Halwart, M., M. Martinez and A. Schückler. 2000. Small ponds make a big difference: integrating fish with crop and livestock farming. Rome, FAO. 30 pp.

This book aims to raise awareness about the many potential contributions of aquaculture to household food security and income generation. Although aquaculture encompasses a wide range of aquatic organims and intensities of production, the main focus of this document is on extensive to semi-intensive pond aquaculture. The various challenges and multiple advantages of integrating aquaculture into smallholder farming systems are pointed out, and key considerations which are crucial for aquaculture and farming systems development in different parts of the world are highlighted.

This book is the outcome of a long-standing working relation between Messrs Matthias Halwart and Manuel Martinez of the Inland Water Resources and Aquaculture Service (FIRI) and Ms Angelika Schückler of the Farm Management and Production Economics Service (AGSP). The officers developed the concept and orientation of the document, contracted its preparation to Mr Uli Schmidt of COFAD, and provided the final inputs and revisions including editorial services.

The hard copy of this publication is available in English, French and Spanish and the electronic version is in Arabic, Chinese, English, French and Spanish.

Healthy environment, healthy shrimps: The wonder shrimp.

This comic book produced by the Aquaculture Foundation of India (AFI) with collaboration from the BOBP. It is wellresearched, presented imaginatively, in story form, and is attractively illustrated. There are even technical data for those who are interested, but I believe that the essence of shrimp culture can be grasped and followed even without such data. What makes the comic book particularly valuable is that it is being published in Telugu and Bengali.

The BOBP mobilized funding from the Netherlands Government for an experimental project on shrimp culture by the AFI, and supported the printing of this comic book. Sincere thanks are due to Mr Rene Verduffin, who served as Resource Economist (APO) of the BOBP for two years. He contacted the Netherlands Embassy in New Delhi and obtained its support for the AFI project. We are especially grateful in this connection to Mr LW Van Beek of the Netherlands Embassy in New Delhi, for his strong support to the endeavour.

Sustainable shrimp culture cannot be achieved overnight. It is a process, and we are very happy to have encouraged it and participated in it. We are also pleased to be associated with the production of this comic book.

KeeChai CHONG
Programme Coordinator
Bay of Bengal Programme

Biodiversity in wetlands: assessment, function and conservation. 2000. Vol 1. Edited by B. Gopal, W.J. Junk and J.A. Davis.

New Species for Mediterranean Aquaculture. 1999. Edited by G. Enne and G.F. Greppi.

This book represents the proceedings of the 33rd International Symposium on Animal Production on “new species for Mediterranean aquaculture” organized by the Department of Animal Science of Sassari University in collaboration with the Società Italiana per il Progresso della Zootecnica and the Istituto Sperimentale Italiano “L. Spallanzani”. The last few decades have been witness to dramatic growth in Mediterranean aquaculture. However, some problems are arising in the area from the complicated effects of climate change and from basic economics. The culture of new species or new ways to culture existing species are discussed in this volume so that the aquaculture sector can continue to grow and be a viable industry in the region. This book is not an FAO publication, but contains contributions by Dr Devin Bartley (FIRI) on “A precautionary approach for the introduction of new species in aquaculture”, by Dr Krishen Rana with Dr F. Barbato et al. on “First results in obtaining hybrids employing Sparus aurata fresh oocytes and Diplodus puntazzo or Pagrus major cryopreserved sperm”, and by former FAO staff, Dr James Muir (Stirling University) on “Strategic issues in new species development for aquaculture”. The book is published by Elsevier, 23 rue Linois, 75724 Paris cedex 15. ISBN: 2-84299-156-7

The contributions to this publication deal with many of the diverse types of wetlands, for example, riverine floodplains, mangroves, bogs and fens, and the seasonal wetlands of arid regions. The editors point out that although biodiversity is an important topic today, most studies and discussions are focused on terrestrial systems such as rainforests; discussions on aquatic biodiversity usually address coral reefs. The biodiversity of inland water ecosystems is now starting to receive attention and we are realizing that they are
i) fragile and threatened, ii) highly productive, iii) contain a wealth of biodiversity, and iv) we know very little about them. Although this publication is not an FAO publication, current and former FIRI staff contributed articles. Dr Robin Welcomme, retired service chief of FIRI, contributed an article on “Fish biodiversity in floodplains and their associated rivers”, and Dr Devin Bartley (FIRI) contributed a chapter on “International mechanisms for the conservation and sustainable use of wetlands”. The book is published by Backhuys Publishers, Leiden, 2000, the Netherlands. Additional ordering information may be obtained by telephone: +31 71 517 0208 or e-mail: ackhuys@backhuys.com.
ISBN: 90-5782-059-5