By
Dr. J. Eric
Reynolds
LIBFISH
Project Manager
Distinguished Guests, Colleagues, Ladies and Gentlemen:
On behalf of Project LIBFISH — Technical Assistance in Fisheries Development, the UNDP and the FAO, I am pleased to welcome all of you to this workshop of Aquaculture Development, hosted by the Marine Biology Research Centre. This is the fourteenth combined technical training/review workshop activity that has been implemented through MBRC and Project cooperation thus far. I should in particular like to extend a warm welcome to our guest lecturer for the workshop, Dr. Carmelo Agius, who as many of you know serves as the Director to the Malta National Aquaculture Institute. We are indeed fortunate in being able to have Dr. Agius visit with us and to participate in the five working sessions which have been scheduled over the next few days. He is a person who commands an extensive background in the field of aquaculture, covering a wide array of experiences in basic research, academic teaching, consultancy, administration, and practical operations. In addition to his fulfilling his rote as NAI director, Dr. Agius also currently serves as Professor of Biology on the Faculty of Science at the University of Malta, as special advisor to the Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, and as Chair of the Malta Fisheries Board. These responsibilities make for a very busy and demanding schedule, and we should thus appreciate all the more his willingness to visit with us here, even if the time is all too brief.
Given the very full programme ahead of us, we should without further delay invite Dr. Agius to begin the first session.
Thank you.
