D.E. van Drimmelen
Acting Director of Fisheries, Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries,
The Hague, The Netherlands, and
Chairman, Organization for Improvement of Inland Fisheries (OVB),
Nieuwegein, The Netherlands.
Mr. Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen
It gives me great pleasure, on behalf of the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries to welcome you all to the Netherlands. You arrived here to attend the EIFAC Workshop on Mass Rearing of Fry and Fingerlings of Fresh Water Fishes, which will be held in the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries and on the fish farm of the Organization for Improvement of Inland Fisheries (OVB) at Lelystad. I hope that during your visit to us you will not only succeed in producing a good piece of cooperative work but also enjoying your stay in this country.
It is not the first time that the Netherlands acted as a host for activities of the European Inland Fisheries Advisory Commission of FAO. In 1972 in this room the First European Consultation on the Economic Evaluation of Sport and Commercial Fisheries was organized. In the same year the 7th Session of the Commission was held at the International Congrescentrum RAI, Amsterdam.
This session was preceded by a Symposium on the Major Communicable Fish Diseases in Europe and their Control, organized by FAO/EIFAC with the support of the International Office of Epizootics (OIE). And now we see so many distinguished scientists of so many countries join here to exchange and compilate knowledge and information on a specific, but still very important phase in fish culture.
Looking at the work of EIFAC, as it has developed during the last 15 years, we can observe that its work has extended and has gained more and more scientific profundity. It was and is a promising experience to see so many EIFAC countries willing to collaborate in the field of inland fisheries, to see so many scientists from these countries being prepared to cooperate in so many specific programs in this field.
Yet, I should like to emphasize that this development is not only induced by a willingness to cooperate but also by a necessity to do so. In most of the European countries inland fisheries and fresh water fish culture constitute a relatively small economic pillar in comparison with for instance industrial developments and even compared to agriculture en forestry. In the seperate countries it is almost inevitable, that the efforts in the field of research are and will be of a corresponding nature. In that situation we may say that workers in inland fisheries and fish culture are more or less dependent on international cooperation, based on mutuality. There are many reasons to consider it as a great benefit, that EIFAC has elaborated and implemented adequate schemes to meet the occuring wants.
During the 9th FAO Regional Conference for Europe, held at Lausanne in 1974, it became evident that EIFAC got a strong support of the countries within the European region, but not only for the work rendered on behalf of these countries themselves. It was also stressed that the EIFAC-activities to mobilize and coordinate scientific progress were appreciated because of their value for nations beyond the European region, and especially for developing countries.
It is evident that this is very valid for the EIFAC activities in the field of fish culture and more specifically for the Workshop, that is now starting on Mass Rearing of Fry and Fingerlings of Fresh Water Fishes. There is no way to harvest fish without recruitment. There is no way to produce fish in culture systems without rearing of the youngest stages. There is no way to progress without sincere analysis of the processes, the views and conceptions, which were valid so far.
Mr. Chairman, in the Netherlands we can neither speak of a long tradition in fresh water fish culture, nor is it extensively practised. Still we hope that facilities here and on Thursday at the OVB fish farm at Lelystad may contribute to your work. With that I should like to conclude. May I wish all of you success in our meetings and a pleasant stay in this country.
May 8, 1979
