APPENDIX A
List of Delegates and Observers

MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE

Benin

Botswana

Burundi

BASHIRWA, F.
Directeur adjoint des Eaux et Forêts
Département des Eaux et Forêts
Ministère de l'Agriculture et de l'Elevage
BP 631
Bujumbura

BAMBARA, S.
Directeur de la SUPOBU
Sociéte de Développement de la pêche au Burundi
Ministère de l'Agriculture et de l'Elevage
BP 2320
Bujumbura

Cameroon

Central African Republic

Chad

Congo

Egypt

Ethiopia

Gabon

Gambia

Ghana

Ivory Coast

Kenya

OBURU, A.S.
Assistant Director of Fisheries
Fisheries Department
PO Box 58181
Nairobi

ACHIENG, A.
PO Box 44778
Nairobi

LITTERICK, M.R.
Department of Zoology
University of Nairobi
PO Box 30197
Nairobi

MJOMBA, G.E.
Fisheries Department
Fisheries Aquaculture Project
PO Box 583
Malindi

Madagascar

RASOLOFO, A.L.
Chef de la Division Pêches Continentales et Pisciculture
Ministère du Développement Rural
BP 243
Antananarivo

RABELAHATRA, A.
Représentant de la Fondation Internationale pour la Science
BP 243
Antananarivo

RAZAFINTSEHENO, G.
Division Pêche et Pisciculture
Service des Eaux et Forêts
BP 243
Antananarivo

Malawi

MATHOTO, A.J.
Chief Fisheries Officer and Chairman of the Fourth Session of CIFA
Fisheries Department
Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources
PO Box 593
Lilongwe

CHAIKA, J.J.
Senior Fishery Officer
Box 47
Mangochi

LEWIS, D.S.C.
Fisheries Research Unit
PO Box 27
Monkey Bay

MAGASA, J.
Fisheries Department
PO Box 80
Nkhata Bay

MAPILA, S.A.
Fishery Expansion Project
PO Box 80
Nkhata Bay

MILLS, M.
Fisheries Officer
Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources
Fisheries Department
Ngabu

MSISKA, O.V.
Research Officer
Fish Culturist
Fisheries Department
PO Box 44
Domasi

NOBLE, R.P.
Councellor
University of Malawi
PO Box 280
Zomba

ROBINSON, S.
Fisheries Department
Box 206
Zomba

TWEDDLE, D.
Fisheries Research Officer
Fisheries Department
PO Box 111
Karonga

Mali

Mauritius

Niger

Nigeria

APANPA, D.D.
Federal Department of Fisheries
Victoria Island PMB 12529
Lagos

AFINOWI, M.A. Centre Manager
African Regional Aquaculture Centre
Chief Research Officer
PO Box 5122
Port Harcourt
Rivers State

AMUSU, I. (Mrs) Senior Fisheries Officer
Federal Department of Fisheries
Victoria Island
Lagos

SAGUA, V.O.
Federal Ministry of Science and Technology
PMB 5382
Ibadan

Rwanda

Senegal

Sierra Leone

ISCANDARI, N.B.
Principal Fisheries Officer
Fisheries Division
Ministry of Natural Resources
Freetown

Somalia

Sudan

NYANG, B.B.
Director of Fisheries
Ministry of Wildlife Conservation
Fisheries
PO Box 77
Juba

GEORGE, T.T.
Head
Fisheries Research Centre
PO Box 1489
Khartoum

KRISHNAMURTHY, V.G.
College of Natural Resources and Environmental Studies
University of Juba
PO Box 82
Juba

Tanzania

MAPUNDA, X.E.
Fisheries Division
Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism
PO Box 9372
Dar es-Salaam

BAYONA, J.
Director
Lake Tanganyika Fisheries Research Centre
PO Box 90
Kigoma

BERNACSEK, G.M.
R.R. 3
Mansonville
Quebec
Canada JOE IXO

LEMA, R.
Fisheries Division
Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism
PO Box 2462
Dar es-Salaam

Togo

Uganda

Upper Volta

Zaire

Zambia

H.E. Hon. Nephas Tembo
Minister of States
Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources
Lusaka

MONZE, B.A.
Permanent Secretary
Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources
Box 30055
Lusaka

MUSHINGE, P.
Deputy Director
Department of Fisheries
PO Box 100
Chilanga

CHIPUNGU, P.
Chief Research Officer
Fisheries Research Division
PO Box 100
Chilanga

MUDENDA, H.G.
Fisheries Research Division
PO Box 100
Chilanga

OBSERVERS FROM MEMBER NATIONS NOT MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE

Mozambique

SOUSA, L.P.
Serviço de Investigacoes Pesqueiras
Secretaria de Estado Das Pescas
PO Box 1723
Maputo

Zimbabwe

JUNOR, F.
Lake Kariba Fisheries Research Institute
PO Box 75
Kariba

LINGEN, van der, M.I.
Department of National Parks and Wildlife Management
PO Box 8365
Salisbury

France

DE KIMPE, P.M.J.
Centre Technique Forestier Tropical
Division Pêche et Pisciculture
45bis Avenue de la Belle Gabrielle
94130 Nogent-sur-Marne

QUENSIERE, J.
O.R.S.T.O.M.
24 Rue Bayard
75008 Paris

United Kingdom

McLACHLAN, A.J.
Zoology Department
University of Newcastle upon Tyne

STONEMAN, J.
Overseas Development Administration
Eland House
Stage Place
London SWIE 5 PH

REPRESENTATIVES OF THE UNITED NATIONS ORGANIZATIONS

BORTHWICK, M.R.
UNDP Resident Representative
PO Box 30135
Lilongwe

MULUDIANG, J.
World Health Organization
PO Box 30390
Lilongwe

FAO FISHERIES DEPARTMENT

Headquarters

GAUDET, J.-L.
Senior Fishery Planning Officer
Representative of the Assistant Director-General
Fisheries Department
FAO
00100 Rome, Italy

EL ZARKA, S.
Senior Fishery Liaison Officer
Fishery Liaison Unit
Fisheries Department
FAO
00100 Rome, Italy

MANN, M.J.
Project Operations Officer
Operations Service
Fisheries Department
FAO
00100 Rome, Italy

NEDELEC, C.
Fishery Industry Officer
Fisheries Technology Service
Fishery Industries Division
Fisheries Department
FAO
00100 Rome, Italy

KAPETSKY, J.
Fishery Resources Officer
Fishery Resources and Environment Division
Fisheries Department
FAO
00100 Rome, Italy

Regional Office for Africa

WEST, W.Q.-B.
Regional Fisheries Officer
FAO Regional Office for Africa
PO Box 1628
Accra, Ghana

Field

ROEST, F.C.
Fishery Biologist
Lake Tanganyika Research Project RAF/78/013
BP 1490
Bujumbura, Burundi

ARRIGNON, J.
Project Manager
Development of Fishculture and Inland Fisheries Project IVC/77/003
BP 1747
Abidjan, Ivory Coast

SIVALINGAM, S.
Aquaculturist
Development of Coastal Aquaculture KEN/77/010
PO Box 583
Malindi, Kenya

TURNER, J.
Project Manager
Fishery Expansion Project MLW/75/019
PO Box 80
Nkhata Bay, Malawi

DEGNBOL, P.
Limnologist
Fishery Expansion Project MLW/75/019
PO Box 80
Nkhata Bay, Malawi

CONTRERAS AVARIA, P.A.
Research and Development of Inland Fisheries GCP/MOZ/006/SWE
PO Box 4595
Maputo, Mozambique

MIKKOLA, H.
Research and Development of Inland Fisheries GCP/MOZ/006/SWE
PO Box 4595
Maputo, Mozambique

MONTENEGRO, N.S.
Research and Development of Inland Fisheries GCP/MOZ/006/SWE
PO Box 4595
Maputo, Mozambique

PILLAI, T.G.
Project Manager
Aquaculture Development Project URT/78/004
PO Box 9182
Dar es-Salaam, Tanzania

FAO CONSULTANTS

ALABASTER, J.S.
1 Granby Road
Stevenage, Herts, UK

AWACHIE, J.
Department of Zoology
University of Waterloo
Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3 GI, Canada

SECRETARIAT

APPENDIX B
Address by the Honourable E.C.I. Bwanali, M.P., Minister for the Southern Region, Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Lilongwe, Malawi

Mr Chairman, Representatives of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), Your Worship the Mayor, Members of Parliament, Party Officials, Distinguished Delegates, Ladies and Gentlemen.

On behalf of the Malawi Government and the people of this country, I would like to welcome you all to the Fourth Session of the Committee for Inland Fisheries of Africa. I am happy to see so many of you among us today.

On my part, I feel greatly honoured to perform the official opening of the Conference on behalf of His Excellency the Life President Ngwazi, Dr Kamuzu Banda, who is the Minister responsible for Agriculture and Natural Resources in this country.

It was in 1977, during the Third Session of the Committee held in Burundi, that Malawi announced her wish to host the Fourth Session of the Committee. Today, we in Malawi are grateful to your respective countries for accepting our offer to host this Conference. This positive response shows one thing: the confidence which your respective countries have in this country, because peace and calm prevail everywhere in Malawi.

As a land-locked country, Malawi depends entirely on her inland lakes and rivers for the supply of fish. In fact more than 70 percent of the animal protein consumed in this country comes from this source. It is not surprising, therefore, that Malawi has taken a keen interest in the activities of CIFA since its inception in 1971.

Mr Chairman, although CIFA has been in existence for only a few years, member countries have made considerable progress in implementing those activities initiated by your Committee. Delegates here assembled have different experiences in relation to fisheries work. They have made successes and they have also come up against some difficulties in the process. In this way they have acquired a great deal of knowledge which they will now share among themselves during this Conference. In this connexion, we very much appreciate the role played by FAO in bringing together all these delegates from different parts of Africa.

Some of you may have visited Malawi before, but the majority of you are probably here for the first time. Whatever the case may be, we want you to feel free here in Malawi and to participate fully in the discussions.

Since the demand for fish is increasing every year, the role of CIFA in fisheries work will expand too. CIFA has admirably fulfilled the role of an advisory body with the ability to coordinate information, offer guidance, make recommendations and sound a warning in cases of potential problems. It is my sincere hope that CIFA will continue to cope with an ever-increasing number of new areas of emphasis in fisheries work.

In Malawi remarkable progress has been made in the development of fisheries work. There are three projects supported jointly by UNDP/FAO and the Malawi Government. These are: the Fisheries Training Project, the Promotion of Intergrated Fisheries Development and the Fishery Expansion Project. In addition, many Malawians have received training through FAO sponsorship. We look forward to continued cooperation in order to develop our lake fisheries and aquaculture potentials.

This country is well known for its vast inland waters of Lake Malawi and the related fisheries work. Distinguished delegates may wish to know that Malawi has other fisheries including that in the Lower Shire which runs for approximately 200 km through the southern part of the country. During the past 12 years, the Fisheries Department in Malawi has undertaken research, development and extension work in this area.

Mr Chairman, I understand that during the delegates' stay in Malawi there will be a visit to the Lower Shire and to the Lake in Mangochi. I hope the visits to these places will be of mutual benefit to yourselves and to us because you will learn about our fisheries activities and make constructive suggestions as to which areas require particular attention.

In conclusion, Mr Chairman, I wish you all the best in your discussions. Come up with some positive recommendations which can be implemented. In this way you will be helping to promote the development of fishery resources for the social and economic welfare of our peoples.

Finally, I understand a Cocktail Party has been arranged for all of you this evening at the Mount Soche Hotel. You are all invited to that function. So, we will meet again this evening.

Thank you.

APPENDIX C
Address by J.-L. Gaudet, Representative of the Assistant Director-General of the Fisheries Department, FAO

Honourable Minister for the Southern Region of Malawi, Honourable Minister of State of the Republic of Zambia, his Lordship the Mayor of the City of Blantyre, the Resident Representative of the United Nations Development Programme, Mr Chairman, Distinguished Delegates, Ladies and Gentlemen.

It gives me great pleasure to transmit to you the greetings and best wishes of the Director-General of FAO, Mr Edouard Saouma, and those of Mr Kenneth C. Lucas, Assistant Director-General of the Fisheries Department, for a profitable and successful session.

I would also like to take this opportunity, Honourable Minister, to express our sincere gratitude to the Government of Malawi for hosting this Fourth Session of your Committee and for the excellent arrangements made to ensure its success.

This session is being held at a time when significant attention is being directed to African countries. At the Sixth Meeting (Addis Ababa) of the Economic Council for Africa, held in April 1980, the ministers responsible for economic development recognized that Africa now occupies the worst position in the worldwide struggle against underdevelopment. In fact, average food available to the individual decreases by as much as 1.4 percent per year and in 1980 Africans have at their disposal 10 percent less food per head than in 1970.

Such a situation is unacceptable especially in the fishery sector in a continent where we find inland and marine waters teeming with fish.

The Plan of Action for the implementation of the Monrovia Strategy which was adopted by the Heads of State and Government of the Organization of African Unity (OAU), aims, in its effort to arrive at food self-sufficiency, to increase, among other things, fish production from African waters by one million tons by 1985. This would permit a rise of one kg in the level of average annual fish consumption by 1985.

To achieve this, the Plan of Action recommends specific measures such as:

• increasing the productivity of artisanal fishermen;

• expanding aquaculture;

• improving communications between landing points and markets, especially inexpensive feeder roads to fishing communities;

• improving traditional processing methods;

• improving storage facilities;

• expanding inter-regional fish trade;

• encouraging sub-regional cooperation in the assessment of fish potential; especially where common stocks are concerned in lakes and river basins, and finally

• improving the management of shared stocks.

Because of the priorities set in the Monrovia Strategy, the Director-General of FAO is therefore giving top priority to Africa in his 1982–83 Programme of Work which was submitted to the FAO Council, in summary form, last week. Similarly UNDP intends to intensify its efforts on food production in Africa during its third cycle (1982–86).

In the inland fishery sector these efforts are evidenced by two major proposals for technical assistance made by FAO for Africa. One was submitted recently to UNDP and it concerns a regional inland fisheries programme for Africa. We like to call it the CIFA Programme It is summarized in document CIFA/80/4. The second was submitted to Denmark for bilateral financing. It is a regional project proposal for the integrated development of small-scale fisheries in Africa. It is summarized in Appendix 1 of CIFA/80/4. Both projects are intended to act as umbrella projects. You will have opportunities during this session to study and discuss both these projects under point 4 of your Agenda.

The importance of inland fisheries to the economy of many African countries even for those who have access to sea fisheries coupled with the fear of the drastic changes in the catches due to overexploitation or to environmental changes, have influenced the choice of the theme of your Fourth Session Seminar: Management and Development of River Basin Fisheries. The technical papers which will be presented to you in the next few days cover a wide variety of topics. I am sure that with your guidance and experience we will be able to come to some sort of integrated approach to the development and management of river basin fisheries. More emphasis will be certainly directed to a sub-regional management policy as most of river fisheries are shared by several countries.

Agenda item 5 covers a report of the First Session of the CIFA Sub-Committee for Lake Tanganyika which met in Lusaka, Zambia, in the period March 1978 under the chairmanship of Mr Muyanga. The Sub-Committee has been established as a result of Recommendation 77/2 of the Third CIFA Session. The report of the Sub-Committee (document CIFA/80/5) outlines several directives to Governments and FAO. It has been decided, however, that the present Fishery Research Project for Lake Tanganyika (RAF/78/013) should remain in its reduced scale until UNDP agrees upon its level of support in its 1982–86 cycle. The situation does not appear very promising at the present time but your Committee may wish to discuss this matter.

Agenda item 6 refers to fishery development in the Sahel. The Sub-Committee for the Sahel has not met since its third meeting in Burundi in November 1977. The Fishery Development Programme - which had been approved by the Sub-Committee and CILSS-has unfortunately, not yet found the appropriate source of funding. We are fortunate in having among us a representative of the Secretariat of the Interstate Committee for Drought Control in the Sahel (CILSS) who may be in a position to advise the Committee on future action and suggest ways of identifying donors to implement the Sahel Development Programme.

Aquaculture in Africa-the topic of item 7 on the Agenda - is reviewed in document CIFA/80/7. The purpose of the document is twofold: to summarize the status of aquaculture development in selected countries and to list African aquaculture development benefiting from outside financial aid. The recent inauguration of the African Regional Aquaculture Centre in Nigeria has opened a new era. It is hoped that the training of senior aquaculturists in adaptive research will have a positive effect on fish culture production in the years to come. You will remember that the CIFA Symposium on Aquaculture in Africa (Accra, 1975), which focused attention on aquaculture problems in Africa, was directly instrumental in recommending the establishment of such a regional centre.

Since its inception, your Committee has provided an important regional forum to discuss problems of regional importance. Your first session in Chad in 1972, in addition to identifying areas of concentration, also held discussions on the evaluation of fishery resources in the development and management of inland fisheries. Your second session in Ghana concentrated on fish culture development. Your third session put emphasis on river and lake management with special attention being paid to the Sahel. With the Seminar on river basin development and management which will start today the “tour d'horizon” of the principles behind inland fishery development and management will be complete. The time has come, therefore, to tackle the study of the techniques required to put these principles in practice and speed up fishery development. In this regard, your attention will be called in the course of the Session to a possible topic for your future Symposium, i.e., Extension Service in African Inland Fisheries.

Finally, before I close my address, I would like to touch on a point that is very dear to this Committee, that is your request for the transfer of the CIFA Secretariat to the African Region.

As you are aware, for the past six years, the Organization has been executing a Regional Fisheries Development Programme under the umbrella of your sister Committee on the western side of Africa, the Fishery Committee for Eastern Central Atlantic (CECAF). The experience gained from this programme and from similar projects conducted elsewhere by FAO has demonstrated that such assistance can best be provided by locally based and multidisciplinary technical support units with wide-ranging terms of reference operating in a group of countries which share common problems, opportunities, stocks or fisheries, have common aspirations and the common will to cooperate.

It is for this reason that FAO has proposed to UNDP the Regional Inland Fisheries Programme for Africa (the CIFA Programme) described in document CIFA/80/4. Your comments on this programme together with your decisions on the institutional arrangements for carrying on future work as recommended by the relevant documents submitted to you, will be a critical aspect at this meeting.

Following on the success of the activities of the CECAF Committee and the Project in West Africa, the Organization has now decided to appoint a Secretary from the Region based at the Headquarters of the Programme in Dakar. It is our hope that when the Programme for the Inland Fisheries of Africa does develop sufficiently we will be in a position of having a similar administrative procedure concerning the Secretariat of CIFA.

In closing, Honourable Minister for the Southern Region of Malawi, Honourable Minister of State of the Republic of Zambia, his Lordship the Mayor of the City of Blantyre, the Resident Representative of the United Nations Development Programme, Mr Chairman, distinguished delegates, ladies and gentlemen, I would like to repeat again that FAO is most appreciative of the invitation of the Government of Malawi to have this session in Blantyre.

And in the name of the Director-General of FAO, Mr Edouard Saouma, and the Assistant Director-General of the Fisheries Department, Mr Kenneth C. Lucas, I wish you all a successful meeting and fruitful discussions.

APPENDIX D
Address by R.A. Borthwick, Resident Representative of UNDP in Malawi

Honourable Minister, Mr Chairman, Distinguished Delegates, Ladies and Gentlemen, it gives me very great pleasure to represent the United Nations Development Programme and its Administrator, Mr Bradford Morse, at this opening of the Fourth Session of the Committee for Inland Fisheries of Africa.

This meeting of CIFA is being held at a crucial time when the world is faced with the ever-growing problem of providing adequate food resources for its peoples. There is no need for me to remind this meeting of the important role fisheries must play in meeting the growing demand for food. I believe that it is fitting that this meeting is being held in Malawi, a country which has an outstanding record for being self-sufficient in food. Fishing in Malawi contributes significantly to this record as it provides about 70 percent of the nation's protein. Only recently I was informed by His Excellency, Dr Kamuzu Banda, Life President of Malawi, that he wished the United Nations Development System to give special attention in the next five years to the production of food and to the provision of safe drinking water with easy access. These two priorities are clearly linked to the development of fisheries and the discussions of this CIFA Session.

Mr Chairman, when I was invited to speak at this opening ceremony, I was at a loss to decide what I should talk about. I happen to be a scientist, but I am a layman on the subject of fish and fisheries and my first inclination was to say something about the successful role UNDP and FAO have played and are still playing in the development of the inland fisheries of Malawi. However, I see fisheries in Africa having a major future role in food production and decided to speak about future development as seen by a planner and administator of aid at the field level. Sometimes my ignorance of the finer points of fisheries might lead me astray but I hope that the thrust of my comments will be understood.

There is an old Chinese saying that where there is water there are fish and one has only to work in the Far East to know what this really means. Asia and the Far East have few inland lakes and so inland fisheries have developed over the centuries largely in rivers, flood plains and man-made ponds of marine, brackish and fresh water. Africa on the other hand has its large inland lakes and from early times it was natural for these lakes to become population foci because of their abundant supplies of fish. When the explorer, Livingstone first reached Lake Nyasa in September 1859, he found the population more dense there than at any other place which he had then explored in Central Africa. He noted that the fishing was highly developed and in fact he found one African at Nkota Kota who employed quite a number of fishermen. Commercial fishing is therefore at least 120 years old in Malawi. Since Livingstone's time, much has happened in Malawi and its lakes. Inland fisheries have been developed by the Government with the assistance of UNDP, FAO and some donors, notably the United Kingdom. We now know more about the biomass of the lake following acoustic surveys sponsored by UNDP and FAO. It would appear that the lake as a whole does not have the fish concentrations found in the other rift valley lakes to the north and that it would not be possible at the present time to expand fisheries to any great extent. Thus Malawi, like many other countries, must protect its existing lake fish resources by vigilant controls, continuous stock assessment and careful studies into the possible growth or decline of its various fisheries and their fish stocks. Obviously, one must not overfish, so what can countries do to expand the production of fish?

For the lakes it is surely possible to have more fish. This would call for increased development of hatcheries for existing lake fish, with holding enclosures in the lake for the young fingerlings until their subsequent release. Perhaps there is not enough work done in this area. I know it is costly and requires careful research into techniques, quantities released and available feeding, but in the end an economically viable programme must certainly be found.

There is of course the possibility of introducing new species into lakes. Recently, when I suggested that this might be possible for Malawi, I was almost thrown into the lake. I realize that the introduction of new species must be thoroughly investigated to determine how they would affect the existing fish, and the available plankton and other fish feeds; also how they would affect the ecological diversity of the lakes. This is probably a time consuming exercise; however, this approach might be the best answer to expanding the fish stocks of some lakes of Africa. Of course it is done for water supply reservoirs and the new lakes such as the Volta and Kariba and probably the Coborra Bassa, but I wonder if it has been done with the best scientific approach and perhaps more studies are needed for optimum long-term results.

River fishing can no doubt be expanded in the same way as lake fishing. Fishing in the flood plains of rivers is particularly important in many countries of Africa and no doubt can be intensified provided breeding is not affected.

Mr Chairman, I am one of those who believe that if the fishing industry is to expand in Africa to increase its input into the national food resources - resources which will be required to meet the demands of increasing populations with improved living standards - the African countries must also give urgent attention to introducing aquaculture both, on a commercial scale and on a small scale with low energy, low cost, ecologically sound fish ponds suitable for individual small holder farms in any region of Africa where the winters are not too cold. Aquaculture has been developed for centuries in the Far East, particularly in China and thousands, probably millions, of stable and economically viable fish farms are providing a major fish source. Africa is just starting to develop aquaculture systems suitable for the various African environments and in this regard I have been impressed with the work of CIFA and FAO, with support from UNDP and the African Development Bank and the Government of Nigeria, in setting up the African Aquaculture Centre in Nigeria. We all look forward to this Centre playing a decisive role in the development of this very important inland water fishery system.

There are so many advantages of aquaculture that it must interest the development planners of Africa. For one thing, it is well established that for a given area of land, aquaculture can yield more food than land-based animal husbandry. For example, FAO reports (1) that in areas once used for cattle grazing in Tanzania, 9.8 lb of beef were produced from one acre in one year. When this was replaced with aquaculture, with feeding, 2 200 lb of fish meat was obtained from one acre in one year. It is also established that fish are able to produce more protein per lb of food eaten than chicken, pigs or cows. One author (2) quotes that fish must be fed 3.4 lb of protein to produce 1 lb of protein for human consumption. Chickens must be given 5.5 lb, pigs 8.3 lb, while cattle need 21.4 lb to provide 1 lb of protein for human diet. Planners must be impressed with these figures but the introduction of aquaculture has its problems if proper investigations are not made into systems which use indigenous resources, especially locally grown fish foods, into systems which meet the local tastes and into systems which can be simply managed and operated using indigenous technology. Investigations must be made into suitable pond fish and suitable pond plants for a mutually beneficial polyculture system at the locations selected. In Asia and the Far East, considerable success has been achieved with aquaculture systems in which habitation and farm activities with vegetables, chickens and pigs are integrated with the fish farming. Wastes from these other activities supplement the feeding of the fish and so reduce aquaculture costs. Pond plants can be found which, as well as providing food for fish, can be fed to animals.

A further gain is the possibility of draining the ponds and using the bottom mud to fertilize the land. I believe such integrated small holder systems also have a future in Africa, given suitable locations with available water and support from national advisory and extension services. National policies on land use and watershed management would of course influence their development. Commercial aquaculture must also have a future particularly near lakes and large rivers. Most African lakes and rivers have marshy reed-covered areas on their shores which are unsuitable for agricultural farming, but which seem to offer possibilities for extensive fish ponds. There is a tendency to only develop fish farms at locations far from rivers and lakes to meet the distant fish demands, but there seem to be many advantages in locating extensive fish farms on land which otherwise might not be utilized near lakes, not to mention the vast supplies of water.

No matter what type of fishing is employed, it will become imperative to give increasing attention to strengthening the marketing, processing, transport and storage of fish. Losses must be reduced and more scientific investigation into the drying and smoking of fish is needed to reduce the relatively high losses in this important component of fish consumption. Refrigerated transport must be expanded to permit better national distribution and so reduce the disparity in prices found in the fresh fish deficient areas of most countries. There is probably a need for a fish production master plan to promote fish production and its associated applied research and development and to ensure a better integration with national rural development programmes. Such plans should control the fish resources and coordinate the marketing, cold storage and transportation for fresh fish and develop more processing industries. These plans should ensure that the livelihood of traditional lake fishermen is not eraded by uncontrolled expansion of commercial fisheries. Commercial development might be more appropriate in the new lakes. For example, a country with a man-made lake in a remote area might find it profitable to develop a fishery mostly for a canning industry. If canned tuna fish, which I find rather tasteless, can command a world market, then I am sure that canned African lake fish would have an even wider appeal. A fish production master plan must also be coordinated with a national water plan which controls the utilization of water by the many competing users and, which is important for the fish industry, controls the pollution of national waters. Fortunately African waters are relatively pollution-free but as industry develops and pesticides are more generally used, water pollution becomes more important and no matter what controls may be nationally established, it will still be the responsibility of the fishery people to monitor the pollution which might be found in fish.

What I have said about future development will not be possible if countries do not develop their fisheries manpower of competent scientists, technicians, engineers, administrators and entrepreneurs. Governments must consider Fisheries as one of their major departments and be prepared to allocate sufficient development funds for training at all levels. Much of this training can be done in Africa by expanding existing programmes under regional projects, the UN Programme for Technical Cooperation amongst Developing Countries (TCDC), and other programmes.

Mr Chairman, UNDP in association with FAO is ready and willing to assist African in the development of its fisheries. Our record to date is impressive. UNDP is presently supporting inland fisheries, particularly aquaculture, with major projects in fourteen countries and presently contributes well over US$ 20 million IPF funds for ongoing projects. But we can do more through our country and regional and interregional programmes. Country programmes respond to individual country requests for technical cooperation within our mandate to assist in development and reaching self-reliance. Our regional programmes have the same mandate, but respond to requests from a number of governments or from endorsements by governments of suggestions from regional organizations such as ECA and CIFA and from the Specialized Agencies in the United Nations Development system, and of course UNDP. FAO, through its various Representatives and Regional Officers, is alert to programmes which are suitable for cooperation on a regional basis. In the next programming cycle, 1982–86, it is hoped that US$ 285 million will be available for African regional projects in all sectors.

For interregional projects, it is expected that US$ 73 million will be available. Priority will be given to projects ideally suitable for regional and global cooperation, regional transportation, for example, but Agriculture and Fisheries will no doubt receive a major portion again. Any regional programme strongly supported by CIFA and which falls within the Lagos Plan of Action for food production can expect UNDP and FAO support if it comes within our mandate and priorities which are established by our Governing Council. I understand that there are several new regional fisheries projects in the pipeline, but this meeting should feel free to discuss and formulate any project for which you consider TCDC arrangements or regional cooperation advisable for achieving common objectives in the most economical way. However, I must emphasize that no regional project in any one aspect of fisheries, such as aquaculture, is worthwhile unless there are active country programmes for it to support. Personally, I would like to see more sub-regional fishery projects based on common lake resources. I believe the establishment by CIFA of such groupings as the Ad Hoc Sub-Committee for Lake Tanganyika is a step in the right direction. The groupings could be supported and strengthened by sub-regional UN projects. It is realized that some problems arising from national interests can be expected but these should not prevent scientific and technical people working together on technical problems of mutual concern in the development of lake fisheries. UNDP and FAO would be willing to support any such multi-country lake programmes which would contribute to the food resources of Africa. I am sure there are many possibilities for lake fisheries cooperation. Recently UNDP, FAO and the Government of Malawi completed an acoustic survey of Malawian lake waters using a research vessel provided by UNDP and FAO. This vessel could, I am sure, be used for research and development purposes in other waters of the lake.

There are other sources of funds to support fisheries under the UN system. FAO has its multi-bi programmes in cooperation with certain donors as well as its TCP programmes. UNDP has the United Capital Development Fund for assisting low income earners in rural areas and several countries have already been assisted in aquaculture. UNDP is currently administering the new Interim Fund for Science and Technology for Development, but I do not know whether any fisheries projects were included in the first batch of projects just approved by this Fund. Other international resources are of course available for fisheries development. These include the investment resources of the World Bank, the African Development Bank and the European Development Fund of the European Economic Communities through which most African countries have access under the Lomé Conventions. There is also the Voluntary Fund for the UN Decade for Women which could assist in the vital role women must play in the future development of fisheries in Africa. Aquaculture is one fishery in which women could take a leading role.

Mr Chairman, I hope that in the course of this meeting new country and regional projects will be identified for consideration by UNDP, FAO, other international organizations and the bilateral aid partners of the various countries must not be forgotten. This meeting would be a splendid opportunity to share experience in training and evolve an African programme, for the exchange of national staff and other training under TCDC. Perhaps I could, if there is time, suggest one study which I think needs doing. There are several lakes in Africa which have never “turned over” in their lifespan and I wonder if the factors which might lead to a turning over are fully understood. What combination of temperature gradients within the depth of the lakes and energy inputs from natural sources, such as cyclones or earthquakes, would lead to a turning over of deep lakes? Then there is the question of what would happen to the fish if the lake “turned over”. Would they be poisoned by the sulphur content of the deep waters? Perhaps a project could be devised to study all the parameters involved in this problem and the impact such an event might have.

Colleagues, I apologize for speaking so long. I hope that I have drawn attention to some matters of importance to the development of fisheries in Africa. There is much to be done for the future of fish production. You all know this or you would not be here. It is Africa and yourselves who must do it, and can do it, with the humble support of the United Nations Development system and others. UNDP believes that it would be possible for UNDP-supported efforts to contribute to the increase of fisheries production up to three to five times if appropriate national staff are properly trained. Such a substantial increase will greatly help to meet the protein needs of the African Continent in the years to come.

Finally, Mr Chairman and participants, on behalf of Mr Bradford Morse, UNDP's Administrator, Mr Michael Doo Kingue, the Assistant Administrator and Director of UNDP's Africa Bureau, and the UNDP offices in the countries you represent, I wish you all a most successful Fourth Session and hope you enjoy your stay in one of the most beautiful cities in Africa.

Thank you.

(1) Schuster, W.H., G.L. Kesteven and G.E.D. Collins, 1954. Fish Farming and Inland Fisheries Management in Rural Economy. FAO Fisheries Study No. 3

(2) Bardach, J.E., J.H. Ryther and W.O. McLarney, 1972. Aquaculture: The Farming and Husbandry of Freshwater and Marine Organisms. Wiley-Interscience, New York

APPENDIX E
Summary Report of the Ad Hoc Meeting of the CIFA Sub-Committee for Lake Tanganyika

In the absence of the delegation from Zaire, a brief ad hoc meeting was convened of the CIFA Sub-Committee for Lake Tanganyika with representatives from Burundi, Tanzania, Zambia and FAO. This group noted with regret that, although the preparatory phase of the project had discussed and formulated, in consultation with all four member goverments, a draft project document for the main phase, UNDP found it impossible to finance this programme at present time. Nevertheless the delegates renewed their support for the main project and urged FAO to communicate to UNDP the need for participating governments to have early assurance of its support in principle to the funding of the main phase, so that the important national inputs required can be planned and budgeted for the appropriate time. National delegates therefore pressed for circulation of the draft project document so that their respective planning ministries can be briefed to give strong support to the inclusion of this project in the next UNDP regional programme.

The ad hoc meeting emphasized the need to maintain periodic meetings of national staff concerned particularly with fisheries statistics and biological research, in order to maintain coordination and cooperation of their ongoing programmes and requested FAO to examine how technical and financial support might be obtained for such meetings. In this context thanks were due to the Government of Zaire for having offered to host the Sub-Committee meeting at Goma in early November 1980, this meeting having had to be cancelled due to the inability of the restricted budget of the Regional Project to fund the meeting during the current financial year and the need to reschedule the inputs of the main phase.

APPENDIX F
Report on the Meeting of the Correspondence Working Group on Stock Assessment

The CWGSA met on Tuesday, 9 December 1980. Attending were two of the original members of the CWGSA present at the Fourth Session, six prospective members and the Technical Secretary.

The CWGSA met with the purpose of considering the issues which are presented in the letter attached. These issues had been brought to the attention of other members and prospective members of the CWGSA previously by means of a mailing of the same letter.

In brief, the CWGSA:

1. formed two CWGSA based on a consensus of opinion, one of which would direct its efforts to improving stock assessment techniques related to the development of pelagic fisheries in large lakes and reservoirs, and the other of which would emphasize fishery appraisal in support of the improvement of management strategies for artisanal fisheries;

2. indicated that the CWGSA on pelagic fisheries should initially include, but not be limited to Lakes Kariba, Tanganyika, Malawi and Kainji where efforts are presently under-way for the assessment of pelagic fish stocks;

3. encouraged the Technical Secretary, with assistance of the present members of the CWGSA, to rapidly expand the membership and activities of the CWGSA on artisanal fisheries;

4. decided that the present terms of reference could be easily modified by correspondence to reflect the formation of the two new groups, and

5. supported a proposal for working group meetings of each of the two new CWGSA in 1982 prior to the Fifth Session of CIFA in 1983.

CIFA delegates are respectfully invited to consider the above-proposed activities of the two new CWGSA and to lend their support to them under Agenda item 8 “Other Matters”.

CIFA Correspondence Working Group on Stock Assessment

A matter brought for consideration, and put forward for discussion at the Fourth Session of CIFA in December, is the possibility that the present Correspondence Working Group on Stock Assessment be split into two, more internally homogeneous working groups in line with perceived needs for different emphases on stock assessment in different inland fishery situations.

That there are two basic situations with regard to the appraisal and management of inland fisheries in Africa today. One current situation pertains to the littoral areas of large lakes and reservoirs, to small lakes, coastal lagoons and most rivers and floodplains. In these systems, or parts of systems, fishing is on a small-scale, subsistence or artisanal basis and stocks are either approaching a level of optimum exploitation or are already overexploited. In this situation fishery appraisal efforts are directed towards developing and then improving fishery management programmes which seek to sustain the fishery resources and fishery by controlling exploitation mostly by indirect means. The other contrasting situation which we find in Africa today pertains to the open-water areas of the African Great Lakes, to some of the large reservoirs, and to some of the large estuaries. In this situation the pelagic resources are either underexploited by both artisanal and mechanized fishing methods, or there are conflicts between mechanized and artisanal fisheries. Here much of the applied research effort is aimed at determining the potential of these resources for expanded exploitation and for the development of more efficient means of extraction.

It is believed that by bringing together interested workers in two Correspondence Working Groups involved in stock assessment in each of the two contrasting situations mentioned above, communication will be more efficient and more progress is likely to be forthcoming than with the present arrangement of varied interests and expertise being represented by one group only.

APPENDIX G
Report of an Ad Hoc Meeting to Discuss the “Prospectus for a CIFA Activity on Synthesis of Information on African River Basin Fisheries”

Ten participants in the CIFA Fourth Session and the Technical Secretary attended the meeting on Tuesday, 9 December 1980.

In brief, the concept of a synthesis of information on African river basin fisheries as a CIFA activity was well received, and the “Prospectus” (see attached) stimulated much lively and useful discussion, the thrust of which is outlined below:

• conceptually, the synthesis should include a holistic approach to river basin fisheries although it was realized that because of the sheer enormity of the task, execution might have to be undertaken in a step-wise fashion (e.g., reservoirs as sub-systems of river basins might be selected for initial priority in the synthesis);

• as for the development and management of international river basins, international cooperation would have to be organized to provide the data necessary for “National River Basin Fishery Synthesis”;

• attention was drawn to the possible use of data from outside the continent to supplement the synthesis, and

• the need for the widest possible distribution of the “Manual on Planning for Developing and Managing Fisheries in River Basins” was emphasized.

CIFA delegates are respectfully invited to consider the “Prospectus” for discussion under Agenda item 8 (Other Matters) and to note the need for the Fourth Session's support in scheduling a meeting of a “Working Group on River Basin Fishery Synthesis” in 1982.

Prospectus for a CIFA Activity on Synthesis of Information on African River Basins

OVERALL OBJECTIVE OF THE ACTIVITY

To assist CIFA and other FAO member countries to more fully realize benefits from their river basin fisheries.

Background

It is probably fair to say that, although fisheries have been an important consideration in all large reservoir projects in Africa, the potential benefits of fisheries in river basin situations have never been accurately predicted. There are many factors which contribute to this lack of predictive capability, but basically, one problem has been that fishery studies have been implemented rather late, usually after dam construction was under way.

A second problem has been that, in those cases where it has been possible to make a prediction of yield potential, there has been little or no follow-through to place the biological productivity potential in terms of sociological or economic benefits. This has been the crux of the problem. Without some quantitative measure of the potential socio-economic benefits of fisheries in river basins undergoing alteration, there has been no opportunity for fisheries interests to be included in the early planning stages of reservoirs in proportion to their potential contribution to the overall benefits to be realized from the reservoir project. This, in turn, has led to a situation where investment and infrastructure inputs have been out of phase with or otherwise improperly matched to actual fishery potential, and as a result the potential benefits of fisheries have not been fully realized within the multiple-use context of most river basin development projects. There have been several systematic attempts to take advantage of the experience gained in many parts of Africa on the development of reservoir fisheries; however, these are now dated and even these have fallen short of the depths and breadths of synthesis which is required to realize a substantial gain in benefits from the development of fisheries in river basins.

At present, sufficient information has been accumulated on a wide variety of reservoir situations and their upstream and downstream fisheries to enable a useful synthesis, the output of which would be not only beneficial to Africa, but also to other developing parts of the world. Therefore, the time is ripe to take advantage of this situation.

ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS OF THE ACTIVITY

There are basically three areas in which this activity could make a substantial contribution to increasing national capabilities for better realization of fishery potential in modified river basins.

These are:

1. Prediction of the potential benefits to be realized from reservoir and associated fisheries at the early planning stages well before impoundment has begun;

2. Formulation of a set of the most viable fishery development options in newly altered river basin situations in the multiple-use context;

3. Formulation of a set of most viable fishery management options in reservoirs and for associated upstream and downstream fisheries.

GENERAL APPROACH

1. Compilation of yield, biological and limnological information from existing reservoirs and up and downstream areas to attempt the improvement of the capability for predicting fishery yield potential;

2. Compilation of yield, information on fisheries, fishery biological data and information on existing fishery management programmes to assess the success of fishery management strategies;

3. Compilation of socio-economic information on the fishery to get a measure of socio-economic benefits to pair with yield information for transformation to economic terms, and

4. Compilation of developmental activities implemented to estimate effectiveness and associated capital and running costs required to support the fishery and to maintain its output.

Output Expected

In theory, at the early planning stages for alterations of river basins it should be possible to begin with a set of independent variables relating to the biological productivity to be expected in the altered situation, another set of variables relating to local and national economic conditions and to have as output at various stages estimates or predictions of:

1. Fishery yield potential over time, including during the early, most productive stages of the reservoir through the ‘stabilization’ stage and yield potential up and downstream;

2. Socio-economic benefits in terms of local income, and employment generated, and value of the catch at local and final distribution points;

3. Estimates of kinds and quantities of fishery development activities required to support the reservoir and up and downstream fisheries and their capital and running costs, and

4. Alternative fishery management strategies, their costs in time and personnel and likely contribution to maintaining fishery output.

EXECUTION AND TIME FRAME

1. Early 1981: Consultancy (of about three weeks)

The objective of this consultancy will be to provide an operational framework for the activity. Specifically, the consultant should:

1. Based on his own broad knowledge of reservoir fisheries and general knowledge of river basin development, examine the breadth and depth of information available which could contribute to the objective of this activity;

2. Prepare an outline beginning with main objectives and showing sub-objectives, showing the kinds of information required to achieve the sub-objectives;

3. Based on the objectives/sub-objectives identified, prepare an outline framework for the preparation of “National River Basin Fishery Reports”, and

4. Identify individuals from each of the CIFA member countries who might be willing to form a Correspondence Working Group.

2. Mid-1981

Formation of Correspondence Working Group for the Preparation of National Reports on Fisheries in River Basins.

3. End-1982

Completion of “Present Status of River Basin Fisheries in Africa”, a compilation of national reports with a Pan-African synthesis on prediction, development and management with emphasis on:

1. Specific factors which are considered important for enhancement of biological production and yield and for taking advantage of these factors for increased exploitation and for associated socio-economic benefits, and

2. Identification of principal constraints on the full development of reservoir fisheries with discussions of practical means which might be used to overcome these constraints.

4. Early 1984

Based on the Pan-African synthesis of the river basin fishery information and refinement of predictive capabilities, publication of a manual on “Planning for Developing and Managing Fisheries in River Basins” (1984).

APPENDIX H
Report on an Ad Hoc Meeting to Discuss “A Course on Fishery Appraisal and Fishery Management for African Inland Fishery Workers”

A meeting was held on Tuesday, 9 December 1980 to discuss the ‘course’ (see attached). Ten participants at the CIFA Fourth Session attended along with the Technical Secretary. Discussion was spirited and an abbreviated version of the comments made at the meeting is given below:

• Much variation in technological competence in fishery appraisal and fishery management, both within and among CIFA member countries was noted, but it was suggested that the course target group should be university graduates with some working experience in fisheries;

• Because fishery officers are needed full-time at their posts and have little time for external training and because it is thought that there would be much demand for such a course, the course should be from four to eight weeks duration;

• The course should not be given only once, but repeated;

• When repeated, the course should be moved to different host countries;

• The manual prepared for the course should also serve as a ‘guidebook’ for fishery appraisal and fishery management for those unable to attend the courses;

• Still in a planning stage, the course could be tailored to address solely fishery appraisal and another, separate course could be formulated for fishery management, and

• The wording of the attached document was commented on to show that the same course content would be used for giving the course in French and in English.

CIFA delegates are respectfully invited to consider the ‘course’ under Agenda item 8 “Other Matters” and are asked to note that if the ‘course’ is accepted as a CIFA activity, a working group meeting will be required in 1982.

“Course on Fishery Appraisal and Fishery Management for African Inland Fishery Workers”

A Proposal for a CIFA Activity

Background

Nearly all fisheries in Africa are of an artisanal type and are widely dispersed and often seasonal in river and river floodplain systems. From the viewpoint of fishery appraisal, such fisheries required the development of special methods or modifications of already established techniques which must be tailored to each special case. Development of management strategies and their implementation also present special problems unique to artisanal fisheries.

A need for special training in the appraisal and management of African inland water fisheries has been identified based on the following considerations:

1. Because of difficulties of communication, new methods for fishery appraisal and fishery management often do not reach field workers on a timely basis or do not reach them at all;

2. Most advanced formal training of African inland fishery workers is accomplished abroad in temperate regions where inland fisheries are managed mainly for recreational purposes. ‘Textbook’ examples of fishery appraisal and fishery management do not pertain very well to the African inland situation in terms of dynamics of fish populations exploited and the management options available;

3. In the past, a wide variety of fishery appraisal techniques have been applied to African inland waters and numerous management strategies have been developed and implemented for river and lake fisheries throughout the continent. Yet there has been no recent systematic attempt to assemble, evaluate, synthesize and disseminate this experience for the use of African inland fishery workers, and

4. New methods of fishery appraisal and new management strategies are continuously being developed all over the world both in temperate and tropical regions; however there has been no organized effort to ‘collect’ these methods and strategies and to evaluate their applicability to various African inland fishery situations.

A letter laying out the points made above, and also requesting opinion on and support for the development of a course on appraisal and management of inland water fisheries aimed specifically at the African situation, was circulated to many African fishery workers early in 1980 by the FAO Fisheries Department. Responses to the proposed course were enthusiastically in favour of the course idea; however, comments varied about the course content and emphasis and the groups to which the course should be directed.

PROPOSED PLAN OF ACTION

The following outline shows a procedure which might be adopted for the implementation of a course on fishery appraisal and fishery management for African inland fishery workers:

1. Formation of a correspondence working group (1981) to:

   1. prepare an appropriate outline for the course, and

   2. begin the assembly of and evaluate materials to be included in the course.

2. Meeting of the working group (1982/83) to:

   1. collate the material gathered;

   2. finalize the course content, and

   3. plan for the preparation of a course manual and for course execution.

3. Preparation of a manual for the course itself, but which would also be useful as a guide for fishery appraisal and fishery management for workers unable to attend the course.

4. Execution of the course with one course aimed at French-speaking African countries and the other for English-speaking African countries.

APPENDIX I
Agenda

1. Opening of the Session

2. Adoption of the Agenda and Arrangements for the Session

3. Management and Development of River Basin Fisheries

4. Inland Fisheries Programme for Africa

5. Fisheries of Lake Tanganyika

6. Fisheries of the Sahel

7. Development of Aquaculture in Africa

8. Any Other Matters

9. Election of Officers

10. Date and Place of Fifth Session

11. Adoption of the Report

APPENDIX J
List of Documents