sector. Although both marine and inland aquaculture offer great potentials for the artisanal development of a variety of species, present yields are based mainly on the introduced genus Tilapia. Governments have made a considerable effort to develop this activity, but they have encountered many difficulties that have greatly limited their effectiveness. Seed distribution programs have often fallen short of demand because of failure to provide either the volume or the continuity required. Other areas, such as the supply of fish feed have received even less attention.
32. Certain conceptual limitations have contributed to the lack of success of aquaculture extension. Firstly aquaculture should be clearly considered as part of the whole field of agricultural development. This implies the inclusion of aquaculture into the more general pattern of agricultural extension and land use planning. Secondly, the political and social climate has frequently not been sufficiently stable to permit the development of a new technology and its insertion into rural practice. Thirdly, as a new technology, rural aquaculture has frequently been imposed from outside, without much say in the matter on the part of the interested communities.
33. For the development of rural aquaculture, there is a need for strong and continuing government support. Such support should not be confined to providing the necessary technical assistance, but rather it should also include the identification and financing of appropriate technologies and assistance in the marketing of aquaculture products. It is now clear that there is a strong financial drive towards the development of aquaculture by rural communities and that mere subsistence is rarely sufficient motive to introduce a new technology of this type. There is furthermore a need to identify target communities who have the opportunity to derive both financial and dietary benefit from the practice. The failure to include marketing parameters in the formulation of aquaculture projects has led to the lack of success of many of these. Presentations by the participants led to the following conclusions.
34. One of the major factors limiting the success of aquaculture programmes has been the poor formulation of the projects. These have usually been formulated by technologists (biologists, animal science specialists, veterinarians), and address only biotechnological criteria. The incorporation of social and economic components into programmes is needed to improve their performance. Furthermore, the short term basis for project funding has prevented a long term creation of infrastructure with the result that many attempts to introduce rural aquaculture have collapsed swiftly on the completion of the project. In order for the sector to become firmly established, governments and donors must commit themselves to providing, over the long term, all the support and financing that are needed in order for this technology to become firmly entrenched in the recipient communities and for the activity to begin to run on its own steam.
35. The role of research has been oriented towards the investigation of the biological aspects of culture and has often been accepted as a substitute for production. There has been a tendency to study sophisticated methodologies before the more basic techniques have been investigated and understood. The newer technologies frequently depend on introduced species which has important social consequences in that the new fish are not always readily accepted by consumer communities. In fact, research should not be confined to the biology of the systems but should also address social and economic aspects.
36. The failure of aquaculture extension programmes to date has resulted in the loss of confidence by government agencies, donors and investment bankers, who all assign a low priority to this activity. This has resulted in a reduction of the funds assigned to aquaculture throughout the continent, although recent changes in the focus of the programmes and in the sectoral development strategy have led to a renewed interest in some areas.
37. The recent orientation of culture programmes towards greater integration between aquaculture and agriculture has led to the incorporation into national plans and policies for rural aquaculture development of factors which determine the status of the agrarian sector as a whole, including the political, social and technical aspects. The resulting integration model includes not only technological components, but also institutional and organizational ones, and covers different types of existing rural aquaculture activities, from small subsistence units to semi-commercial operations.
38. As is the case with other agricultural activities, the participation of the rural communities themselves in aquaculture programmes is now basic for their success. Such local participation can be improved through appropriate training programmes. These should be formulated not only to address the technical aspects of aquaculture practice, but should include aspects of organization, management and finance as well. This managerial concept of rural aquaculture should be scaled to the complexity of the operation, even in the least sophisticated versions.
39. Successful development of rural aquaculture also depends on effective collaboration among the various government offices concerned, and between them and the development agencies -both governmental and nongovernmental- providing assistance. Despite the recent trend among developing countries to reduce state intervention, rural aquaculture is an area of social concern which still needs government support. Such support should include introduction, extension and development programmes and the use of the economic means required to allow for their consolidation. Experience has shown that this cannot be accomplished over the short term. It is not an overstatement to say that during this process, the sector must be subsidized. Comprehensive development programmes which include other elements, such as road, sanitary and educational infrastructures, have a social cost that is well worth paying. The inclusion of rural aquaculture in these programmes can shorten the time required for the recipient communities to become self-reliant, as aquaculture and other production activities become dynamic in their own right.
40. Similarly, a reinforcing of the legal system is needed to encourage and protect the individual aquaculturist. The many different rules and regulations which directly or indirectly affect the sector (land, water, environment, etc.) unnecessarily hamper its development, and make it more vulnerable to the growing instability of society.
41. A method which in some cases has proved to be effective in the integration of aquaculture to other activities of the agricultural sector is that of combining it with rice cultivation. The allocation of a sheltered area equivalent to 4% of the area under rice cultivation is sufficient to produce a significant amount of fish and, in addition, to increase rice yields. Aquaculture can also be combined with breeding of pigs, ducks or chickens, or with cultivation of vegetables on the banks of the ponds and in adjacent areas. In Panama, integrated programmes are being carried out in which aquaculture is only one of various activities aimed at promoting people's participation, such as road building and education in the fields of health and nutrition.
42. Although most of the efforts in the introduction and extension of rural aquaculture have concentrated on the warm tropical climates, some countries have programmes for the encouragement of cold water culture. Oncorhynchus mykiss trout has usually proved to be the best adapted biologically to the climatic conditions but, as it does not breed, a dependence on government infrastructure to supply seed is in-built into this type of culture. Furthermore, as the species is entirely carnivorous, the reliance on artificial feeds makes the product too expensive for local requirements. Odonthestes bonariensis “pejerrey” has been proposed as an alternative but suffers from similar limitations in small closed systems. Both trout and “pejerrey” are probably better adapted for stocking into small lakes and ponds.
43. There was a lengthy discussion on the question of credit for rural aquaculture. The view was expressed that credit was particularly necessary in order to finance investments and to obtain working capital for production aimed either totally or partially for the market. It was stressed that not only were producers unaware of the procedures they had to follow in order to obtain loans, but officials of credit agencies were also unaware of the special needs of aquaculture, and consequently, they usually required guarantees that were beyond the reach of producers. It was pointed out that producers would find it easier to gain access to sources of credit if they organized themselves into associations, cooperatives or other types of organizations rather than trying to obtain loans individually. It was also pointed out that the directorates or departments of aquaculture could play an important role in setting up contacts between credit agencies and aquaculture producers.
44. In this regard, the Symposium recommended that courses, seminars and other discussion and training forums should be organized at the regional and national levels, and that their findings should be publicized. It also recommended that FAO should translate into Spanish and distribute to member countries of COPESCAL the publications entitled “Fisheries Credit Programmes and Revolving Loan Funds: Case Studies” and “Guide for the Administration of Fisheries Credit Programmes and Revolving Loan Funds.”
45. On the basis of its analysis, the Commission adopted the conclusions and recommendations set forth in document COPESCAL/91/4, as follows:
46. Rural aquaculture must be integrated into rural development. This means primarily finding coordination mechanisms among institutions. Projects must therefore be comprehensive: 1) from an institutional viewpoint, 2) in terms of their components, that should cover different areas (other crops, community infrastructure, environmental sanitation), 3) from a technical viewpoint, through the use of inputs and outputs of the various agricultural activities.
47. Planning, required by new trends in the economic field, should be decentralized. However, and despite the fact that deregulation and privatization programmes are being implemented today in almost all the countries, a field such as rural aquaculture, with social-type characteristics, should continue to fall to the State and through it to external assistance agencies.
48. The first component in planning is the identification of target groups for rural aquaculture development. First of all, it is necessary to determine in each case: a) whether it is convenient to develop rural aquaculture or to use the resources available to implement another project instead, b) whether development of subsistence aquaculture is justified, or rather, semi-commercial.
49. Interdisciplinary studies at this identification stage should include social, cultural and economic aspects of the community being considered. It is also very important to know the rationale of the peasant in connection with the distribution of his efforts among the various crops, as well as their cycles. In this process, there should be active participation by potential receivers, since, among other things, this will define the most suitable introduction strategy.
50. In project formulation, one of the aspects that could influence results the most, involves the assumptions on which they are based. Consideration should be given to the probability of overcoming problems in connection with land tenure, legislation, market flaws, actual capacity of governments to implement given plans, or the interest (motivation) of communities in adopting an activity. Likewise, it should be determined in what way external assistance agencies such as FAO can increase countries' capacity to overcome these obstacles.
51. Experience has shown that, in any case, many years are required before an activity such as rural aquaculture can acquire its own dynamic. Projects should therefore last a good many years. This would make it possible to cover the stages of prior study, introduction of technology, extension, consolidation of outputs, inputs and marketing, by transferring these functions to social actors that are gradually formed.
52. In addition to the integration at various levels mentioned above, States should use a series of instruments to develop the activity. In the field of research, it is important that this be done at an applied and also basic level. The latter, which can be done in universities or technological institutes, would contribute the knowledge required for basic research to improve culture technologies and other components of the sector.
53. When there is production surplus that must be marketed, a series of problems arise, which, to date, have not received sufficient attention. In this case, the cost/price ratio is even more important than in larger scale enterprises. This is another field in which the State should create effective instruments.
54. The same applies to financing instruments. Credit systems implemented should be realistically tailored to the target groups they are intended for. This applies particularly to women, a social group that is doubly marginal in the rural milieu. Quite commonly, after a training programme has been aimed solely at men, it is the women who ultimately take care of the crops. These same programmes also do not consider women as being credit-worthy. This situation must obviously change.
55. Experiences with community tanks, operated and exploited by various families, have been quite negative. In practice, the activity falls on a few individuals who consequently profit from the benefits, whether these be for consumption or for selling. An alternative that has proven more effective is that of family units that receive help from and give help to other families when the cooperation of many people is required, as for example, when building tanks or during harvesting.
56. It is very important that the aquaculturist's expectations correspond to the type of development programmed. For many years, rural aquaculture was promoted as an activity that was easy to implement, required little investment and allowed for much money to be earned while requiring little work. If the project is of a subsistence nature, it should be made quite clear that the culture crop will only be enough to consume a given amount of fish, and that even so, the tanks will demand a certain amount of daily care. If the number and size of tanks permits the production of a marketable surplus, what is involved is a semi-commercial project, and as such, the demands for investment and work will be greater. Besides, possible benefits in this case will depend on the overcoming of marketing problems.
57. In fact, increased primary production by fertilization becomes the most important component of tank management for this type of culture. It is therefore vital that peasants internalize the analogy between water and land, and of the effects of fertilization on both.
58. It has been said that it was advisable to reduce aquaculturists' dependence upon official agencies in such important matters as the supplying of alevins. It has been shown that in practice this has proven more difficult than expected. Aquaculture's condition as a technological innovation imposes serious constraints in terms of the recipient's assimilation of the technology, even in its most simplified form.
59. Any additional complications such as the above, or the use of sexing to cultivate single males or the use of hybrids or polyculture, can make matters much more difficult, to the point of demanding an extension effort that surpasses the capacity of institutions. In connection with the production of alevins, for example, the most recommendable alternative would appear to be the promotion of private producers capable of meeting the demand for this input in free competition.
60. The report of the Working Party on Aquaculture, which met in San Jose, Costa Rica, from 24 to 26 July 1989, is summarized in document COPESCAL/91/Inf.5. At that session, among other matters, the Working Party discussed mechanisms for ensuring coordination and complementarity of activities with other agencies working in related fields, both regional and international.
61. The central topic of the session was the question of aquaculture production statistics. The discussion was centered on the definition of aquaculture used by FAO to interpret statistical data and on specific proposals for improving the data collection system currently in use. Participants showed great interest in the question of rural aquaculture, and several proposals and recommendations were made with a view to studying in greater depth the factors which play a role in such projects. Pursuant to a recommendation of the Commission, three sub-groups were established on rural aquaculture, utilization of reservoirs and nutrition/fish pathology, with a view to finding ways to make better use of the materials and human resources which already exist in these sectors in the region.
62. The Commission expressed its satisfaction at the interest shown by the Secretariat in developing rural aquaculture and in optimizing the work of COPESCAL in connection with the coordination of resources and regional and international organizations.
63. The Commission took note that the different species of tilapia which are under culture come from a very limited brood stock which was introduced from other regions. Because of the limited gene pool, and the numerous crosses that have occurred, problems are being experienced with genetic degeneration which are being reflected in lowered productivity. To counteract this, efforts should be made at regional level to establish gene banks in which pure lines can be maintained of tilapias and other species which can be used to renew stocks under culture.
64. Several delegates asked about the status of the project on “Support for Regional Aquaculture Activities in Latin America and the Caribbean” (AQUILA). The Secretariat explained that the second stage was about to begin, with financing from the Government of Italy. The planned activities (training courses, research and information) would begin to be implemented according to the Project work plan. The governments would be informed in due course in order that they might participate in those activities.
65. The Commission expressed concern at the possible consequences of using the definition adopted by FAO for differentiating between production statistics on aquaculture and on fisheries in reservoirs, in aquaculture planning and development policies in the member countries. In that regard, it recommended that the efforts being made to improve the criteria used to interpret aquaculture production statistics should be pursued.
66. The Secretariat introduced document COPESCAL/91/5 on the integration of rural aquaculture in agricultural development. In addition to the topics already considered during the mini-symposium on rural aquaculture, the following additional recommendations were made:
that member countries should consider their rural aquaculture development programmes within the broader context of rural development, in accordance with the Plan of Action adopted at the Twentieth FAO Regional Conference for Latin America and the Caribbean (Recife, Brazil, October 1988).
that in the aforementioned cases, the approach of maintaining a technically sound balance between biotechnological and socioeconomic considerations, presented by FAO at the symposium, should be adopted, and that every effort should be made to improve interdisciplinary coordination in FAO and other development agencies when providing technical assistance to the countries.
that, given the unsatisfactory results reported by several of the delegations with regard to rural aquaculture activities carried out in their countries, it was suggested that all efforts to promote such activities should be preceded by the necessary socio-economic studies in order to ascertain the true potential of the activity.
67. In accordance with the recommendations of the Fifth Session of COPESCAL, the Working Party on Fishery Resources acted as an ad hoc group of experts to adapt the Code of Practices elaborated by the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea and the European Inland Fisheries Advisory Commission (EIFAC) to the needs of the region. The articles of the modified code (document COPESCAL/91/6, Code of Practice for the Introduction of Exotic Species in the COPESCAL Region and Procedures for its Implementation) were presented to the session by Mr. Ricardo Méndez, delegate of Chile, who had been involved, through the FAO Regional Office, in the preparation of the document.
68. During discussion of document COPESCAL/91/6, it was pointed out that many of the member countries lack the infrastructure to implement the provisions of the Code. National staff would need to be trained in order that they could effectively implement its requirements, particularly with regard to quarantine and disease diagnosis. The Commission was informed that in this respect, FAO had recently initiated a programme to increase local and regional capacity for disease diagnosis through a project funded by Japan.
69. The meeting's attention was drawn to the fact that a considerable body of law already regulated the movement of genetic material, whether plant or animal. However, fish and other aquatic organisms have special requirements that frequently are not covered by such regulations. The Code and its procedures fill such gaps and can therefore be used to supplement existing legislation.
70. In its original form, the Code was drawn up according to the needs of temperate countries where tropical ornamental species and their disease/parasitic organisms would not normally become established. However, in Latin America, the risks from introduction of exotic species are greater. It was therefore felt that the provisions of the Code should also apply to them.
71. Although the Code, in the form presented to the session, addresses only international introductions, its procedures can equally be applied nationally where introductions between major basins could have impacts as serious as those made among countries.
72. Taking these limitations into account, the Commission adopted the Code as set out in Appendix E. Likewise, it recommended its use in formulating national policy and regulations regarding introductions as well as in considering introductions having potential international impacts. Caution was expressed, however, with regard to the adoption of the procedures advocated for the consideration of introductions at the Commission level as, at the present time, this might present conflicts with national practice. Action at the Commission level might be considered appropriate at a later date.
73. The Secretariat informed the session that a computerized data base of international introductions of inland fish species was being maintained at FAO Headquarters. The contents of the data base, together with an analysis of the world or regional situation with regard to introductions, is published periodically in an FAO series. In order to keep this up to date and to conform with those aspects of the Code requiring member countries to inform their neighbours of any introductions made into common waters, member countries were requested to communicate to the Secretariat on a continuing basis any new introductions made in water bodies of their countries.
74. At the Secretariat's request, Mr. Ricardo Méndez, delegate of Chile, presented a summary of document COPESCAL/91/7, entitled “Marketing of Aquaculture Products: Possibilities and Constraints”, prepared by the Secretariat pursuant to a recommendation of the Commission.
75. In general, the demand for fishery products is expected to rise and aquaculture is expected to contribute significantly to increasing the supply. The main problem will be how to integrate aquaculture production with existing marketing channels and mechanisms. Although the traditional channels are being adapted to assimilate aquaculture products, some difficulties have arisen because of discrepancies between market demand and species cultivated, except in the case of very expensive species, such as prawns and salmon.
76. It was pointed out that the marketing of aquaculture products in the region was likely to be hampered by a variety of negative factors, such as the instability of supplies and the levels of prices for the main inputs required; the remoteness of production centres from the market and the lack of basic infrastructure; the difficulty of successfully integrating small scale aquaculture with commercial enterprises, and the unfamiliarity of producers with marketing practices.
77. A number of positive aspects were also mentioned, however, including the possibility of monitoring the volume and size of supplies and the opportunity for obtaining high quality products in an environment that is fairly easy to control, according to market demand.
78. The delegate of Bolivia said that his country was contributing to the INFOPESCA project, and was receiving information on the market for fishery products on a regular basis; however, the information it received did not meet the needs of the aquaculture sector. The delegate of Costa Rica endorsed this point of view, and pointed out that information, especially in the form of figures, was essential to the planning of aquaculture development in the region. It was stressed that the countries themselves needed marketing specialists to analyze the potential of the domestic and external markets for their aquaculture development plans.
79. The Commission recommended that INFOPESCA examine the feasibility of conducting market surveys on aquacultural and inland fishery products. It also stressed the need for including aspects relating to aquaculture in FAO marketing training programmes.
80. Introducing the item on inland fisheries legislation in Latin American countries, summarized in document COPESCAL/91/8, the Secretariat pointed out that the paucity of regulations dealing specifically with inland fisheries in Latin America was due to the fact that this activity had not developed significantly in the region. Laws applicable to inland fisheries and aquaculture were scattered throughout the overall legislation referring to land and water use.
81. In 1989, FAO had prepared a document entitled “Preliminary Review of Selected Legislation Governing Aquaculture”, which was translated into Spanish for the region, and distributed as document COPESCAL/91/Inf.14. It was pointed out that if the countries of the Region wished to increase the production of fresh water fish without adversely affecting the supply of resources and their associated environment, the governmental agencies in charge of promoting and organizing inland fisheries would have to pay more attention to establishing the necessary regulations.
82. It was pointed out that before a legal framework could be developed for inland fisheries, it would be necessary to consider the development objectives for this type of fishery, the resources that supported the fisheries, the environment in which the fisheries would operate, the legislation currently in force (which would probably be obsolete but which might nevertheless contain valid clauses), and the traditional management tools used (such as fishing bans, size at first catch, fishery equipment, etc.).
83. Several delegates remarked that the legislation of their countries dealt with inland fisheries in a very general way or did not deal with it at all. That situation was due to the fact that the legislation referred mainly to land and water usage, and therefore did not take into account the current needs of inland fisheries, especially with regard to international river basins and to aquaculture. It was pointed out that it would be helpful to establish groups made up of fishery specialists, agronomists, economists, lawyers and other experts, who could help update the existing legislation so as to meet the needs of inland fisheries and aquaculture. FAO assistance would be required in any case.
84. The Commission recommended that FAO should prepare and circulate as soon as possible a questionnaire on fishery legislation currently in force for inland fisheries and aquaculture, and that, once the information was available and had been processed, a regional seminar be organized to discuss the findings of the survey and draw up guidelines for the formulation of a body of legislation that would be responsive to the current needs of inland fisheries and aquaculture activities.
Fisheries policy of Peru
85. Mr. Heinz Schmidt, Principal Advisor to the Ministry of Fisheries of Peru, presented an outline of the Peruvian Government's policies for the fisheries sector, which are designed to encourage private investment in the sector. He explained the restrictions the Ministry was implementing in order to carry out the new policies and implement the strategies defined for each of the main sectors, such as extraction and conservation of hydrobiological resources and environmental protection, establishment of adequate standards, monitoring and inspection of operations on the basis of those standards. Projects for the development of aquatic resources should also be evaluated from the entrepreneurial point of view. The presentation gave rise to comments from a number of delegates, who expressed an interest in discussing further the question of the frequent changes in government policy which occurred in the various countries of the region.
Hydrobiological resources of the Amazonian Basin
86. In accordance with the plans of the COPESCAL Working Party on Fishery Resources, and bearing in mind the needs identified by the Hydrobiological Resources Programme of the Special Committee on the Amazon Environment (CEMAA) of the Amazon Cooperation Treaty, an “Expert Consultation on the Planning and organization of the Living Aquatic Resources of the Amazonian Basin” was held in Lima from 23 to 25 May 1991.
87. The meeting was organized by the Peruvian Amazonian Research Institute (Instituto de Investigaciones de la Amazonía Peruana - IIAP), with the assistance of the Secretariat of COPESCAL. Participants represented eight countries in the Amazon Basin, namely Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Peru, Suriname and Venezuela.
88. The Consultation drew up a plan for the organization and sustained development of the fisheries of the Amazon Basin, which will be used as a basis for preparing projects in support of international cooperation efforts pertaining to research and management of fisheries in the Amazon Basin.
89. The Consultation requested that a COPESCAL sub-committee be set up to consider international matters pertaining to research, development and organization of fisheries in the Basin. In line with this request, the session appointed a Sub-Committee for the Amazon Basin, whose objectives would be:
to improve basic knowledge about the formulation of management strategies for fisheries in the Basin;
to improve local management capabilities for monitoring the evaluation of fisheries under individual systems;
to establish an institutional base for collaboration between member countries in connection with the exchange of information on the status of fisheries in the Amazon Basin and on techniques for managing them;
to involve fishermen in the organization process;
to improve techniques for the conservation, processing and marketing of fish;
to promote the establishment of culture systems.
Lake Titicaca
90. The Commission was informed of the existence of an Agreement and a special project for Lake Titicaca, established by Peru and Bolivia and of a meeting that will be held in June 1991 for the purpose of drawing up a programme for the project. A representative of the Agreement referred to the problem of fisheries in cold water lakes and rivers in the Andean region, which did not seem to have a high priority in the COPESCAL programme. The Secretariat said that the question of cold water fisheries in tropical areas would be given priority during the 1991–1993 biennium, in the context of the regular programme of the FAO Fisheries Department.
91. The Commission elected by acclamation the Republic of Peru as Chairman, and expressed its solidarity with that country. The Republic of El Salvador was elected as first Vice-Chairman, and the Republics of Paraguay and Suriname were elected as second and third Vice-Chairmen, in that order.
92. The Commission took note with appreciation of the official offer made by the Delegate of Bolivia on behalf of his country to host the next session. It was suggested that the session be held tentatively in March or April 1993.
93. The Commission adopted this Report on 31 May 1991.
94. The meeting was closed by the Head of the FAO delegation. On behalf of his Government, the Vice-Minister of Fisheries of Peru thanked FAO and the delegates to the Sixth Session for their confraternity at a particularly critical time for the fisheries of his country, and whose effects will, directly or indirectly, also affect other countries of the Region.
