APPENDIX A/ANNEXE A
List of Participants/Liste des participants

Benin/Bénin

HOUNDEKON, Bonaventure
Projet Modèle
GCP/RAF/198/DEN
Ministère du Développement rural et de l'Action Coopérative
Direction des pêches
B.P. 383
Cotonou

Botswana

MMOPELWA, Trevor G.
Senior Fisheries Officer
Ministry of Agriculture
Private Post Bag 003
Gaborone

Burkina Faso

Burundi

KIYUKU, Antoine
Directeur du Département des eaux, pêches et pisciculture
Ministère de l'Aménagement, Tourisme et Environnement
B.P. 631
Bujumbura

BAMBARA, Sylvestre
Conseiller au Département des eaux, pêches et pisciculture
Ministère de l'Aménagement, Tourisme et Environnement
B.P. 631
Bujumbura

Cameroon/Cameroun

Central African Republic/République Centre Africaine

Chad/Tchad

Congo

Côte d'Ivoire

ZIEHI, D. Antoinette
Directeur National
Projet IVC/87/001
Ministère de l'Agriculture, Eaux et Forêts
01 BP 494
Bouaké 01

Egypt/Egypte

YOUSSIF, Taher
Chairman
General Organization for Fish Resources Development
Cairo

EL-SHARIF, Ramadan
Professor
National Institute of Oceanography and Fisheries
Ministry of Scientific Research
101 Kasr El-Aini St.
Cairo

ABDEL-MALEK, Samir
Professor
Vice-President
National Institute of Oceanography and Fisheries
Ministry of Scientific Research
101 Kasr El-Aini St.
Cairo

EL ZARKA, Salah
Professor
National Institute of Oceanography and Fisheries
3 Mahmoud Ashry St.
Heliopolis
Cairo

IBRAHIM, Ataiw
Director-General
General Organization for Fish Resources
Cairo

AHMED MOHAMED, Aesowi
Professor
National Institute of Oceanography and Fisheries
Ministry of Scientific Research
Cairo

ADB AZIZ, Dal Kharter Ali
Director
Fisheries Resources Research Centre
Abbassa

TAWFIK, Moustafa Sayed
Director-General
General Organization for Fish Resources Development
Cairo

KHEIR, Mamdouh Thabat
Teaching Assistant
National Institute of Oceanography and Fisheries
Barrage Fish Farm,
El-Kanater El-Khyria

EL SHEINAWY, Mohamed
Director-General
Protocol Department
General Organization for Fish Resource Development
Cairo

WASIF, Mohamed Samin
Researcher
Agricultural Economics Research Institute
Ministry of Agriculture
Cairo

EMAM, Ahmed
Researcher
Agricultural Economics Research Institute
Ministry of Agriculture
Cairo

ELSEDFY, Hussein
Professor
Academy of Science Research and Technology
Zamalek Fish Garden
Cairo

AHMED, Said Eldeen Abdel Razik
Head of Laboratory of Fish Technology
National Institute of Oceanography and Fisheries
101 Kasr El-Aini Street
Cairo

EL MONAIN, Fatim Abd
Associate Research Officer
Ministry of Agriculture
Cairo

MOHAMED, Asma Ahmed
Associate Research Officer
Ministry of Agriculture
Cairo

EL MORSY, Magd Ahmed
Director-General
General Organization for Fish Resources Development
Bardowil Lakes
Cairo

ABD EL HADER, Saki
Agricultural Research Centre
Cairo

MOUSTAFA, Esam Kamel
Professor
Department of Food Science Technology
Faculty of Agriculture
University of Alexandria
Alexandria

ELTANTAWY, Ibrahim
Dean
Faculty of Agriculture
University of Mansour
Mansour

ELDIMIRI, Ahmed
Head of Statistical Department
General Authority for Fish Resources
Ministry of Agriculture
4 Eltaiirn St.
Nasr City
Cairo

Ethiopia/Ethiopie

Gabon

Gambia/Gambie

Ghana

DENYOH, F.M.K.
Ag. Director of Fisheries
Fisheries Department
Ministry of Agriculture
P.O. Box 630
Accra

ANYANE, George Hammond
Senior Fisheries Officer
Ministry of Agriculture
P.O. Box 152
Bolgatanga

ESSUMAN, Kofi Manso
Project Officer
Lever Brothers Ghana Ltd.
P.O. Box 11716
Accra

Guinea/Guinée

Kenya

DADZIE, Stephen
Professor
Department of Zoology
University of Nairobi
P.O. Box 30197
Nairobi

OKEMWA, Ezekiel N.
Director
Kenya Marine and Fisheries Research Institute
P.O. Box 81651
Mombasa

ARUNGA, John O.
Assistant Director of Fisheries
P.O. Box 1084
Kisumu

Lesotho

Madagascar

Malawi

HARA, Mafaniso
Fish Marketing Officer
Fisheries Department
P/Bag 7
Mangochi

Mali

CISSE, Souleymane
Directeur par intérim
Opération Pêche Mopti
Ministère de l'Environnement et de l'Elevage
B.P. 134
Mopti

Mauritius/Maurice

Niger

Nigeria/Nigéria

SHIMANG, N. Gogwim
Assistant Director of Fisheries (Aquaculture)
Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources
P.M.B. 135
Area II
Garki, Abuja

IKEME, A.I.
Lecturer
Department of Food Science and Technology
University of Nigeria
Nsukka

Rwanda

Senegal/Sénégal

Sierra Leone

ISCANDARI, Naib Balogun
Assistant Director of Fisheries
Fisheries Department
Ministry of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Forestry
Youyi Building
Freetown

Somalia/Somalie

Sudan/Soudan

HASSAN, Mohamed Kheir
Director
Fisheries Administration
Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Resources
P.O. Box 12
Khartoum

SAEED, Osman Mohamed
Director
Fisheries Research Centre
Ministry of Agriculture
P.O. Box 1489
Khartoum

Swaziland

NGWENYA, Magalela
Chief Project Coordinator
Ministry of Agriculture
P.O. Box 162
Mbabane

MAGAGULA, Freddie
Fisheries Officer
Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives
P.O. Box 162
Mbabane

Tanzania/Tanzanie

SYKES, Abbas
Ambassador
Foreign Affairs
Via G.B. Vico 9
Rome, Italy

MWINYIGOHA, Hamisi
Minister Plenipotentiary
Embassy of Tanzania
Via G.B. Vico 9
Rome

BASHEMERERWA, Vivian
Women Development Officer
FAO Fisheries Project
P.O. Box 93
Kigoma

Togo

Uganda/Ouganda

ORACH-MEZA, Faustino L.
Deputy Commissioner for Fisheries
Ministry of Animal Industry and Fisheries
P.O. Box 4
Entebbe

KUDHONGANIA, Aggrey William
Director of Research
Uganda Freshwater Fisheries Research Organization (UFFRO)
Ministry of Animal Industry and Fisheries
P.O. Box 343
Jinja

SSALI, William M.
Fisheries Officer (Technology)
Fish Technology Laboratory
Ministry of Animal Industry and Fisheries
P.O. Box 168
Entebbe

DHATEMWA, Christopher Muinda
Senior Fisheries Officer
Animal Industry and Fisheries
P.O. Box 4
Entebbe

Zaire/Zaïre

MINO-KAHOZI, Kalibu
Coordonnateur chargé de la planification des pêches
Ministère de l'Environnement, Conservation de la Nature et Tourisme
B.P. 12.348
Kinshasa - J

Zambia/Zambie

MUYANGA, Ephraim Dennis
Director of Fisheries
Department of Fisheries
Ministry of Agriculture
P.O. Box 350100
Chilanga

MWAMBAZI, Victoria
Assistant Fisheries Research Officer
Department of Fisheries
Ministry of Agriculture
P.O. Box 350100
Chilanga

Zimbabwe

MUTSEKWA, Sophia
Ecologist
Ministry of Environment and Tourism
P.O. Box B.E.60
Belvedere
Harare

OBSERVERS FROM MEMBER NATIONS NOT MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE/OBSERVATEURS D'ETATS MEMBRES NE SIEGEANT PAS AU COMITE

Mozambique

NHAMPULO, Dionisio
Head of National Fish Culture Extension
Fish Culture Department
Ministry of Agriculture
P.O. Box 1406
Maputo

The Netherlands/Pays Bas

CRUL, Ruud
Fishery Adivsor
International Agricultural Centre
P.O. Box 88
6700 AB Wageningen

United Kingdom/Royaume Uni

AMES, Geoffrey
Head of Fisheries Section
Natural Resources Institute
Chatham Maritime
Chatham

GOULDING, Ian
Overseas Development Administration (ODA)
Fish Technology Adviser
University of Alexandria
Alexandria
Egypt

OBSERVERS FROM INTERGOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS/OBSERVATEURS D'ORGANISATIONS INTERGOUVERNEMENTALES

Organization of African Unity/Organisation de l'Unité Africaine

FALL, P.D.
Assistant Executive Secretary
OAU/STRC
26-28 Marina
P.M.B. 2359
Lagos
Nigeria

Lake Chad Basin Commission(LCBC)/Commission du Bassin du Lac Tchad (CBLT)

DIGUERA, Baba
Chef Unité Ressources Naturelles
Commission du Bassin du Lac Tchad
B.P. 727
N'Djamena
Tchad

Preferential Trade Area (PTA)

MUTIWANYUKA, Prosper T.M.
Agricultural Expert
Preferential Trade Area for Eastern and Southern Africa
P.O. Box 30051
Lusaka
Zambia

OBSERVER FROM A NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATION/OBSERVATEUR D'UNE ORGANISATION NON-GOUVERNEMENTALE

OKORIE, Okorie Onyemauwa
Director-General
INARI
58 Rue Bocco Agegee
B.P. 2809
Lome
Togo

FAO FISHERIES DEPARTMENT/DEPARTEMENT DES PECHES DE LA FAO

Headquarters/Siège

Via delle Terme di Caracalla
00100 Rome

LINDQUIST, Armin H.
Assistant Director-General/Sous-Directeur Général
Fisheries Department/Département des Pêches

WELCOMME, R.L.
Chief
Inland Water Resources and Aquaculture Service
Fishery Resources and Environment
Division

TEUTSCHER, Frans
Fishery Industry Officer
Fishery Industries Division

GAUDET, J.L.
Senior Fishery Planning Officer/Fonctionnaire principal - Planification des pêches
Fishery Policy and Planning Division/Division des politiques halieutiques et de la planification

KAPETSKY, J.
Senior Fishery Resources Officer (Inland Fisheries)/Spécialiste principal des ressources halieutiques (Pêches continentales)
Fishery Resources and Environment
Division/Division des ressources halieutiques et de l'environnement

BONZON, Alain
Fishery Planning Analyst
Fishery Policy and Planning Division

FAO REGIONAL OFFICE FOR AFRICA/BUREAU REGIONAL DE LA FAO POUR L'AFRIQUE (P.O. Box 1628, Accra, Ghana)

WEST, W.Q.-B.
Senior Regional Fisheries Officer/Fonctionnaire princiapl régional des peches

Field Staff/Terrain

MIEVIS, Guy
Conseiller Technique Principal
MLI/86/001
Environnement et Elevage
s/c FAO Representative
B.P. 1820
Bamako
Mali

GREBOVAL, Dominique F.
Coordinator
IFIP Project
B.P. 1250
Bujumbura
Burundi

ANDREASON, Arne
Programme Manager
ALCOM
c/o FAO Representative
P.O. Box 3700
Harare
Zimbabwe

SECRETARIAT

Host Government/Gouvernement hôte

EL-SHERIF, Ramadan
CIFA Liaison Officer

Ministry of Agriculture

EL SARKI, Adel
Director-General
Conference and International Organizations
Foreign Agriculture Relation
Cairo

YOUSSIF, Waffa
Director
FAO Administration
Foreign Agriculture Relation
Cairo

MAHMOUD, Ahmed Hanafi
Specialist
FAO Administration
Foreign Agriculture Relation
Cairo

ZAKI, Raafat Salah Eldin
Specialist
FAO Administration
Foreign Agriculture Relation
Cairo

FAO

Secretary of the Committee/Secretaire du Comite

WEST, W.Q.-B.

Translator

VALLIN, Daniele
FAO Headquarters
Via delle Terme di Caracalla
00100 Rome
Italy

Interpreters/Interpretes

BEKALTI, Chedly
FAO Headquarters
Via delle Terme di Caracalla
00100 Rome
Italy

GREIS, Anne-Marie
3, Rue El Morsaline
Zamalek, Cairo
Egypt
Tel: 3400786

ABDELSAYED, Samira
12, Rue Soliman el Halabi
Apt. 29
Cairo, Egypt
Tel: 743777

YOUAKIM, Arlette Sami
25, El Ahrar Street
Dokki
Cairo, Egypt
Tel: 706223

Secretaries/Secrétaires

SEFIHA-COMPAORE, G.
FAO Headquarters
Via delle Terme di Caracalla
00100 Rome
Italy

ADELAAYITAR, M.Y.
FAO Regional Office for Africa/Bureau Régional de la FAO pour l'Afrique
P.O. Box 1628
Accra, Ghana

KONTOR-KWATENG, P.Y.
FAO Regional Office for Africa/Bureau Régional de la FAO pour l'Afrique
P.O. Box 1628
Accra, Ghana

APPENDIX B/ANNEXE B
Agenda/Ordre du jour

1. Opening of the Session.

2. Election of Chairman and Vice-Chairman.

3. Adoption of the agenda and arrangements for the Session.

4. Symposium on Post-Harvest Fish Technology.

5. Prospects and Trends of African Inland Fisheries and Aquaculture Toward the Year 2000.

6. Intersessional Activities:

   1. Follow-up actions to the Seventh Session of CIFA.

   2. Source Book and Data Base of the Inland Water Fishery Resources of Africa (SIFRA)

   3. Recommendations of the Subsidiary Bodies of the Committee.

7. Progress in the implementation of the Strategy and Programmes of Action of the FAO World Conference on Fisheries Management and Development.

8. Review of the FAO Field Programme 1988/89 in the Region.

9. Collaboration with other organizations concerned with inland fisheries development in Africa.

10. Proposals for the major topic for discussion at the Ninth Session of CIFA.

11. Any other matters.

12. Date and Place of the Ninth Session.

13. Adoption of the Report.

1. Ouverture de la session.

2. Election du Président et du Vice-Président.

3. Adoption de l'ordre du jour et organisation de la session.

4. Colloque sur la technologie du poisson après capture.

5. Perspectives et tendances de pêches intérieures et de l'aquaculture africaines en l'an 2000.

6. Activités dans l'intervalle des sessions.

   1. Suite donnée à la septième session du CPCA.

   2. Ouvrage de référence et base de données sur les ressources des pêches intérieures en Afrique (SIFRA)

   3. Recommandations des organes subsidiaires du Comité.

   4. Groupe de travail sur l'évaluation des stocks (y compris les introductions).

7. Progrès dans la mise en oeuvre de la Stratégie et des Programmes d'action de la conférence mondiale de la FAO sur l'aménagement et le développement des pêches.

8. Examen du Programme de terrain 1988/1989 de la FAO dans la région.

9. Collaboration avec d'autres organisations s'intéressant au développement des pêches intérieures en Afrique.

10. Propositions concernant le thème principal de la neuvième session du CPCA

11. Autres questions.

12. Date et lieu de la neuvième session.

13. Adoption du rapport.

APPENDIX C/ANNEXE C
List of Documents/Liste des documents

APPENDIX D
PROSPECTS AND TRENDS OF AFRICAN INLAND FISHERIES AND AQUACULTURE TOWARD THE YEAR 2000

GENERAL INTRODUCTION

This topic is treated in two parts: inland fisheries and aquaculture. In doing so it is recognized that the main priorities for the former are for improved management whereas for the latter the principal orientation is toward accelerating development. These make different demands on fisheries departments and planning agencies at the national level and require different approaches from financing and technical assistance organizations at the international level.

Each part considers the present status, constraints and prospects. The ]general conclusion of the report addresses topics of common interest to inland fisheries and aquaculture such as statistics and information, and degradation of the environment.

1. AFRICAN INLAND FISHERIES

1.1 Introduction

The objective of this report is to highlight the major problems of African inland fisheries, mainly of their administration and to evaluate their prospects for the next decade. The status of inland fisheries in terms of catch is considered first, then constraints are assessed along with some of the activities that are underway, or that could be undertaken to remove them. Finally, some general conclusions are presented.

1.2 Inland fisheries: past and present

In the late seventies, Africa's total inland catch was close to 1.5 million tonnes, but then declined to about 1.3 million tonnes (Fig.1). From 1981 onward there has been a trend for increase. It has amounted to nearly 0.5 million tonnes, reaching 1.8 million tonnes in 1988. This compares with about 70 000 t from aquaculture.

The countries with the highest nominal catches, more than 200 000 t, are Tanzania, Uganda and Egypt (Table 1).

1.3 Major constraints and prospects

Perhaps the most serious constraint on the further development of inland fisheries for the near future is the current economic difficulties being faced by most African countries. These affect fisheries in a multitude of ways. One effect is a scarcity of funds for applied research, the results of which will show up several years hence. Another is difficulty in obtaining foreign exchange to purchase the raw or finished materials for fishing gears. This affects present output. As a consequence fisheries departments will have to husband their resources even more closely than usual. In order to compensate, they will have to become more effective at attracting external financing and technical assistance.

The Source Book for the Inland Fisheries Resources of Africa (see CIFA/90/5) provides useful information for the latter purpose. It can be used to call attention to gaps in applied research and management on a water body or national basis. The data base portion can be used to compare actual fishery performance with potential yield.

The major constraints specific to inland fisheries cover a broad spectrum. These are not new but have plagued fisheries departments for many years. They are considered in the following sections.

1.3.1 Information

There is a lack of information in three general areas: statistics, information transfer and training.

(a) Statistics

A recent comment on fisheries statistics from a global viewpoint said the following: “The quality of data remains very disappointing in many countries, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa”.

The consequences of this situation are serious:

• Without reliable statistics, the contribution of inland fisheries to the national economy and food security is uncertain. Without any official statistics at all (there are 18 African countries in this category), it is unknown.

• Without being able to quantify the benefits they administer (e.g., contribution to national nutrition, income and employment generated by fisheries), fisheries departments find it difficult to compete for funds for development and management. For the same reason, organizations providing technical assistance and financing for fisheries development and management find it difficult to design projects that are appropriate because it is not possible to quantify needs.

• Without a time series of information on catch, fishermen and gears, management problems have already become serious before they are detected. There are two outcomes: firstly, time and resources are spent correcting problems rather than on anticipating and preventing them; secondly, they are all the more difficult and expensive to deal with.

Fisheries departments need to re-examine their own requirements for fisheries statistical information as well as those of other branches of government and the private sector. Taking into account the needs of users other than fisheries departments could help to justify additional efforts or the upgrading of existing systems.

(b) Information transfer

In this context, information includes scientific reports and manuals. Transfer remains a problem; however, due to the efforts of FAO and other international and bilateral organizations, the situation is improving, particularly in the preparation of new materials, but dissemination is still a difficulty, although some progress will come as communications in general improve. Meanwhile, the organizations responsible for disseminating information will have to do a better job to see that it reaches those needing it most. For their part, the recipients have to be more vocal in communicating what kinds of information they need most and in what quantities.

Figure 1: Nominal Catches / Inland Waters / Africa

Table 1

318

SOURCE: FAO Yearbook, Fishery statistics, Catches and Landings. Vol. 66, 1988.

(c) National and regional training opportunities

Regional training courses cannot accommodate all of those requiring training. Formal training at university level in most countries has not yet been developed to deal with the broad range of management and development problems in inland waters. External training, unless designed specifically for developing country situations, may not relate well to the actual in-country circumstances (e.g., traditional rights of access rather than open access; artisanal fisheries rather than industrial fleets; multi-species fisheries, not single species).

One solution would be an activity to provide intensive, in-country training designed specifically for the country's problems and created to meet the training needs at all levels of technical and sub-technical staff.

1.3.2 Lack or scarcity of inputs

This already has been mentioned in relation to the general economic situation. Two of the consequences are inefficiency of harvesting and due to this, higher prices for fish because more labour is expended to provide it. One solution is to buy in bulk. However, for this to work well, requirements in terms of kinds and quantities have to be specified at least fishery-wide, if not country-wide. Also, it has to be recognized that fishermen's gear requirements vary by season and locality. Although an inventory of needs would be a large undertaking, it could be carried out with the help of fishermen's associations.

1.3.3 Post-harvest losses

Losses remain a problem. These are thought to be some 10 percent for fresh fish and 25 percent for dried fish. Part of the difference between the two is due to the fact that when fresh fish begin to go off, they can be salvaged by drying or frying. It is expected that dried fish losses will decrease during the decade as more and more fish is sold fresh; however, this can improve only as fast as communications improve.

1.3.4 Environmental degradation

Degradation of the environment will be a problem on the rise in the next decade, not only for inland fisheries, but for aquaculture. Insofar as fisheries are concerned, it is already manifest in coastal lagoons through urban pollution and restriction of freshwater flows. It is more subtle, but nevertheless more pervasive, in inland waters in the form of turbidity and siltation due to poor land use, chiefly deforestation and erosion from agriculture.

Another type of environmental problem for fisheries, the damming of rivers which affects downstream productivity and upstream migrations, will be on the increase (see also section 1.3.6).

On the positive side, there is an increasing awareness of the effects of environmental degradation on the aquatic environment. A partial solution for environmental degradation, like other problems that affect not only fisheries but other users of aquatic resources, is to identify the other users affected and take a common stand for prevention or amelioration.

1.3.5 Genetic resources

The overt problems and benefits brought about by fish introductions have received wide attention and remain a controversial issue. Less well understood are the changes in the genetics of native populations brought about by introductions of closely related species or sub-species. Both of these have been taken into account in the proposed protocol for species introductions in Africa developed by the CIFA Secretariat in cooperation with the FAO European Inland Fisheries Advisory Commission (EIFAC).

Because of the high cost of the precautions and because of the push for aquaculture development in Africa, it is likely that fishes' genetic resources will be negatively impacted in many areas in the next decade. Due to the subtle and long-term nature of the changes, the damage cannot be well quantified in the short term.

1.3.6 Catch

Part of the upward trend in catch is accounted for by greater rainfall in the Sahel, where, for example, the volume of Lake Chad is recovering. There has been more rain in neighbouring countries as well. An example is Ghana, where Lake Volta has been increasing rapidly in volume and level in recent years. As long as rainfall remains good in sub-tropical Africa, the fish supply will not decrease.

Reservoirs provide for about 10 percent of inland catch in Africa. It is estimated that 24 000 km² of new reservoirs (surface area) have been constructed in the eighties, and about 32 000 km² will be constructed in the nineties. New reservoirs for the nineties could add more than 100 000 t to inland catch. However, one consequence of each new reservoir is the loss of fisheries downstream: the most important losses are of fisheries on floodplains. Thus, the net gain from reservoirs is somewhat less than it at first appears.

The fish resource investigations about to be undertaken in Lakes Tanganyika and Malawi should make predictions of yield potential and resource availability more accurate. If this information can be translated into fishery management and development strategy, then higher catches will result. However, it should be understood that this is likely to result only toward the end of the decade.

1.3.7 Applied Research

Applied research on fishery resources in large lake and reservoir systems is on the upswing in Africa, particularly regarding shared waters. One can point to the proposed FAO/Finland Trust Fund regional project for Lake Tanganyika, Zambia/Zimbabwe/SADCC project on Lake Kariba supported by DANIDA and the ODA/SADCC project on Lake Malawi as examples. As the fishery expands, the FAO/UNDP/Rwanda Lake Kivu project is now putting more emphasis on resource evaluations. On Lake Victoria upgrading of research facilities is underway through a project funded by the EEC.

Up-to-date technologies are being applied to get more comprehensive, more reliable information from resources investigations. For example, water body inventories using satellite remote sensing for culture-based fisheries have been completed by FAO in Malawi and Ghana. The two large lake projects, Malawi and Tanganyika, both have remote sensing scheduled as important activities.

In order to identify the most promising districts for fish farming development in Ghana, a computerized geographical information system was compiled. The same technology can be used to plan and manage inland fisheries. Two FAO workshops on these applications are scheduled for Africa for 1990 and 1991.

Advances in hydroacoustic technologies provide the capability to obtain size frequency distributions as well as numbers and biomass of fish. Microcomputerization makes possible the analyses on relatively inexpensive personal computers. Thus, each project can make its own analyses on-site and in a timely manner.

These technologies are not ends in themselves, but their use means that the information for management may be more dependable and may be acquired more quickly than in the past.

1.3.8 Management

Effective management of inland resources remains a problem for several reasons. One, already covered in section 1.3.1, is the lack of information, either on the nature and magnitude of the problem itself, or on an appropriate solution. Another problem is that, in the rare cases when there is sufficient biological, economic and social information available to formulate legislation, either there is a failure of communication and the legislation is not enacted, or if enacted it is not enforced or enforceable. The Fourth Session of the CIFA Sub-Committee for the Sahel (Conakry, Guinea, May 1990) called attention to this problem. It emphasized the need to define resource allocation systems, to clarify the status of traditional fishing rights and to strengthen the institutional framework to implement management strategies and related legal provisions.

Management policies should be designed within the overall framework of fisheries development plans. These are still lacking in many African countries. Toward improving this situation the FAO/UNDP regional project “Inland Fisheries Planning, Development and Management in East (Central/Southern) Africa” provides assistance in sectoral planning and resources management, including setting up an information base.

(a) Self-managing systems

Fisheries departments in Africa generally are hard pressed to undertake management of water bodies, except the very largest. There is a need for rapid expansion of capabilities to manage individual water bodies, particularly the smaller ones. However, fisheries departments are in a position to encourage local management or self-management systems. One such system uses brush parks as the medium. Apart from promoting self-management, these have the added advantage of increasing yields. Although confined mainly to coastal systems in West Africa, in Asia these are used extensively in inland waters, even in relatively deep rivers. Where lack of wood is not a constraint, brush parks should be considered for other African inland fisheries.

For small water bodies, the management activity could be to encourage fishing, or to regulate catch. The fisheries department can employ its resources most effectively by working with local government or authorities at the village level to provide the necessary advice on management, training on fishing and processing. Another means to encourage self-management is to encourage the formation of local fishermen's associations or to work more closely with those that already exist.

(b) Culture-based fisheries (CBF)

There are good opportunities for CBF in countries with many reservoirs, particularly the smaller ones, which are the most productive per unit of area. Where justified by social welfare considerations, annual stocking of seasonal water bodies can be undertaken; however, this is expensive and needs to be well planned. Where conditions are appropriate, development of CBF and aquaculture can go hand in hand. The need for fingerlings for CBF can be used to write down part of the costs of hatcheries.

Interest in CBF is on the increase in many African countries. Development undoubtedly will increase during the decade. The CIFA Symposium on the Development and Management of Fisheries in Small Water Bodies (Accra, Ghana, 7–8 December 1987) called attention to this potential. Malawi, Ghana, Burkina Faso and Zimbabwe are countries in various phases of making use of CBF.

1.4 Conclusions

Catch from Africa's inland fisheries is likely to increase modestly during the decade as long as there is no return to severe drought conditions. Increases will come from new reservoirs, from opening up previously isolated areas, from expanding culture-based fisheries and from better management of large lake systems. Decreases will be caused by a general degradation of water quality and quantity in river and floodplain fisheries and coastal lagoons. Therefore, a priority for fisheries departments is action on maintaining the environment for fisheries and aquaculture. A symposium on the environmental problems of African inland fisheries and aquaculture has been proposed to be held in conjunction with the 9th Session of CIFA, to discuss not only the problems but the actions that are needed at different levels and how they could be organized and implemented.

An additional priority is for information, which is the basis for the design of management and development programmes, whether carried out internally or with external financing and technical assistance.

2. AFRICAN AQUACULTURE

2.1 Introduction

Countries of the African Region have recognized the importance and potential of aquaculture as a means of improving the nutrition, economic and social condition of their people, especially the rural poor. More recently, the additional potential of more specialized forms of aquaculture for profitable investment and or a hard currency earner have increasingly been recognized also. As a result, most countries have included aquaculture development into their national fisheries development plan.

Although the history of aquaculture is relatively recent in Africa compared to Asia it is not new to the majority of the countries. Most known aquaculture systems have been introduced over the last 30 years. More than US$400 million of external assistance have been provided to the region over the past 15 years to support aquaculture development.

The following sections will briefly review the present status, constraints and trends of aquaculture development in Africa. On this basis, an attempt will be made to identify opportunities for further development and to forecast future prospects.

2.2 Present status of aquaculture

With the increase in interest in aquaculture and the growing realization of the importance of a good statistical data base, the FAO Fishery Information Data and Statistics Service organized since 1984 the collection of aquaculture statistics on a separate questionnaire. The quality of the information has gradually improved, providing today rather reliable series of data on national aquaculture productions and their value for 1986, 1987 and 1988. For Africa, such statistics have been annually received for 37 countries, as shown in Table 2.

In 1988, the total aquaculture production in Africa amounted to 69 900 tonnes, equivalent to about 0.5 percent of the world production. The estimated value of this production reached nearly US$94 million.

When discussing these statistical data, it is worthwhile to keep in mind that most of them are still minimum estimates for two main reasons:

• most administrations responsible for aquaculture in African countries do not have strong statistical collection and collation services yet;

• aquaculture production activities in Africa are still predominantly rural and oriented toward meeting the nutritional needs. Much of the fish production either consumed directly by the farmer and his extended family or bartered/sold within the village community, goes unrecorded.

The great majority of the recorded aquaculture production is made of finfish (98.8 percent), the crustaceans (0.1 percent) and molluscs (1.1 percent) contributions being negligible as far as tonnage is concerned. Because of their higher market value, however, their contribution to the overall value of the production is expected to be relatively greater.

Aquaculture production greatly varies from country to country. In 1988, Egypt alone contributed 81.7 percent of the African total production. Other relatively important producers were Nigeria (9.5%), Zambia (1.5%), Tunisia (1.4%), Côte d'Ivoire (1.25%) and Zaire (1.1%). A third group of eight countries (Ghana, Kenya, Madagascar, Congo, Cameroon, Zimbabwe, Morocco and Malawi) contributed together 2.8 percent of the total production, with a national annual production varying from 427 t to 115 t. The above 14 countries therefore contributed 99.2 percent of the total aquaculture production, most of the other 23 surveyed countries producing each less than 30 t per year. Negligible annual productions of a few tonnes at the most were reported for 1988 from Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Gabon, Guinea, Liberia, Togo and Réunion.

About 99 percent of the aquaculture products comprise of finfish, the large majority of them being produced in freshwater. Crustaceans (77 t or 0.1 percent) and molluscs (762 t or 1.1 percent) productions are still comparatively small. They concentrate in the following countries:

1. Crustaceans: Mauritius and Zimbabwe, with negligeable productions from Malawi, Algeria, Kenya, Senegal and Réunion;

2. Molluscs: Tunisia and Morocco, with negligible productions from Senegal, Mauritius and Algeria.

All three production systems based on the level of inputs are practised in the region. The oldest extensive system in which aquatic organisms are dependent on available natural food is the most widespread system. On the contrary, the intensive system based on the regular distribution of complete artificial feeds, is still rarely used successfully. The semi-intensive system with organic fertilization and cheap supplementary feeds is preferred by small-scale commercial fish farmers who are increasingly contributing to the development of aquaculture in countries such as Egypt, Congo, Côte d'Ivoire, Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe (see later). The integration of aquaculture with agriculture has to-date had a minor impact only.

Small earthen ponds averaging 200–400 m² each are the basic production units in the region. Other types of production units are also used on a limited scale such as raceways/tanks (e.g. in Congo, Kenya, Zambia, Zimbabwe) and net pens/cages (e.g. Côte d'Ivoire, Egypt, Zimbabwe). Irrigated rice fields are commonly used in Madagascar to produce paddy and fish simultaneously.

The species cultured in the region include a variety of over 30 indigeneous and exotic species. Among the finfish, the tilapias continue to be the focus for aquaculture development in Africa, in particular Oreochromis niloticus. A number of countries are developing the culture of other species, such as Clarias gariepinus (eg. Congo, Côte d'Ivoire, Nigeria), Cyprinus carpio (eg. Egypt, Madagascar, Zambia), rainbow trout (eg. Kenya, Zimbabwe), Chinese carps (e.g. Algeria, Mauritius, Sudan, Togo), Chrysichthys spp. (e.g. Côte d'Ivoire, Nigeria) and Mediterranean marine species (in Northern and Northeastern countries). Other farmed aquatic organims include crustaceans, mostly Macrobrachium rosenbergii (e.g. Malawi, Mauritius, Réunion, Zimbabwe), and penaeid shrimps (e.g. Senegal, Algeria and Kenya), as well as molluscs, mostly mussels and oysters (e.g. Morocco, Tunisia, Mauritius).

Recently, socio-economic surveys of rural fish farmers have been increasingly undertaken in a number of African countries, for example Cameroon, Côte d'Ivoire, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, and Zambia. The producers include mostly small rural farmers but also civil servants, local businessmen, and individuals with other jobs. But usually, aquaculture for them remains a secondary activity. Women are becoming increasingly involved with fish production in some countries, such as Benin, Cameroon, Côte d'Ivoire, Gabon and Zaire.

Only a few private larger-scale commercial fish farms, ranging in size from 2 to 30 ha, are found, mostly in Côte d'Ivoire, Egypt, Nigeria, Kenya, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

Until recently, aquaculture development in most of the countries in the region has primarily had social objectives such as:

• improvement of the nutritional status of rural people
• generation of supplementary income
• diversification of activities and incomes

• creation of employment, especially in rural communities where opportunities for economic activities are limited.

TABLE 2- AQUACULTURE STATISTICS FOR AFRICA 1986–1988
(from FAO Fisheries Circular No. 815, Rev. 2, 1990)

Only in recent years has aquaculture been viewed as an activity likely to meet shortfalls in fish supply to reduce fish imports. Aquaculture has also become a direct source of foreign exchange mainly through the production of high value marine finfish, crustaceans and molluscs.

Although planning studies have been recently undertaken in some countries (e.g. Cameroon, Côte d'Ivoire, Egypt, Kenya, Madagascar, Morocco, Nigeria, Zambia), no coherent National Development Plan for Aquaculture appears to exist in many countries in Africa. The tendency in almost all the countries has been until now to propose shopping lists of projects to external aid donors and financing institutions, or for inclusions in national economic, social, and cultural development plans.

2.3 Major constraints for aquaculture development

Aquaculture development in Africa faces a number of major constraints, which vary from country to country. It is most important to critically analyse these constraints during the process of policy formulation and planning because the approaches selected to deal with them have a direct bearing on the aquaculture development policy of the country.

At a particular site, most common constraints are some of the following:

1. Administrative/legal constraints, such as inappropriate administrative organization, lack of aquaculture development policy/strategies, limited access to land tenure and/or water resources, lack of adequate support.

2. Social/human constraints, such as limited private ownership of land, low level of education, reduced fish consumption by tradition, low average buying power, lack of well-trained managers.

3. Financial/economic constraints, such as underdeveloped national infrastructure for transports and communications, limited public budget to support development, inaccessible credit facilities, limited local market.

4. Technological constraints such as limited availability of fish seed, limited availability and/or high cost of feedstuff, lack of trained manpower (managers in particular), lack of a locally tested/suitable technology.

2.4 Present aquaculture development trends

As shown in Table 3, the continuing increase of aquaculture production and its value is evident, even if limited. During the period 1986–88, the total aquaculture production in Africa increased by 10 000 t, an average annual growth of 8.3 percent.

Although most of this additional production was made up of finfish, the average annual rate of growth was the greatest for molluscs (28.4 percent), followed by crustaceans (12.1 percent).

In 1986–88, aquaculture growth has been particularly evident in Congo, Tunisia and Zambia. Although still positive, it has been less pronounced in Côte d'Ivoire, Egypt, Malawi, Mozambique, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Zaire and Zimbabwe.

On the contrary, overall aquaculture production has decreased for that period in Morocco, Togo and Uganda. Most important reductions have taken place in Burkina Faso and Central African Republic.

TABLE 3 - GROWTH OF AQUACULTURE IN AFRICA IN 1986–88

Recently there has been in Africa an increased interest in farming high value marine species of fish, crustaceans and molluscs for select national markets and for export. This helps to explain the major increase in value of the total aquaculture production within these two years, from US$ 45.8 million to US$ 93.9 million, an average annual growth rate of 52.5 percent.

Several large-scale projects are reaching the production phase this year, which are expected in the future to contribute to the growth of aquaculture production and its value in particular, such as commercial shrimp farms in Côte d'Ivoire, The Gambia, and Madagascar, large tilapia/catfish farms in Côte d'Ivoire, Egypt and Kenya, and seabass farms in Tunisia. Plans for other large investment projects exist for Egypt (freshwater prawn), Gabon (shrimp) and Sierra Leone (shrimp).

2.5 Prospects for growth of aquaculture in Africa

As stated above, there are limited data available on the past performance of aquaculture in Africa and only predictions of a general nature are possible.

The potential for aquaculture development seems obvious at the regional level, in several areas:

1. In fresh and brackish waters, although the priority species will remain tilapias and common carp for some time to come, there will be an increased emphasis on the higher value catfishes (e.g. Clarias, Chrysichthys, Heterobranchus) for urban markets, once actual technological constraints are overcome.

2. Marine products which also command relatively high prices will continue to attract investment. There is a good potential for producing marine fish and crustaceans for export, however the latter remaining a small portion of the total aquaculture production.

3. Although mussels have the potential for large volumes of protein production from primary producers, oysters have a better potential for high-value export markets, especially in Northern Africa.

4. In the short term, culture based fisheries in small lakes and reservoirs offer the greatest potential to increase production in the sub-tropical climatic zones of the region, through controlled stocking and harvesting (see first part of this paper).

5. Opportunities for development with high social benefits and profitability lie in the small-scale commercial fish culture at the semi-intensive level. But the future for the culture of finfish of lower value for local markets is uncertain, depending upon many factors (see section 2.4).

6. Potential for immediate development of large scale commercial pond farms in inland areas primarily lies with existing agricultural estate farms and large irrigation projects. Most of them have a good water supply, earth moving equipment, management skill/financial accountability, and existing market outlets.

7. In the longer term, sustained growth of aquaculture will necessitate its expansion to the many coastal lagoons, that are still almost totally underdeveloped.

The vast possibilities offered by semi-intensive pond farming to intensify the use of local resources and even to regenerate diminished environments have still to be fully exploited, for example:

• to convert cheaply local by-products and residues into high quality protein, using cereal brans, slaughterhouse wastes, manures and composted vegetations;

• to intensify the use of available water resources such as irrigation canals and small water storage reservoirs;

• to increase the productivity of marginal lands such as seasonally flooded lowlands and infertile soils.

But there are considerable differences and variations in these potentials between countries and over smaller geographic units. In assessing the aquaculture potential at these lower levels, there are important issues which need to be addressed by policy makers and planners in aquaculture development, mainly to remove existing development constraints (see section 2.4). Some of these issues, such as the circumstances of the producers and consumers (including cultural and socio-economic aspects), the selection of species and the selection of the culture system, did not receive adequate attention in the past and should be considered with greater care in the future.

2.6 Conclusions

Past and actual trends of aquaculture development in Africa lead to the conclusion that the actual overall growth rate will most probably remain similar for the next decade. Finfish will continue to make up the bulk of the production. A fast-growing, although relatively small, shrimp farming industry will keep developing for the next few years, if the international market conditions remain sufficiently attractive.

The indications are that total aquaculture production for Africa may reach 100 000 tonnes within the next five years, a little less than twice the 1986 level. Extrapolating the growth rate during the period 1986–88 to the end of the century, suggests a conservative estimate of 120–130 000 tonnes.

Prospects for an accelerated growth rate of the aquaculture development in the various existing environments are good. But to ensure this, priority will have to be given by Governments and donors to these particular areas most directly related to aquaculture development and coordination, as recently defined in a FAO meeting with major donors and summarized in Table 4.

Much work is still required on the development of widely-applicable technological packages, the upgrading of support services and the establishment of self-sufficiency at the local level in seed supply. Research capacity should be increased through better organization and coordination on a region-wide basis, and efforts should focus on systems-oriented research. The formulation of national aquaculture development plans based not only upon biotechnical studies but also on socio-economic studies should receive urgent priority. Increased efforts should be devoted by Governments to improve the collection of aquaculture statistics in order to help planning. Private investment in aquaculture facilities should be encouraged by all available means, both at the small-scale, semi-intensive level of production and at the larger, more intensive level.

3. GENERAL CONCLUSION

The reviews of status and trends indicate that the output from Africa's inland waters could reach 2 million tonnes toward the end of the present decade; however, the reports have called attention to the constraints that must be addressed, if not overcome, if this level of output is to be surpassed.

There are a number of constraints common to both inland fisheries and aquaculture on which fisheries departments and technical assistance and financing organizations should act together. Clearly, degradation of the environment is a priority among them: aquaculture production will not be able to supplement inland fisheries catch, if water quality and water quantity are in a general state of decline. It goes without saying that inland fisheries output cannot be maintained given the same situation. Other common concerns are for statistical information on fish production and markets, for post-harvest handling, fish transport systems, allocation of applied research and research facilities and, more broadly, administration and formulation of development plans and policies.

The Committee is invited to discuss these topics and to make recommendations for further action.

TABLE 4

Main requirements and priority needs for aquaculture development and coordination in Africa ¹

¹ A summary according to Planning for Aquaculture Development. Report of an Expert Consultation held in Policoro, Italy, 26 July–2 August 1988, ADCP/REP/89/33. FAO, Rome, 68 p. 1989