(i) As mentioned on page 1 the tour was organized for the purpose of observing the organization and practices followed in aquaculture in China and determining their applicability in the participating countries. The participants were able to see some of the most successful aquaculture projects and were greatly impressed by the high production obtained in freshwater fish culture. Although still largely based on traditional practices, many, new innovations have been introduced with remarkable success. Polyculture and multiple stocking and cropping are probably the main reasons for this success. The applicability of these practices in other countries will, to a large extent, depend on the species cultivated and the consumers' acceptance of herbivorous and omnivorous species which form the main constituents of the polyculture system. In cases where a species has to be grown on complete feeds, opportunities for polyculture may be limited. However, stock manipulation through multiple stocking and harvesting can be more widely applied and with considerable advantage.(ii) Fish-crop-livestock integrated farming is the most striking feature of Chinese farming and this can have considerable significance in rural development in many developing countries. However, it may not be possible to transplant the system as such to other countries with different social and political conditions. Based generally on Chinese concepts, appropriate forms of integration and motivation and feasible systems of management suitable to different countries have to be developed through pilot operations. It is recommended that at least the countries that participated in the study group formulate and implement pilot projects in suitable areas to test the feasibility of such integrated farming and to evaluate the extent and nature of benefits that would accrue under different conditions. In order to gain the necessary in-depth knowledge for planning and executing pilot projects, a small number of senior technicians with broad-based experience, should be trained at a suitable centre in China.
(iii) Since the concept of integrated farming of fish, crop and livestock may have application in many developing countries throughout the world, compilation and analysis of Chinese experience in this field will be of great value. There are a number of aspects of the integrated system that call for critical research for scientific understanding of the processes and possible upgrading of practices.
(iv) The planning and organization of aquaculture development in China is naturally adapted to the social and political systems of the country. There are major difficulties in adopting them in different administrative and socio-political conditions in most other countries that participated in the study group. However, it should be possible to apply some of the strong points of Chinese aquaculture planning and organization through the cooperative system being tried in many developing countries. A favourable rate of return on investment will be a major concern even for cooperatives. This will be the primary consideration for private sector investment in aquaculture, which will probably be the most feasible means of large-scale development in the majority of developing countries.
(v) The Chinese experience has clearly shown that aquaculture techniques can be successfully applied in lake and reservoir fishery development. The report of the FAO Fisheries (Aquaculture) Mission to China (FAO Fisheries Technical Paper, No. 168) refers to some of the environmental problems involved. Many developing countries are now engaged in the utilization of man-made lakes and other large inland water bodies for fish production. The Chinese experience would provide the basis for some of the aspects of inland fishery development.
(vi) As mentioned earlier in this report, artificial propagation of Chinese carps and large-scale production of fry and fingerlings are two of the major developments in Chinese fish culture in recent years. Although capable of improvement, the hatchery system adopted in the country is simple and adequate. The on-going training programme sponsored by FAO and UNDP in Guangzhou for technicians from Bangladesh, concentrates on fish breeding and fry production. Although the direct application of the technique may be limited only to countries where Chinese carps are cultured, it would be of interest in connexion with the breeding of some of the other cultivated fish that do not breed in confined waters. Participants in the study group therefore felt that the training course should be made regional in nature. It will be useful to continue the course for a few more years, till an adequate number of technicians from countries of the Asian region have familiarized themselves with the technique and are able to undertake comparative studies of its efficiency.
(vii) The Chinese hosts repeatedly asked for suggestions and criticisms of their activities. Some of the members of the group provided as much information as possible about developments in other countries and practices that may have application in China. There is apparently much that Chinese workers could learn from other countries in respect of marine aquaculture and certain types of freshwater fish culture, such as cage and pen culture and raceway and recirculating system culture. Since aquaculture .research is now being resumed and expanded in many institutions in the country, the scientists will greatly benefit by visits to research centres abroad to acquaint themselves with recent developments and to establish necessary contacts with other scientists. The group would therefore recommend the organization of a study tour for selected scientists and senior technicians to visit selected institutions and aquaculture centres abroad.
(viii) As is evident from the foregoing pages of the report, the study tour proved of great value to the participants in obtaining a first-hand knowledge of aquaculture development in China and possibilities for the application of their practices in other countries. Due to problems of interpretation, this tour was limited to selected English-speaking countries of Asia and Africa. It is recommended that similar tours be organized for Spanish-speaking and possibly French-speaking countries.
