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AUSTRALIAN CENTRE FOR INTERNATIONAL AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH (ACIAR)


Reyna N. Reyes, Assistant Manager, Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research

ACIAR's role in supporting the sustainable development of aquaculture and aquatic resource systems in the Asia-Pacific region

Introduction

The Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR) is an Australian Government Statutory Authority that operates as part of Australia's overseas development assistance programme under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade. ACIAR was established in June 1982 to assist and encourage Australian scientists to use their skills for the benefit of developing countries, while at the same time, work to resolve Australia's own agricultural problems. ACIAR also has responsibility for Australia's contribution to the International Agricultural Research Centres (IARCs). ACIAR is based in Canberra, with country offices in China, India, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, Thailand and Viet Nam.

ACIAR's Mission Statement is: "To improve the well-being of people in developing countries and Australia through international collaboration in research and related activities that develop sustainable agricultural systems and appropriate strategies for natural resource management." For ACIAR the term 'agricultural research' has a broad meaning. It includes research and development activities relevant to production and management of:

ACIAR does not conduct research itself but commissions research groups in Australian institutions including the universities, CSIRO (the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization) and the State agriculture and fisheries departments to carry out research projects in partnership with their counterparts in developing countries.

ACIAR'S Fisheries Programme

Included in ACIAR's Corporate Plan 2001-06, are a series of focus statements to provide potential research providers with an indication of ACIAR's emphases and priorities for future research projects in particular areas. The statements are grouped under four broad themes, with the first - Meeting rising demand for animal protein - having particular relevance to the Fisheries Program. The two focus statements from this theme are:

In line with these statements, the Fisheries Program aims to develop and coordinate a program directed at solving key problems constraining the productive use and sustainability of fisheries and aquatic resource systems in developing countries. It also aims to maximise benefits for target groups in developing countries and to contribute to regional research initiatives.

Fish products are a preferred food for many countries throughout much of Asia and the Pacific Islands and a major source of human dietary protein. With populations and demand rising quickly, even maintaining current levels of food fish availability, particularly for the poorer communities, will be difficult. The potential for further increases from wild harvest fisheries is limited, with catches static or falling. Aquaculture, widely seen as the most likely means of meeting future increases in the demand for fish products, also faces many obstacles (technical, social and environmental) to further growth and sustained production. Australia has the research expertise and the shared interest(s) to contribute substantially to the solution of many of the defined constraints to sustained productivity increases in both capture and culture fisheries.

ACIAR's Fisheries Program spans a diversity of production strategies and environments, from wild capture marine and freshwater fisheries and issues related to their responsible management, to aquatic farming systems, mariculture and fisheries enhancement. There are 18 active projects involving 60 R&D agencies in 13 partner countries and 27 research teams from 21 Australian organizations. Its major elements are:

Fisheries and aquatic resource management: the assessment and management for sustainability of wild harvest fisheries, including conservation and rehabilitation of the critical habitats that support them. The broad areas of research interest are:

Aquaculture: productive and sustainable aquatic farming systems, environmental impacts, low-technology mariculture and sea ranching and resource enhancement. Broad areas of research interest are:

Current ACIAR Fisheries and Aquaculture Projects

Fisheries and Aquaculture Resource Management

Aquaculture

Large Projects

97/165 Snapper fisheries (Indonesia, Northern Australia)

96/98 Viral diseases/shrimps (Thailand)

98/24 Barramundi fisheries (PNG)

97/31 Blacklip pearl oyster (Kiribati, Tonga)

01/030 Reservoir fisheries management (Sri Lanka)

97/22 Pond management/acid sulfate soils (Indonesia)

01/058 Spiny lobster (Viet Nam, Philippines) Phase 1 - under development

97/73 Grouper culture (Indonesia, Philippines)


00/061 Disease/shrimp farms (Indonesia, Thailand)


02/001 Inland saline aquaculture (India) Phase 1 - under development


00/065 Mud crab diet development (Indonesia, Philippines) Phase 1 - under development


02/068 Improving feeds and feeding for small scale aquaculture (Viet Nam, Cambodia) Phase 1 - under development

Medium and Small Projects

99/038 Community management of Beche de Mer (formerly ADP/1999/038) (PNG) Small project

98/50 Integrated aquaculture (Viet Nam) Small project

000/62 Shark and ray fisheries (E. Indonesia) Medium project

99/76 Mud crabs (Viet Nam, Indonesia) Small project

000/128 Terubuk fishery, Riau Province (E. Indonesia) Small project

01/013 Reservoir development and management (Viet Nam) Medium project

01/059 Beche de Mer survey, Milne Bay (PNG) Small project

01/034 Pond aquaculture (PNG) Small project

Medium and Small Projects

01/085 Trochus development (Samoa, Vanuatu) Medium project

01/075 Aquaculture research in the Pacific (Pacific regional countries) Small project - under development)

01/079 Tuna research - Indian Ocean (Indonesia) Medium project


02/019 Policy for illegal, unreported, unregulated fishing (IUU) (Indonesia, Philippines) Medium project - under development


Restricted Grants to IARCs


98/13 Reef fish culture (Solomon Islands) Large Project


99/25 Sea-cucumber stocking/ranching (New Caledonia) Large project


96/235 Pilot pearl farm (Solomon Islands) Small project

How to participate in ACIAR Projects

ACIAR welcomes proposals for new projects. Topics for research should broadly fit into the six priority program areas above since they reflect fields in which Australia has expertise of special relevance to developing countries.

Suggestions may come from individuals, research institutions, or government organizations in developing countries or in Australia. Others may arise from ACIAR-sponsored workshops. However, all proposals must cover topics ranking high among the research priorities of a particular developing country and must be endorsed by the national authorities before the ACIAR Board of Management (BOM) can consider them for approval.

Consultation is a key word for ACIAR. Preparation of projects involves extensive consultation between interested parties in both Australia and potential partner countries. Preliminary projects emerging from these consultations are presented to the ACIAR BOM for approval and may proceed to the detailed development of project proposals. Fully developed proposals are assessed by ACIAR staff and submitted for peer review to independent expert referees before the ACIAR BOM considers the final proposal. More complete information on ACIAR and it's operations and program of work are available on the ACIAR website - www.aciar.gov.au


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