1. The Commission for Inland Fisheries of Latin America (COPESCAL) held its Fifth Session from 20 to 24 June 1988 at the Holiday Inn, Panama City, at the kind invitation of the Government of the Republic of Panama.
2. The Session was attended by delegates from 16 member countries of the Commission, representatives of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and observers from the Organization of American States (OAS), the Organizaciôn Latinoamericana para el Desarrollo Pesquero (OLDEPESCA), the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), and the Asociaciôn Latinoamericana de Acuicultura (ALA). The list of delegates, observers and participants is given in Appendix A to this report.
3. The inaugural session was attended by His Excellency the Minister of Agricultural Development of Panama, Mr. Darinel Espino Zarate, the Vice-Minister of Agricultural Development, Mr. Luis Olmedo Castillo, Mr. Juan Ricardo Juárez Palacios, representative of the Chairman of COPESCAL, Lic. Pedro Ojeda Paullada, Secretary of Fisheries of Mexico, the National Director of Aquaculture of Panama, Mr. R. Pretto Malca, Ambassadors of Latin American countries to the Government of Panama and representatives of regional and international organizations and other national authorities in the agricultural sector.
4. In his words of welcome to delegates and participants at the opening session, Mr. Pretto expressed his pleasure at the number of member countries represented, the largest so far for any COPESCAL session. He invited participants to visit his aquaculture centres and asked delegates interested in taking home seeds of any species to contact the staff of the Directorate of Aquaculture with regard to the practical aspect of obtaining export permits.
5. Mr. Wolfgang Krone, Director of the Fishery Industry Division of the FAO Fisheries Department, addressed participants on behalf of the Director-General of FAO, Mr. Edouard Saouma, thanking the Government and people of Panama for kindly hosting this Session. He also recalled the hospitality offered by the country to two previous sessions of COPESCAL Working Parties and the fisheries information service (INFOPESCA), whose headquarters have been in Panama for more than 10 years. He emphasized the support received from the officers of the Commission (Mexico, Panama and Cuba) which had ensured continuity in the Commission's work, orienting it towards regional priorities.
6. Mr. Krone referred to the remarkable increase in inland fisheries production in the region, which had risen by 40 percent in the last five years; this, however, represented only one fifth of the sector's potential. He also mentioned the progress made in the aquaculture sector, particularly in extensive culture in dams, and in comercial shrimp and salmon farming in some COPESCAL countries. However, he regretted that no similar advance had been achieved in the development of rural aquaculture despite efforts by governments and FAO. He recalled that other regional bodies, namely the Organizaciôn Latinoamericana para el Desarrollo Pesquero (OLDEPESCA) and the Caribean Community (CARICOM), were also concerned with inland fisheries and aquaculture development, and pointed out that the close cooperation already existing between FAO and these bodies could help to attain their common objective of improved utilization of the fisheries potential for the benefit of the people in the region.
7. As personal representative of the Chairman of COPESCAL, Mr. Pedro Ojeda Paullada, Fisheries Secretary of Mexico, Mr. Ricardo Juarez Palacio, Director General of Aquaculture, acknowledged the interest shown by FAO and the work of the COPESCAL Secretariat in maintaining and strengthening fisheries cooperation in the Region. Referring to the Resolutions of the FAO World Fisheries Conference (Rome, 1984), he repeated the appeal to the international community to mobilize the necessary financial resources to implement the Programmes of Action adopted by the Conference. He stressed the importance of aquaculture and inland fisheries as alternative economic options for increasing food supplies, a priority for the region and the world as a whole. On behalf of the officers of the Commission, delegates and participants, he thanked the Government of Panama for its warm welcome.
8. In his opening address, the Minister of Agricultural Development , Mr. Darinel Espino, recognized the role of these international fora in expanding knowledge and experience of fishery development as a solution to the food problems of the region. He stated that the National Aquaculture Directorate of Panama (DINAAC) had been established for 12 years and had six aquaculture stations. Three thousand three hundred hectares in the country were farmed with penaeid shrimps, producing 3000 tons a year, worth 28.9 million balboas on the export market. In rural areas there were more than 1 500 ponds (122 hectares) used for subsistence aquaculture, benefiting 4 500 families. Referring to the present crisis in his country, he expressed the gratitude of Panama to member countries of the Latin American Economic System (LAES) for international aid in the form of inputs.
9. The Commission adopted the agenda reproduced in Appendix B. The documents for the Session are listed in Appendix C.
10. The Secretariat presented document COPESCAL/88/2 indicating the measures taken by FAO during the intersessional period to implement the specific recommendations of the previous session, almost all of which had been carried out despite the Organization's financial restrictions. Further documents were available in addition to those shown in the list prepared for this session, and had been made available to delegates; in particular, COPESCAL Occasional Paper No.4, “Fishing gear and methods in inland waters of Latin America”, which presents the findings of the Second Session of the Working Party on Fisheries Technology, prepared by a consultant from the region and coordinated by the Technical Secretariat, and a paper on “Tilapia marketing in Latin America and the Caribbean” prepared and published by the Empresa Nacional de Acuicultura, Cuba, as background information for a seminar to be held on this subject, as proposed at the previous session.
11. The Commission expressed its satisfaction with the activities conducted by the Secretariat in the intersessional period and recognized that progress had been made in exchange of information between the Secretariat and member countries with the appointment of national correspondents (COPESCAL/88/Inf. 3). Some member countries indicated changes in their national authorities, which affected the list of correspondents, and the Secretariat requested the delegates concerned to make the necessary corrections during the session. The up-to-date list is attached as Appendix D.
12. Since many of the recommendations of the previous session on specific technical aspects such as exploitation of fish stocks, genetic resource conservation, aquaculture and regional cooperation in aquaculture development, and fish product utilization and marketing would be dealt with in detail under the relevant agenda items, the Secretariat drew attention to additional aspects not included in the agenda, namely FAO activities in relation to the World Fisheries Conference Programmes of Action which were applicable to the COPESCAL objectives.
13. As regards Programme of Action No.1, “Planning Management and Development of Fisheries”, the Secretariat stated that FAO had prepared a project for inland fisheries development, to be financed by UNDP through OLDEPESCA, in line with the relevant COPESCAL recommendations. The project formulated by FAO and finalized by OLDEPESCA had been discussed and sent to UNDP for possible financing. A reply from UNDP was still awaited. As regards Programme of Action No.3, “Aquaculture Development”, the Secretariat referred to the project financed by the Government of Italy, “Support for Regional Aquaculture Activities in Latin America and the Caribbean” (AQUILA), which became operational in December 1985, following the previous FAO/UNDP project for the Regional Aquaculture Centre for Latin America (CERLA). The session was also informed of FAO efforts made since 1981 in cooperation with the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) to obtain financing from the European Economic Community for the establishment of a subregional aquaculture centre.
14. The delegation of Panama explained that the proposed subregional centre had not taken shape because it required a considerable sum from the host country; it understood that it had been agreed at two recent meetings of CARICOM countries that, pending implementation of this project, existing structures in Caribbean countries would be used. OLDEPESCA provided information on the forthcoming session of the technical committee of their aquaculture project to be held in Havana, Cuba, from 12 to 14 July 1988. Another meeting organized by UNDP and SELA* would be held in Havana just before this, from 11 to 12 July, on technical cooperation among developing countries in the field of aquaculture.
15. The delegation of Venezuela pointed out that the activities of the Working Party on Fishery Resources in the intersessional period had led to appreciable advances in fields of priority interest, namely a compendium of regulations on the introduction of exotic species (COPESCAL/88/Inf. 5) and a summary of the regulations on river fisheries management in Latin America (FAO, Fishery Report No.393, Report of the Fourth Session of the Working Party on Fishery Resources, Appendix D).
16. The delegation of Mexico pointed out that, although most of the technical recommendations had been followed, greater financial resources for the region had not been obtained. Consequently, FAO was urged to continue its efforts to obtain such resources and thus to be in a position to implement the Resolutions of the World Fisheries Conference. It was, however, recognized that this depended on the preferences of donor countries and agencies..
17. The delegate of Suriname reported on negotiations under way in his country with the Government of the Netherlands in which the establishment of a fishery development project was foreseen.
18. The delegate of Bolivia expressed his Government's wish to participate more fully in future activities of COPESCAL and reported on the National Aquaculture Development Centre recently established in the Lake Titicaca region with assistance from the Government of Japan, whose main objectives were production, research and training. He asked for regional, international and COPESCAL cooperation in supporting the activities of this Centre.
SELA: Latin American Economic System
19. The Coordinator of the Sub-Group on River Fisheries of the Working Party on Fishery Resources presented the report of the Fourth Session of the Working Party on Fishery Resources (Puerto Montt, Chile, 21–25 September, 1987). He underlined the fact that catches from capture fisheries in the inland waters of the region had increased substantially in recent years, placing stress on some stocks. Other sources of stress lay in the growing degradation of the aquatic environment by pollution and the results of management practices in the hydrographic basins. The use of inland aquatic systems for fisheries will increase throughout the region and for this reason special attention should be given to the process of enviromental degradation.
20. The Working Party operates through three sub-groups: Sub-group on lakes and reservoirs, Sub-group on river fisheries, Sub-group on pollution. The principal conclusions and recommendations of the various sub-groups as well as those of the Working Party as a whole, as contained in FAO Fishery Report No. 393, were presented at the session and were adopted.
21. A number of items were identified by the Commission as being of particular importance and were the subject of discussion:
22. The Commission recognized that approaches to the management of lakes and reservoirs are divided into two main groups. Firstly numerous small water bodies which are managed semi-intensively using an aquacultural approach and secondly fewer, but much larger reservoirs, which support mainly simple capture fisheries. While the smaller dams had already formed the topic of several workshops, the situation in the larger reservoirs had been less completely described. It was felt that the ecology and management of both groups of water body needed further analysis in order to better define approaches to the conservation and management of their fisheries.
23. It was therefore recommended that the Secretariat of FAO seek appropriate mechanisms whereby a meeting, or meetings could be held to:
collect and synthesize existing information on the biology and ecology of the fisheries of dams and reservoirs of the region;
evaluate existing approaches to the management of fisheries of such water bodies and propose improved systems for their conservation and management.
24. The Commission was informed that a large amount of information existed on the river fisheries of the region. However, much remains to be done with regard to the evaluation and application of the several indexes of river productivity as well as of concepts of the behaviour of complex river fish communities under exploitational stress.
25. In this connection the session noted with appreciation an offer made by the “Fundaciôn la Salle de Ciencias Naturales” of Venezuela to host a symposium on large rivers at its station in Puerto Ordaz in 1990. It was recommended that the Secretariat of COPESCAL collaborate with the “Fundaciôn” and other interested agencies in Venezuela, in the organization of such a symposium.
26. The Commission expressed serious concern about the increasing degradation of the environment in the rivers and lakes of many areas of the Region. It concluded that the problem is not simply one of pollution with toxic substances but rather one of wider effects produced by a range of human activities within any particular watershed.
27. It also recognized that such impacts are generally beyond the control of fishery managers but arise, rather, at a higher level of planning where decisions on land and water use are taken, often in ignorance of their effects on the living aquatic resources.
28. The session recommended the following actions to draw attention to the seriousness of the situation:
That a synthesis document and bibliography be prepared on the impact of various interventions in hydrographic basins of the Region.
That the Coordinator of the Sub-Group on pollution of the Working Party be invited to update and complete the compilation of the situation regarding inland water pollution of the Region. In this connection IMARPE of Peru offered to collaborate with the Coordinator in the preparation of this publication.
That the Secretariat seek funding for the preparation and holding of courses to sensitize high level planners to the negative effects on fisheries of other human activities in hydrographic basins and to familiarize them with possible remedial actions.
29. The Commission recognized the need for common approaches to the management of rivers and lakes whose basins lie within more than one country. In some areas agreements are urgently needed for harmonizing fishery regulations and management policies in the various riparian States. In this connection, reference was made to steps taken by Bolivia and Peru towards a common approach to research and management within the proposed integration of the frontier between the two countries.
30. The work of the Sub-group on River Fisheries with regard to the compilation of fishery regulations in use in the region was discussed. The session acknowledged that, while existing regulations were often ineffective as they were based on insufficient technical information, the need remains for some degree of legislation to control the fishery. It was therefore suggested that information on the successful application of regulations be collected during meetings associated with the Sub-groups of the Working Party in order to serve as a guide for countries in formulating or revising their own regulations.
31. The session was informed of a Colombian initiative whereby the fishermen are to be involved more directly in the development and management of their fisheries. The Session requested that a document on this initiative be made available to other interested countries of the Region.
32. Subject to the availability of funds the next session of the Working Party on Fishery Resources will be held in 1989 in Leticia, Colombia at the kind invitation of the Government of Colombia.
33. At the suggestion of the Fourth Session of COPESCAL a number of activities had been carried out during the intersession with regard to the introduction of aquatic organisms. The Secretariat had prepared a bibliography on species introductions in the region. It had published a new edition of the World Register of Introductions of Freshwater Aquatic Organisms (FAO Technical Paper No. 294, 1988) as well as a summary compilation of the regulations on the introduction of exotic species into countries of the region (document COPESCAL/88/Inf/5).
34. With regard to the bibliography on species introduced into the region, the Commission agreed that the Secretariat and the regional aquaculture project should combine forces in order to produce a more complete version as soon as possible.
35. The Commission reiterated its concern over the large number of introductions that had been made into the region and also considered a draft statement prepared by the Working Party on Fishery Resources at the request of the Commission warning of the risks of species transfers. After discussions the following warning statement was adopted:
“The introduction of new species into areas from which they were absent constitutes a valuable tool for the management of inland waters for capture and culture fisheries. However such introductions involve considerable risks to the health and ecological integrity of existing populations of aquatic species, for example, through transfer of diseases, degradation of the ecosystem and the formation of undesirable hybrids. It is therefore necessary to examine proposals for the introduction of further species with extreme care in order to minimize the risks of adverse effects”.
36. It was recommended that this statement be brought to the attention of national authorities responsible for fishery and aquaculture development and management.
37. In furtherance of the sentiments expressed in this statement the Commission expressed its intention of working towards the adoption of a code of practice to reduce the risks of negative effects arising from the introduction or transfer of aquatic organisms. It was recognized that such a code would be applicable to introductions of species which had international implications although it was not excluded that it might be applied within countries where no conflict with preexisting national regulations was involved.
38. The code elaborated by The International Commission for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) and the European Inland Fisheries Advisory Commission (EIFAC) was cited as an example and the Commission agreed that the possibility of adapting the EIFAC code to the needs of the Region be studied. It was therefore recommended that an ad hoc Group of Experts be convened to adapt that code to the needs of the region and to propose mechanisms for its implementation. In the first instance the most recent version of the code and accompanying protocols would be circulated by the secretariat to COPESCAL correspondents and members of the Working Parties for comment. The code would be revised by an expert from the region on the basis of replies received and would be submitted to the Group of Experts for finalization before being submitted to the next Session of COPESCAL.
39. The Secretariat presented this item, referring to document COPESCAL/88/4. Aquaculture in general has made great strides in recent years; commercial farming, especially shrimp, has progressed, mostly under private enterprise. Rural farming with a more social orientation has received a boost from government and external agencies, but has not succeded in gaining its own momentum. Extensive culture, mainly in dams, has developed appreciably and shows great potential.
40. FAO action has been concentrated on helping countries to increase their capacity to provide the elements needed for political decision-making on developing the sector. These are, briefly: appropriate technologies, knowledge of the physical potential of each type of culture, skilled staff at all levels and familiarity with the economic and social factors involved. To achieve this, the establishment of an institutional framework and appropiate research, with proper planning is needed. In commercial aquaculture, this means using the experience of pioneer countries, with special emphasis on standardizing, ecological and social aspects. In rural aquaculture, emphasis has been placed on analysis of the causes of the low yield compared with efforts made. In extensive aquaculture, more importance has been given to the concept of integrating the sequence - evaluation, stocking, fisheries, marketing and monitoring - with community development projects. This has been achieved through the action of this Commission, the preparation of various publications and the execution of projects under FAO's Technical Cooperation Programme.
41. The Commission took note of the information provided by the Secretariat on FAO Regional Office activities through the system of technical cooperation networks in the field of aquaculture. This system makes use of existing capacity and has started work on development planning, fish pathology and mollusc culture technology. The network, which includes Latin American and Caribbean countries, has helped to improve the flow of information through quarterly newsletters and has participated actively in the restructuring of the AQUILA project.
42. The Secretariat reported on the restructuring of the regional aquaculture project (AQUILA) financed by the Government of Italy, refering to the recommendations of the Working Party on Aquaculture (Guayaquil, September 1986) at which the desire was expressed for greater participation by countries than that achieved with CERLA, and the results of the evaluation made by FAO, the Government of Norway and UNDP of aquaculture cooperation projects, which had brought to light difficulties common to various regional centres.
43. The following development activities under the project will facilitate future programming:
studies of the aquaculture sector in 19 countries in the region followed by a seminar to be held in mid-1989 which would not only summarize the findings but also make a comparative analysis;
constitution of SIRIAC (Sistema de Referencia sobre la Investigación en Acuicultura - Reference System on Research in Aquaculture);
Planning and holding of a training course on the economic, planning and management aspects of aquaculture.
44. At the same time, training, research and information activities will be conducted in a combined transitional programme prepared in consultation with various FAO units and with specialists from several countries, which will be reviewed afterwards by a mission of the Organization and the Government of Italy. By the end of 1988, about 60 sub-projects will have been executed in the 19 countries in the three sectors mentioned, as stated in the advance report (September 1987–February 1988) distributed at this session.
45. The Commission expressed its satisfaction with progress in aquaculture development, not only in terms of production but also in the growing support from multilateral, regional and bilateral organizations. This situation, in which financial and technical cooperation organizations are involved, required intensification of contacts and coordination among all interested parties for a better utilization of available resources.
46. With regard to the above, the Commission:
expressed its gratitude for the concrete action taken by the various units in FAO;
following the recommendation of the Working Party on Aquaculture at its Second Session (Guayaquil, 1986), agreed that FAO should strengthen the coordination, complementation and diffusion of its activities to promote aquaculture in Latin America and the Caribbean;
given the interest of the various organizations and agencies in promoting aquaculture in the region, considered it necessary:
To identify international bodies interested in promoting aquaculture in the region.
To promote a meeting of those bodies, whose main objective would be to establish a mechanism for coordination and complementation that would ensure more efficient use of available resources to support the development of aquaculture.
At the proposed meeting, to inform participating organizations about ongoing aquaculture projects, the potential of the region, and the need for assistance to aquaculture at various levels. As a result of the above, it would be desirable to formulate the outlines of a joint regional programme of action for the short and medium term, which should be duly disseminated.
47. The Representative of OLDEPESCA offered the cooperation of his Organization in these activities.
48. The delegation of Mexico expressed its support for the recommendations adopted with regard to coordination and complementation of international cooperation in aquaculture. It also stated that this coordination should be extended to other fields of fishery cooperation and stressed the importance of strengthening existing ties between OLDEPESCA and FAO.
49. The Commission drew attention to the support that countries were receiving from the AQUILA project through its training, research and information activities in close collaboration with national institutions, and also its important contribution to the development of the aquaculture sector at national and regional levels. It expressed its gratitude and support for this project, which has been able to channel its resources and those already existing in the region towards achievement of both short- and long-term objectives in the field of aquaculture. In order to strengthen these actions, the Commission recommended that the FAO Regional Office for Latin America and the Caribbean continue to work closely with the AQUILA project.
50. The Commission considered the Report of the Second Session of the Working Party on Aquaculture (Guayaquil, September 1986) and endorsed its recommendations.
51. The Commission emphasized the need to devote efforts to developing rural aquaculture with a social orientation and recognized that one constraint was the apparent lack of sufficient appreciation of the very positive benefits of this activity at the highest level of nation policy making. There is a greater need to study the causes behind its poor development, which is low relative to the potential of such systems.
52. The Secretariat reported on the recommendations made to this effect at the FAO Regional Conference in Barbados in 1986. Reference was also made to the evaluation made and published by FAO, UNDP and the Government of Norway on this subject, and to activities conducted by the FAO Regional Office for Latin America and the Caribbean, which include various publications. The Commission recommended the continuation and extension of this line of work in every country and at regional level.
53. With regard to the establishment of sub-regional centres, the Secretariat referred to the information provided at the Second Session of the Working Party on Aquaculture (Guayaquil, September 1986) as regards the orientation of the FAO/Italy Regional Project. The Secretariat explained that, due to difficulties of operational and financial nature arising from the creation of these centres, it had been decided to adopt a strategy under which activities of common interest to various countries would be conducted in appropriate national centres. The transitional programme of the AQUILA project was already supporting these activities. The Commission noted the offer by the delegate of Bolivia to host activities of this kind in the Fish Culture Centre on Lake Titicaca.
54. The Commission noted the request by the delegate of Costa Rica with regard to the future financing of a tilapia gene bank to be established shortly in that country. This project, which was launched with technical assistance from FAO, will possibly be financed for the first three years by the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA). The Commission supported the effort of Costa Rica for the establishment of a genetic bank for tilapia, in view of its great regional importance. The delegate of Cuba reported on work in this field in his country over the last four years and offered to share the experience gained.
55. The Commission expressed its concern over the shortage of effective instruments for planning projects to raise fish in cages in dams and recommended that efforts in the region be directed to developing a methodology taking into account the technological, ecological, economic, social and institutional aspects of the problem.
56. As regards the holding of a workshop on red tides, recommended at the Second Session of the Working Party on Aquaculture, the Secretariat informed the Commission that they were taking steps to coordinate this activity with IOCARIBE and the Western Central Atlantic Fishery Commission (WECAFC).
57. The Chairman of the Asociaciôn Latinoamericana de Acuicultura (ALA) referred to the suggestion made at the Second Session of the Working Party on Aquaculture (Guayaquil, September 1986) that a compilation be made of existing regulations in countries of the region on the establishment of shrimp farms. He indicated the desirability of this compilation covering other types of aquaculture and offered the assistance of ALA in preparing it. The Commission welcomed this initiative.
58. The Chairman of ALA also mentioned that the Sixth Session of the Association was held in Florianopolis, Brazil, from 18 to 25 April 1988, jointly with the Fifth Session of the Brazilian Aquaculture Association (ABRAQ). The next session of the Association will be held in Venezuela in 1990.
59. This agenda item was discussed on the basis of technical documents presented by the Secretariat and other participants.
60. The Commission discussed aspects of improved utilization of inland fish resources and briefly reviewed current techniques for processing these resources. In general, it was recognized that current and possible techniques for use at artisanal level were accessible to countries in the region, although in some cases greater horizontal transfer of knowledge and experience would be required. There was a consensus that the absence of processing technologies did not constitute an obstacle to expanded utilization of inland fish resources; some delegations, however, mentioned the need for greater familiarity with some intermediate levels of production, such as trout canning and freezing.
61. Several delegations underlined the importance of establishing effective and economic systems for collection, storage, distribution and marketing of these resources in order to ensure that they were better used. Attention was drawn to the need to combine these systems with social and ecological development and management of more extensive resources. The Trinidad Amazon Fisheries Project (Bolivia/ODA) was quoted as an example of this type of development.
62. Some delegations felt that other aspects such as the promotion of fishermen's organizations, credit facilities and subsidies for purchasing fishing gear, outboard motors and hooks were more important. The marginal social condition and poverty of small scale fishing communities were emphasized.
63. Other delegations drew attention to the need to become independent of external inputs in aquaculture, particularly by producing fish feed from local raw materials. Mention was also made of the influence of the price of some inputs, such as soybeans, on production costs.
64. Several delegations pointed out that the item covered a broad field and it was difficult to generalize because of the differences between countries, types of fish farms and their objectives.
65. The delegation of Cuba described in details the utilization of inland fish resources in its country, in particular, the decision to process tilapia industrially, on the basis of consumer preferences. Cuba was following a strategy of total utilization; wastes were processed into pig feed, and skins were used in manufacturing leather. Efforts to develop markets and educate consumers were also described.
66. Various delegations referred to the possibilities of farming such species as trout, catfish, freshwater prawns and shad. The potential of ornamental fish as an exploitable resource was also mentioned. Two delegations expressed reservation with regard to the export of resources that could be needed to feed the local population. There was, nevertheless, general interest in exporting species and products whose price put them beyond the reach of local people.
67. There was an exchange of information on tilapia marketing. A paper on tilapia marketing in Latin America and the Caribbean, prepared by Cuba at the request of the Commission, was complemented by information provided by the delegation of Ecuador, which mentioned the comparatively low yields in that country. The Secretariat stated that a manual on managing these species in dams prepared by the Empresa Nacional de Acuicultura, Cuba, was being published. It would help to disseminate the techniques used by the country that was obtaining the best results. The problem of tilapia and carp tasting of mud in some conditions and places was the subject of various comments. The Secretariat advised that a paper on this subject was being prepared by FAO.
68. The delegation of Bolivia presented a paper on the situation of fisheries, fish utilization and marketing in Bolivia, reporting on current needs in that country for technical assistance and funds to expand fisheries. The delegations of Mexico and Peru had also prepared papers on the subject under discussion. These documents served as reference material to define more concretely and specifically the problems inherent in inland fish utilization and marketing.
69. The discussion of agenda item 7 based on the document COPESCAL/88/6 also covered summary reports on the International Course on Postharvest Technology of Aquaculture Products (11 April–6 May 1988) organized by the AQUILA project, and the production of small-scale biological silage based on fish wastes. INFOPESCA made a statement on the services it provided and possibilities of improving national and international marketing of inland fish.
70. The Commission adopted the following recommendations:
To FAO:
That it continue to support cooperation among countries in the region with regard to exchanging and improving processing and conservation techniques of inland fish resources.
That it prepare a paper identifying possible markets for trout, catfish, freshwater prawn, shad and ornamental fish.
That it publish in Spanish the paper, “Marketing the Products of Aquaculture” (FAO Fish.Tech.Paper (276):106 p., 1986), which is at present available only in English.
That means be identified to consolidate available knowledge on utilization of fish wastes from inland water and aquaculture and to make this available to countries in the region.
To Governments:
To improve utilization of inland fish resources by combining the aspects of collection, storage, and marketing with more general development objectives for inland fisheries.
71. In presenting this item, and the document COPESCAL/88/7, the Secretariat referred to the documents of the FAO Committee on Fisheries (COFI) which, at its Seventeenth Session (Rome, 1987), requested that the various regional fishery bodies of FAO should undertake an evaluation of their work. COPESCAL was the most recently created (1976) commission for inland fisheries: the Committee for Inland Fisheries of Africa (CIFA) was established in 1971, and the European Inland Fisheries Advisory Commission (EIFAC) was established more than thirty years ago (1957). The latter's long experience had been extremely useful in orienting the work of COPESCAL.
72. With regard to the composition of COPESCAL, the Secretariat reported that it had 20 member countries in the region and it was open to all Member Nations serviced by the FAO Regional Office for Latin America and the Caribbean. It summarized the principal objectives included in the terms of reference adopted at its First Session in 1979, which are: a) promotion and coordination of national and regional limnological fishery studies leading to rational utilization of fishery resources; b) promotion of aquaculture and sport fishing; c) utilization and marketing of fish; and d) training and assistance in formulating national and regional programmes.
73. COPESCAL conducted this work through its subsidiary bodies: a) the Executive Committee formed by the Chairmanship and the Secretary; b) the Working Parties on Fishery Resources, Aquaculture and Fisheries Technology. The latter, composed of experts from the region, advises the Commission technically, influencing its decisions on fishery policy, and the Secretariat, indicating the region's priorities for activities to be undertaken by FAO. As regards the main achievements of COPESCAL, the Secretariat noted: a) the steady increase in communication among scientists and technical experts in Member Nations; b) the mobilization of international funds for aquaculture development in the region; c) the promotion of technical cooperation activities by the FAO Regional Office; d) the promotion and execution of activities of the regional aquaculture project (AQUILA); e) the preparation and publication of scientific and technical documents, mainly prepared by experts from the region, and widely distributed throughout the countries of Latin America and the Caribbean.
74. Delegations recognized the good work done by the Commission and the Secretariat in almost ten years of operation. They stated that it had contributed to improving knowledge of the resource and of river and lake fisheries in the region, to the development of aquaculture, to bringing national experts closer together, and to the promotion of horizontal technical cooperation.
75. The Commission recommended the creation of a closer relationship with other FAO bodies dealing with inland fisheries. To that end, it requested the Secretariat to investigate the possibility to arrange for the participation of the members of the COPESCAL Executive Committee in EIFAC sessions.
76. The Commission considered the proposal by the Executive Committee to prepare a medium and short term plan of action which would facilitate a better utilization of technical resources and continuity in its work, and would also serve to channel financial resources from sources outside FAO. The Commission recommended the preparation of a preliminary plan of action on the basis of the recommendations of the Working Parties and the findings of the AQUILA project. It requested the Secretariat to send it to member countries through the national correspondents, who in turn would collect the comments and suggestions of the national experts and send them back to FAO to be incorporated in the final version. The Commission recommended that national correspondents work with maximum speed and efficiency, particularly in this respect.
77. Delegations drew attention to the progress made by the Working Parties in dealing with technical problems and considered that, in view of the need to analyse other important subjects, it would be desirable to establish sub-groups in the Working Party on Aquaculture. The Commission recommended that sub-groups be established on fish nutrition and pathology of aquatic organisms, on rural aquaculture and on the use of dams.
78. The Commission expressed its concern over the adverse effects of financial restrictions on the continuity of Working Parties activities. In this connection, the Secretariat indicated that one alternative would be to give priority to the work of the Working Parties, and that the Commission should meet every three or four years. Another possibility would be a greater contribution by member countries, as was the case with EIFAC.
79. Some delegations suggested that the Working Party on Fisheries Technology should deal with the subject of organization of artisanal fishermen and their communities, which would make participation in sessions of fishermen associations desirable. The Commission recommended that the next session of the Working Party on Fisheries Technology, to be held in Cartagena, Colombia, next year, should deal with this subject.
80. Various delegations considered it desirable that the Secretariat of the Commission should gradually operate from the region. The Secretariat explained that this was already happening with some other FAO regional commissions, but that there were technical and financial difficulties. It added that in view of the interest shown by countries, the question would be studied.
81. The Secretariat proposed that, on the occasion of the Sixth Session, a symposium be held for two or more days on a specific theme of interest to the Commission, which would offer the twofold advantage of attracting a larger audience and covering a subject to be discussed in depth. The Commission agreed that “rural aquaculture in the region” should be the theme of the symposium. The proposed sub-group on rural aquaculture could be responsible for the preparatory phase of the symposium.
82. The Commission elected by acclamation the Republic of Panama as Chairman, the Republic of Cuba as Vice-Chairman, and the Republic of Costa Rica as Second Vice-Chairman.
83. The Commission noted with appreciation the official offer by the delegation of the Republic of Peru to provide the venue for the next session. The Peruvian delegation suggested February 1990 as a convenient date. The delegates of Bolivia and Ecuador also offered to host the Sixth Session. The date and place will be fixed in consultation by the Director-General of FAO with the relevant authorities.
84. The Commission adopted this Report on 24 June 1988.
85. Closing statements were made by the Chairman on behalf of the participants and by the Secretariat on behalf of FAO, expressing their highest appreciation and thanks to the Government of Panama for hosting the Session and to the local coordinators for their cooperation nd assistance in implementing a successful Session.
