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News from the GFCM Mediterranean Aquaculture Networks S. Hadj-Ali (SIPAM Coordinator) and M. Pedini SIPAM (System of Information for the Promotion of Aquaculture in the Mediterranean)
Twelve national Co-ordinators and the SIPAM Regional Co-ordinator and Data Manager attended the meeting (Croatia, Cyprus, Egypt, France, Greece, Italy, Malta, Morocco, Spain, Portugal, Tunisia and Turkey). FAO was represented by Messrs. Coppola and Pedini. The main objectives of the meeting were to present and discuss the new SIPAM for WINDOWS software, to review the SIPAM data status and to continue the discussion on the SIPAM version for the INTERNET. |
As announced in FAN Number 17, the Regional Centre, jointly with Istitute e; Marine Biology of Crete (IMBC) and FAO, had already modified the SIPAM software in order to include the suggestions expressed in a previous meetings (Bari, March, 1997, Salerno, November 1997). The new SIPAM for WINDOWS 2.1 version is now more advanced, thanks to the newly introduced tools, especially for developing national networks and for data transfer from other existing data bases within the participating countries. The National Co-ordinators appreciated the performance and facilities of the new version and expressed the need to be trained on its use. For this purpose, a training course was organized at CIHEAM headquarters in Zaragoza, Spain, in January, 1999 which was also attended by the representatives of Bulgaria, Libya and Romania, as new participating countries. The thirteen SIPAM data bases include about 6000 records. The National Co-ordinators reviewed the data quality on the basis of a summary report prepared by the data manager. They decided to focus, as a first step, on five data bases of high priority: national reports (using the new format adopted by the meeting), production statistics, experts, and animal pathogen information (based on the FAO software AAPQIS prepared for Asia). A copy of AAPQIS (Aquatic Animal Pathogen and Quarantine Information System) is expected to be received by the Regional Centre in Tunis soon. A group of experts should be established to generate and collect data to be entered into AAPQIS-Med. It was also recommended that FAO should explore the possibility of a Regional Technical Co-operation Programme (TCP) project to assist member countries to establish the Mediterranean Aquatic Animal Health Information Systems. |
The SIPAM home page and a multilingual brochure are being prepared in FAO Rome. Portugal offered to prepare and issue the brochure in 4 languages, English, French, Spanish and Portuguese. A forthcoming release of the SIPAM brochure is expected to include an Arabic version. Regional data base. The 4t" issue of the SIPAM Regional data base, including about 6 000 records, was completed and distributed in February 1999. The next release will use the new SIPAM for Windows version. The National Coordinators will enter information on the five priority areas as soon as the new version becomes available. New SIPAM member countries. Algeria, Bulgaria, Libya and Romania expressed their interest to be linked to SIPAM in 1998. Representatives from Bulgaria, Libya and Romania participated in the course organized by SIPAM last January in Zaragoza, Spain. The SIPAM Regional Co-ordinator, accompanied by the Data Manager, visited Libya in June 1999 to install SIPAM and to train the staff of the Marine Biology Research Centre in Tajura to use the software and start data entry. It is expected that Bulgaria and Romania will be visited soon for the same purpose. Cooperation with SELAM and TECAM. As announced in FAN No. 17, a meeting was jointly organized by SIPAM, TECAM and FAO last December 1998 in Rome (FAO HQ) to go ahead with the design of the SIPAM pathology data base. The meeting which was attended by specialists from Mediterranean countries, recommended that the SIPAM pathology data base should not be developed as an Aquatic Animal Pathogen and Disease Reporting System, in order to avoid duplication of efforts with the Office International des Epizooties. They also recommended to create a Mediterranean version of the AAPQIS software which has been developed for the Asian Region. With regard to SELAM, a joint SIPAM/ SELAM/ FEAP (Federation of European Aquaculture Producers) meeting was organized in February, 1998 in Rome (FAO HQ) to discuss the design of the marketing data base. A French expert, in cooperation with ICRAM, Italy, is preparing a list of the Mediterranean experts who should participate in the preparation of the data base, which should benefit from FEAP data on aquaculture product prices. |
TECAM (Network on Technology of Aquaculture in the Mediterranean) Seminar on Mediterranean Marine Aquaculture Finfish Species Diversification, Zaragoza, Spain, 24-28 May 1999 The seminar took place from 24 to 27 May 1999, at the Mediterranean Agronomic Institute of Zaragoza (CIHEAMIAMZ), Zaragoza, Spain. The seminar, which is included in the activities of TECAM, was jointly organized by CIHEAMIAMZ and the FAO Fisheries Department. It was attended by 83 participants from 18 countries (Algeria, Belgium, Croatia, Cyprus, Egypt, France, Greece, Japan, Italy, Morocco, Norway, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Taiwan, Tunisia, Turkey, and the USA). The seminar reviewed the latest developments in the farming of new finfish and cephalopod species for Mediterranean aquaculture including methodological aspects that should be taken into consideration in the process of domestication and in the screening of new finfish candidates for aquaculture. Full paper contributions to the seminar as well as a summary of the open |
