Based on the view that the problems pertaining to the further development of fish culture can be subdivided into different scientific and managerial key phases, the European Inland Fisheries Advisory Commission (EIFAC) since its organizing meeting in 1956 in Helsinki has been actively helping the advancement of knowledge and research in the relevant phases by means of working parties, symposia, workshops and the publication of documents. The EIFAC Eleventh Session (Hamburg, 1978) recommended (Recommendation 78/6) that EIFAC organises a Workshop on the production of fry and fingerlings of warmwater fish species.
Preparations for the Workshop were made by the Organising Committee in cooperation with FAO/EIFAC. The Organising Committee met a few times prior to the Workshop with the following Dutch participation: Prof. Dr. E.A. Huisman (Chairman), Ir. B. Steinmetz (Secretary), Ir. C.M. Bungenberg de Jong.
The objectives of the Workshop were formulated with reference to Recommendation 3 of the EIFAC Workshop on Controlled Reproduction of Cultivated Fishes held in Hamburg in 1973, which states “that work on the development of suitable feeds, preferably from locally available and cheap ingredients to meet the nutritional requirements of cultivated species be intensified in the research institutions of the region” and, believing that predation and adverse weather conditions account for some of the high mortalities in out-door nurseries, considered “that work on the development of intensive indoor systems for production of fingerlings be pursued and expanded, and that proper attention be paid in this process to the control of diseases that may pose a serious threat under crowded conditions”.
The objectives of the Workshop were to:
bring together experts in the mass rearing of fry and fingerlings of freshwater fishes in order to exchange expertise among the EIFAC member countries;
identify constraints and gaps in our knowledge, that affect the reliability of the supply of fry and fingerlings for fish farming management;
recommend action to be taken to remove such constraints in order to further promote the wide availability of fish seed as a key factor in fish culture.
This Workshop on the Mass Rearing of Fry and Fingerlings of Fresh Water Fishes was held in The Hague, 8–11 May 1979, kindly hosted by the Netherlands Government, Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries. It was attended by 34 participants from 16 countries (Appendix II).
The Workshop documentation consisted of two Introductory Papers, four Review Papers and 16 Experience Papers (Appendix V).
The Workshop was opened by Prof. Dr. N. Fijan, Chairman of the EIFAC's Sub-Commission II - Fish Culture and Fish Diseases. Prof. Dr. E.A. Huisman (The Netherlands) was elected Chairman of the Workshop.
At the opening meeting the participants were welcomed by Mr. D.E. van Drimmelen, Acting Director of Fisheries, Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, and Chairman of the Organisation for Improvement of Inland Fisheries in The Netherlands (Appendix III). In his welcome address on behalf of the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries he underlined the increasing role of EIFAC and its significance for fish culture development, also from a scientific point of view. He pointed out the continuing support for this task expressed by the countries of the European region in Lausanne, 1974. Finally he stressed the importance of the topic of this Workshop because, as he said: “Fish cannot be harvested without recruitment”.
Dr. A.G. Coche, Senior Fishery Resources Officer (FIRI/FAO) and Technical Secretary (EIFAC/FAO) also welcomed the participants on behalf of Mr. K. Lucas, Assistant Director-General for Fisheries (FAO) and conveyed the appreciation of the Organization to the Netherlands Government for hosting the Workshop, to the organizers of the Workshop and those who assisted.
Dr. Coche emphasized that this Workshop was another excellent example of EIFAC's growing self-sufficiency and success in stimulating active collaboration between EIFAC member countries at no cost to FAO. He also pointed out that the topic of the Workshop was in line with the priority list for fish culture development established at the FAO Technical Conference on Aquaculture in Kyoto, 1976.
The Agenda (Appendix I) was adopted. Dr. G. Tamás and Dr. C.E. Purdom were delegated to assist the principal rapporteur Ir. H. Hogendoorn.
The Chairman's proposal to elect Prof. Dr. N. Fijan, Dipl.-Biol. H. Koops and Mr. B. Stott to identify problem areas and to formulate recommendations to be included in the report of the Workshop was also accepted.
The Workshop was organized in consecutive meetings. As a working frame the Chairman, Prof. E.A. Huisman, defined in his introductory address the role of fry and fingerling supply in fish culture (Appendix IV), and Dr. A.G. Coche presented a review on the present status of mass rearing of fry and fingerlings in the EIFAC region, based on country reports. Subsequently, different aspects of the subject were discussed in review papers and detailed experience per species was introduced in experience papers (Appendix V). The structure of the Workshop, integrating species problems with aspects of culture intensity, feeding and health protection provided an effective basis for discussions (Section 2). At the final session the recommendations and the report were discussed and adopted for consideration by EIFAC (Section 3).
At the closing of the Workshop the Chairman thanked the participants for their contributions and, on behalf of the participants, expressed gratitude to the Dutch Government for hosting the Workshop and for the willingness to publish the Technical Documents which will be made available through FAO/EIFAC late 1979 or early 1980.
