Contents -

PART II. REVIEW OF THE WORK OF THE DIVISION

Biology

8. The Committee discussed the program of work of the Biology Branch under three general headings, namely, technical services to facilitate the work of fishery scientists, which are being maintained and developed jointly with interested national bodies and in collaboration with other international bodies concerned, secondly, joint action by member countries and scientists in work connected with the appraisal of fishery resources, both at worldwide and regional levels; and, thirdly, assisting in the conduct of resources research, and the appraisal of results from the point of view of national fisheries development and management, specially through field programs.

9. The whole discussion on the program of the Biology Branch was held in the light of the considerations raised in Appendix II. This document has important implications for the Division as a whole, but refers particularly to the field of work of the Biology Branch.

10. The Committee noted with satisfaction that staff of Biology Branch had participated in assessment work by committees and working groups of international fishery organizations. It viewed with grave concern the finding of one such group that depletion of Antarctic whale stocks was continuing at an accelerated rate, and commended the Director-General's action in appealing for restraint by whaling countries in the exploitation of these stocks in the coming season. The Committee was of the opinion that FAO had a most important role to play in the collection and collation of data and in their unbiased interpretation leading to the assessment of stocks, particularly those of the high seas, as a basis for their rational exploitation and conservation.

11. The Committee was informed that the Organization had received an urgent request from the International Whaling Commission to participate in continuing assessments of the status of stocks of whales. This request had been received after the Program of Work and Budget for 1964-65 had been prepared, and the Committee was informed that no such work could be done in the ensuing biennium. The Committee urged that this important work be started at once by establishing the necessary minimal staff and included a request to this effect in paragraph 68.

12. The Committee suggested that, with this new staff every endeavor should be made to extend the work to other stocks such as tuna stocks, bearing in mind the requirements of the FAO Working Party for Rational Utilization of Tuna Resources in the Atlantic, established by the FAO Council. Fuller provision for such work should be made in subsequent budgetary periods, as recommended in paragraph 64.

13. The Committee expressed concern that there should be adequate follow-up of world meetings such as that held on tuna (1962). The Committee endorsed the continuation of the Expert Panel for the Facilitation of Tuna Research drawn from the Panel of Experts authorized by the Eleventh Session of the Conference, including one meeting in 1964-65.

14. The Committee also commended the endeavors to promote research on marine and inland fishery resources, especially through the various field programs. In particular, it endorsed the proposal to hold a regional training course in Latin America, during the Expanded Program of Technical Assistance 1965-66 biennium, on fishery resources assessment, in collaboration with Unesco.

15. The Committee commended the work of the Advisory Committee for Marine Resources Research (ACMRR), which had already shown its value as an instrument for promoting co-operative action between FAO, Unesco (and the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission under Unesco), other specialized agencies of the United Nations, and regional and international fishery bodies, both FAO-sponsored and otherwise; it approved the two sessions to be held in the biennium 1964-65. In this connection, the Director-General had budgeted for the establishment of a new post, Marine Fisheries Biologist (P-3) with supporting secretarial staff, as recommended by ACMRR.

16. The Committee regretted that, owing to the pressure of field projects supervision and the understaffing of the Inland Resources Section, it had not been possible either to carry out a substantial part of the approved program for 1962-63, or to propose any substantial extension of that program: it considered that assessment, development and management of inland fisheries resources and the development of fish culture were urgently needed if these resources were to play an important part in the improvement of diets in many developing countries, particularly in Africa. It also confirmed the approval already given by the Eleventh Session of the Conference concerning the holding of a symposium on world fish culture in 1964-65 and approved the publication of the report and proceedings of this symposium. It expressed the wish that the holding of this symposium be not further postponed. The increasing number of field projects in these areas demanded equally urgently a strengthening of the Inland Resources Section at Headquarters to plan, prepare and supervise such projects and to offer advice to Member Governments in this connection. The Committee therefore recommended action in this sense (see paragraph 69).

17. In order to carry out the program of work as proposed, the Committee endorsed the establishment of a new post, referred to above, Marine Fisheries Biologist, and supporting secretarial staff, for work on marine resources; the services of consultants, who would need to travel in connection with working groups of the Advisory Committee on Marine Resources Research, meetings of working groups of regional fisheries councils and commissions, and a meeting of members of the Expert Panel for the Facilitation of Tuna Research.

18. The question of priorities of work was discussed. There was general agreement that the items deserving greatest and most urgent attention were the following: recruiting staff for present vacancies and new positions; freshwater fisheries; ACMRR meetings; stock assessment of whales and tuna and the Tuna Panel meetings, co-operation with panels and working groups of other bodies. The priority given to other activities should be left to the discretion of the Branch Chief.

19. The Committee then gave general approval to the program of work of the Branch, subject to the above comments and with the generally expressed feeling that the Branch was doing work of a high order but unduly restricted because of the facilities and staff available to it.

Technology

20. The Committee considered the work of the Technology Branch under the headings of fishing boats, fishing gear and methods, and fish processing technology. Taking into consideration the restricted resources and inadequate staffing, the Committee was very grateful for the work done in the various fields in the past. It welcomed and approved the programs for current and future activities. Being aware, however that wide areas of the world, and in particular the developing countries. were badly in want of high protein food, and considering that to a very great extent, this food can be harvested from the living resources of the seas, the Committee expressed the view that the work should be intensified and additional financial provisions found for expansion. The discussions, considerations and decisions mentioned below should be seen in this light.

21. The Committee discussed the useful services rendered by the World fisheries abstracts, particularly to scientists in developing countries. It noted that the Divisional resources devoted to this publication were relatively large and therefore welcomed the information that the Division was undertaking a full review of the nature, scope and method of production of the World fisheries abstracts in connection with the allocation of this work to the newly-established Technical Intelligence and Reports Section. A number of delegates offered suggestions to be taken into consideration as part of this review. The view was expressed that some of the contents of the World fisheries abstracts should also be presented in such a form as to be of special use to fisheries administrators and industry. This might be accomplished by the publication of review articles in a revived fishery bulletin.

22. The Committee commended the work of the Branch in the field of fishing boats. The preparation of an international meeting on the scantlings of wooden vessels should continue. The stability of fishing vessels should have permanent attention with a view to productivity and safety on board, in close co-operation with the Inter-Governmental Maritime Consultative Organization (IMCO). However, the Committee asked reassurance that, with the assumption by IMCO of certain responsibilities in these matters, there should be no duplication of effort between FAO and IMCO and that the closest technical co-operation between the two agencies (including discussions on delineation of their respective responsibilities) and also with the International Labour Organisation should be maintained. The Committee noted that further Fishing Boat Tank Tests were to be published with special reference to the behavior of the vessels in waves, and that publication on the hydrodynamic design of fishing boats and a further publication on research vessels was under preparation. The Branch was continuing its work on the mechanization of small craft for the Freedom from Hunger Campaign. The Committee was surprised to learn that besides the Chief of the Section, the Branch has only one naval architect on the permanent staff, and expressed the firm opinion that the Fishing Boat Section staff had to be strengthened. It accordingly recommended action as set out in paragraph 70 of this report.

23. The Committee was much impressed by the results of the First and Second World Boat Congresses. Following these Congresses, the design of many vessels had been improved and many small boats in developing countries motorized. The Committee gave special attention to the holding of a third fishing boat congress in furtherance of the program of the Fisheries Technology Branch. In this connection, however, it reaffirmed the view expressed by the Eleventh Session of the Conference that world fishery meetings of wide scope should be scheduled only to meet the needs for enquiry into new advances in technical and scientific developments. Meetings of experts in the various fields of fisheries technology would be most effective if they were confined to specific problems of specific aspects of development within the competence of a group of individuals, and they should be organized in such a manner as to ensure contributions and attendance by those best qualified in the particular field. In the light of these considerations, the Committee approved the preparation and holding of a technical meeting on boats concerning small units up to 100 gross tons for developing fisheries and welcomed the invitation of the delegate of Sweden to hold this meeting in Göteborg, Sweden, in October 1965.

24. The Committee considered it highly desirable that the papers of the Fishing Vessel Stability Meeting recently held in Poland should be published and made available to all member countries.

25. In the field of fishing gear and methods, the Committee commended and endorsed the program as presented. It also emphasized that there was an urgent need for standardization of fishing gear and materials and of data on different types of fishing nets and methods. It asked that the Branch should promote standardization, continue to co-operate with the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and speed up the publications already programed.

26. In the field of fish processing technology, the Committee commended the Branch on work carried out and proposed in the fields of fresh and frozen fish handling, and fish drying and utilization, thus to promote the utilization of fish for human consumption which was now wasted, inefficiently processed, used as animal feed or as fertilizer, or not caught at all for lack of market outlet. More effective fish distribution, especially in developing countries, would entail the improvement and adaptation to local conditions of processing methods and the development of new products.

27. The Committee endorsed the proposed expanded program in the field of fish products development, including the special emphasis currently given to fish protein concentrates for human consumption. The Committee hoped that a plan of operation for a pilot project in Peru could be agreed before long by all concerned with the active support of the Government. It further hoped that this pattern of work could be replicated in other countries where the opportunities for success showed promise. The Committee confirmed the continued collaboration of FAO with the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) in the work of the Panel of Experts on Fish Protein Concentrates for Human Consumption, as the most effective means of promoting and co-ordinating work in this important field.

28. The Committee recommended that the Panel of Experts on Fishery Products Technology, not having met since 1955, be now abolished (see paragraph 52). Recourse would be had in future by the Director-General to the Panel of Fisheries Experts, from which to convene meetings of specialists in various fields of technology, as well as of economics and biology. Indeed, the Committee urged that this Panel be strengthened by the addition of experts in naval architecture and that it be used more extensively for consultations, either through meetings or correspondence.

29. The Committee noted with approval that the Branch was undertaking work in support of the Joint FAO/WHO Codex Alimentarius Commission in close collaboration with the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and other organizations. It welcomed information on closer collaboration with the International Institute of Refrigeration.

30. The endorsed the establishment of the proposed new post, Fish Processing Technologist (Fish Products Development) P-3, with supporting secretarial staff, in support of the project for the development of protein production, in collaboration with the Nutrition Division and with the Fisheries Economics and Statistics Branch. The Committee also endorsed the establishment of a post, Fish Processing Technologist (UNICEF-Related) P-3, with supporting secretarial staff, but urged that the costs of this post should be defrayed by UNICEF.

31. The Committee endorsed the holding of the following meetings: a technical meeting on boats concerning small units for developing fisheries, a symposium on the significance of fundamental research in the successful utilization of fish; and a symposium, in conjunction with the Eleventh Session of the Indo-Pacific Fisheries Council (IPFC), on improved fish handling and distribution.

32. The Committee also endorsed the commissioning of consultants to prepare background papers for the above meetings, and for a meeting of the Panel of Experts on Fish Protein Concentrates for Human Consumption, to prepare studies on hull shapes and fishing boat model tests; and to prepare material for handbooks respectively on fishing gear and methods, and on fish utilization.

Economics and statistics

33. The Committee noting the wide range of subjects covered by the Branch, concerning both economic and social questions in the broadest sense, recognized the need for a selective approach; toward its activities and expressed its approval of the program proposed for the ensuing biennium. The Committee noted that this program embraced activities in the fields of statistics, marketing, credit, co-operatives, fishery administration, fishery legislation, fishery development planning, business management, economic intelligence and economic analysis.

34. The Committee agreed that the reorganization of the Branch authorized by the Eleventh Session of the Conference, in order to deal with such a wide variety of subject matter had achieved a more satisfactory balance of effort between the fields of work now carried on by the various Sections i.e. Fisheries Statistics, Fisheries Institutions and Enterprises Fisheries Administration and Services, and Fisheries Economics and Management.

35. It was observed that much of the work had been and would in some respects continue to be of a pioneer character, in view of the lack of attention given by professional economists to fishery problems in many countries and of the fact that, in the absence of scientific economic investigation of the fishery industries, many governments were hampered in the planning of their fishery programs. In this connection the Committee noted with satisfaction that this situation was now changing and that, in the more advanced fishing countries, both governments and industries were calling to a greater extent upon the services of professional economists while in developing countries the number of requests for technical assistance in this field was increasing both under EPTA and in connection with preinvestment surveys financed by the United Nations Special Fund.

36. With regard to fishery statistics, the Committee commended highly the continued improvement and wider coverage achieved in successive issues of the FAO yearbooks of fishery statistics covering fish production, fishing craft and international trade. It also commended the issue of special bulletins of fishery statistics required for specific purposes, e.g. landings by species, aquatic animal meals and oils, and catches in the Northeast Atlantic. The Committee endorsed the proposal to issue four volumes of the Yearbook during 1964-65, instead of three as hitherto, as well as to continue the publication of the special statistical bulletins. The Committee also noted the progress achieved by the FAO/ICES/ICNAF Continuing Working Party on Fishery Statistics in the North Atlantic Area, which was now reviewing the question of its membership with a view to achieving wider representation from the members of the participating regional agencies. While approving further meetings of the Working Party, the Committee recommended the extension of this type of activity to other regions in order to promote, on a wider basis, common reporting systems and standardization. The Committee noted that the FAO Working Party for Rational Utilization of Tuna Resources in the Atlantic, appointed by the Council, had indicated the urgent need for the assembly of catch and fishing effort statistics for these fisheries, but recognized that the Branch could not undertake such work without some strengthening of the Statistics Section (see paragraph 68).

37. In the field of fishery institutions and enterprises, the Committee noted that the main emphasis in 1964-65 would be on activities within the framework of the FAO High Protein Food Program in which the Branch would collaborate closely with Fisheries Technology Branch and the Nutrition Division. The Committee noted the special attention which would be given to promoting the manufacture and utilization for human consumption of fish protein concentrates. The Committee recognized the important advances which had occurred in the manufacture of such concentrates and the challenging opportunities which were now offered, especially under the Freedom from Hunger Campaign and the World Food Program for relieving human malnutrition from supplies now largely used for animal feeding or discarded. In this connection the Committee approved the establishment of a new post for a Fishery Economist (Fish Products Development) P-3, and supporting secretarial staff, as well as a proposal to convene further meetings of the members of the Panel of Experts on Fish Protein Concentrates for Human Consumption, and two small expert working groups. In this regard it was noted that close liaison with the International Association of Fish Meal Manufacturers would be maintained, and that participation in the meetings of the latter was provided for.

38. With regard to fish marketing in general, the Committee endorsed proposals to participate in an IPFC Symposium on Fresh Fish Preservation and Distribution, a joint FAO/CCTA Symposium on the Preservation and Distribution of Freshwater Fish in Africa, and a Meeting on Fish Products Development and Marketing (formerly known as World Meeting on Fish Processing Technology and Marketing) projected for a subsequent biennium. The Committee also urged that the Director-General use his best endeavors to include a training center on fish marketing and processing in Africa during the next EPTA biennium (see paragraph 67).

39. The Committee endorsed proposals to convene a meeting of a joint FAO/ILO Working Group on Fishery Co-operatives and to continue a study of systems of remuneration for fishermen with due regard for the interest of ILO in the latter project.

40. In the field of fishery administration and services, the Committee noted that much of this work was new, there being no background of information or previous studies on which to draw. It was recognized that in fisheries, as in other areas of economic development where leadership and financing had to be provided by governments, the establishment of well-organized and adequately staffed public services was of crucial importance for the success of development programs and the proposals to extend the work of the Division in this field were endorsed.

41. In this connection the Committee endorsed the proposal to convene a World Meeting on Fishery Administration in 1965, a proposal already approved in principle by the Eleventh Session of the Conference. It also noted action taken on a recommendation of the Eleventh Session of the Conference that, if possible, regional meetings or seminars should be arranged in advance of such a meeting, and was informed that a Seminar on Fishery Development Planning and Administration had been conducted in Ghana in 1963 within the framework of the FAO Special Program for Agricultural Education and Training in Africa, while a similar seminar for the Indo-Pacific region was to be organized, by invitation of the Government of Australia, in 1964 under EPTA. The Committee strongly recommended that similar seminars, in particular for the French-speaking countries of Africa and for Latin America be organized under the FAO Regular Program Technical Assistance, the Special Program for Agricultural Education and Training in Africa or EPTA before the world meeting (see paragraphs 65 to 67). The Committee noted that charts showing the organization of government fishery services in selected countries were in course of preparation and approved the publication of a manual for fishery field officers and the preparation of a study on organization and methods in fishery development planning during 1964-65.

42. The training of staff, particularly foremen and extension workers, being essential for fishery development in developing countries, the Committee requested that priority be given to the education and training of fishery technicians at all levels. Consequently, it requested the Director-General to take urgent steps to tackle this problem, which was one of great concern for the developing countries with potential for fishery development.

43. In the field of fishery economics and management, the Committee noted that the work was developing along two main lines, namely, the rational management of natural resources, in collaboration with the Biology Branch, and the scientific business management of fishery enterprises, in collaboration with the Technology Branch. With regard to the management of marine resources, the Committee noted the widespread interest aroused by the FAO Meeting on the Economic Effects of Fishery Regulations, Ottawa 1961, and approved the preparation of a special chapter on the Management of the Living Resources of the Sea for inclusion in The Stale of food and agriculture.

44. In the field of business management of fishery enterprises, the Committee also noted the increasing interest of the fishery industry which had been developing since the FAO Technical Meeting on Costs and Earnings of Fishery Enterprises in 1958. It was informed concerning the findings of an expert group which had met in London to discuss further work in this field and approved the proposal to convene a meeting on business decisions in fishery industries in 1964. In the same general field of work the Committee also approved the issue of a Fish Marketing Guide, to be included in the series of Marketing Guides issued by the Department of Economic and Social Affairs.

45. In general, the Committee felt that the development of the work of the Economics and Statistics Branch was involving closer ties not only within FAO, e.g. with the Branches of the Fisheries and various Divisions of the Technical and Economic and Social Affairs Departments, but with other international agencies concerned with economic affairs, such as the Economic Commissions of the United Nations, the International Labour Organisation and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. This trend was commended as being appropriate to the proper function of the Branch in linking the work of the Division with broader programs of economic development.

Article VI bodies, expert committees and panels

(Note: Numbers in parentheses refer to the serial numbers assigned in document LC 40/15)

46. The work of the three fishery commissions established under Article VI.1 of the Constitution was commended and should continue as already constitutionally approved, these are the European Inland Fisheries Advisory Commission, the Regional Fisheries Commission for Western Africa and the Regional Fisheries Advisory Commission for the Southwest Atlantic.

47. The Committee noted the use being made of the FAO Panel of Fisheries Experts (No. 24) for convening from time to time, as provided in the budget, small working groups to advise the Director-General on specific subjects. Selected members of the Panel are consulted by correspondence quite regularly and membership by fishery experts of committees mentioned below is drawn from this Panel. The Committee recommended the continuation of the FAO Panel of Fisheries Experts, and urged that it be used more extensively. The Committee also requested the Director-General to appoint members covering disciplines not at present represented.

48. The Advisory Committee on Marine Resources Research (No. 25) had proved an indispensable tool for promoting co-operative action between FAO and other international, governmental and nongovernmental organizations and the Committee endorsed its continuation and approved budgetary cover for two sessions in 1964-65.

49. The Committee endorsed the continuation of the Expert Panel for the Facilitation of Tuna Research (No. 26) whose membership is drawn from the FAO Panel of Fisheries Experts; it approved budgetary cover for one meeting in 1964-65.

50. The Committee took note of the work of the FAO/ICES/ ICNAF Continuing Working Party on Fisheries Statistics in the North Atlantic Area, endorsed its continued existence, and approved budgetary cover for secretariat attendance at one meeting in 1964-65.

51. The Committee recommended participation by the Fisheries Division in the FAO Panel of Experts on Fish Protein Concentrates for Human Consumption (No. 23) in which nutrition experts and representatives of other international organizations also participate, end approved budgetary cover for one meeting in 1964-65.

52. The Committee noted that the Panel of Experts on Fisheries Products Technology (No. 22) had not met since 1955 and recommended that it be abolished. The Committee requested the Director-General to make use of the FAO Panel of Fisheries Experts (No. 24) for advice on ad hoc problems on fishery products technology as they arose, and to convene meetings of selected members, as necessary.

Regional activities

53. The reports of the two Article XIV bodies, the Indo-Pacific Fisheries Council (C 63/FI/2), and the General Fisheries Council for the Mediterranean (C 63/FI/3) were endorsed and recommended for acceptance by the Conference.

54. The Director-General's proposal to strengthen the work of the FAO Fisheries Councils and Regional Commissions by the engagement of consultants to meet as working groups in their respective areas, was welcomed by the Committee and endorsed; these working groups would be invited to study resource assessment and related technological and economic problems of fishery development. A recommendation from the European Inland Fisheries Advisory Commission for similar working groups was also endorsed.

55. Delegates from Africa pointed to the need for appointing either additional regional fishery officers or additional officers to service the recently formed East African subregion. The Committee recommended action in this regard (see paragraph 71).

56. The Committee re-emphasized the importance of studies within each region of the species of commercial fish dominant in that region, especially from the point of view of stock assessment. In this connection, mention was made of the need for studies on sardinella in Africa and shrimp in Latin America. The Committee recommended that high priority he given to a course on stock assessment in Latin America and hoped that the necessary funds would be found under the Program of Technical Assistance (EPTA).

57. The work of the outposted regional fishery officers was reviewed with appreciation, and the Committee noted the present status of the EPTA and United Nations Special Fund field programs in the field of fisheries. Attention was drawn to procedures and timing in forwarding requests for assistance under those field programs, and the Committee also expressed the hope that fishery field work under Regular Program Technical Assistance would be expanded. Particular mention was made in this connection of the need to convene jointly with Unesco and the Commission for Technical Co-operation in Africa South of the Sahara (CCTA) a meeting of experts from countries participating in, or which have expressed interest in, the Guinean Trawling Survey and the International Co-operative Investigations of the Tropical Atlantic Expeditions of the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission, to consider the results of these resource surveys from the point of view of their impact on the fishery development programs of the African countries concerned, and to propose subsequent action by the FAO. Fisheries Commission for Western Africa.

58. Delegates from West African countries emphasized the need for more massive support for their fishery development and resource assessment programs, and the Committee strongly endorsed the view that this should be intensively considered by the Organization for the development of a number of interrelated fishery projects that would merit United Nations Special Fund support.

PART III. MAJOR CONCLUSIONS

59. The position taken by the Committee may be summarized by the statement that Fisheries Division, as at present constituted, is inadequate in number of staff, resources and status to discharge its duties as the unique world-wide point of reference for fishery problems in all relevant aspects; duties which have assumed the greatest importance in relation to meeting the pressing need for high-grade protein. The Committee therefore embodied its views in a draft resolution (Appendix I to this report) which it requested the Conference to adopt.

60. The Committee endorsed the program as presented with the expansions proposed by the Director-General in the fields of marine resources and the development of new fish products. But the Committee stated emphatically that these expansions, valuable in themselves, were inadequate to bridge the gap between what was urgently required and what can be done with the staff and other resources available to the Division.

61. Specifically, the Committee recommended immediate strengthening of the Division in the fields summarized in paragraphs 64 to 71 of this report, namely, in stock assessment work, inland fisheries, fishing boats (naval architecture), and also by strengthening outposted fishery staff in the African region.

62. Looking to the future, the Committee particularly recommended further expansion in the field of stock assessment and such strengthening in the fields of technology and economics as would enable more attention to be given to advice on relatively short-term projects in developing countries in fish production, processing and distribution. It also wished to see more attention given to problems of inland waters pollution.

63. The Committee recommended that the Fisheries Division continue to receive support in its African program through the Special Program for Agricultural Education and Training in Africa, and that increased support in the field of development planning in fisheries be allocated to the Fisheries Division from the Regular Program Technical Assistance budget.

PART IV. RECOMMENDATIONS FOR COMMISSION II

Requests to the Director-General to take specific and important action

64. The Committee (paragraph 12) strongly recommended the immediate strengthening of the Fisheries Division to enable it to participate fully in stock assessment studies and the analysis of catch, effort and biological statistics. Such action is recommended in paragraph 68 below. This would, however, require development in the biennium 1966-67 to the extent of the addition of one Professional Officer and one General Service staff member. In the 1966-67 biennium, two Professional Officers and four General Service staff members would be engaged in this work.

65. The Committee (paragraph 41) recommended that the Director-General should consider allocating funds from the Regular Program Technical Assistance budget for a regional course on stock assessment in Latin America and a regional seminar on development planning and administration, also in Latin America. The course and the seminar were complementary to each other and the Committee emphasized that both were necessary to facilitate action by various governments in the development of common natural resources and as a necessary follow-up of the technical and economic work being carried out by national fishery institutions, especially those currently receiving United Nations Special Fund support.

66. The Committee (paragraph 41) recommended the Director-General to consider allocating funds from the Special Program for Agricultural Education and Training in Africa for a seminar for selected French-speaking member countries in Africa on fishery development planning and administration to complement the seminar already held under this Program in 1963 in English.

67. The Committee (paragraph 38) also requested the Director-General to use his best endeavors to secure budgetary cover under the Regional Program of the Expanded Program of Technical Assistance (EPTA) for a training center on fish marketing and processing in Africa in the 196566 EPTA biennium.

Recommendations affecting the program of work and budget for the 1964-65 biennium

68. The Committee (paragraphs 11 and 36) recommended urgent and immediate action to create the nucleus of the staff to work on stock assessment (paragraph 64). Such nucleus should comprise one Professional Officer in the Biology Branch and three General Service staff members in that Branch and in the Economics and Statistics Branch. This, together with related travel and other costs, was estimated to cost $51,000 in 1964-65

69. The Committee (paragraph 16) recommended immediate strengthening of the Inland Fisheries Section of the Biology Branch, especially in view of the management requirements of great lakes, rivers and impounded waters, whose resources were not yet effectively utilized, and which urgently needed the introduction or development of management practices in a considerable number of developing and especially new countries. The minimum requirements endorsed by the Committee would be one Professional Officer and one General Service staff member at an estimated cost of 830,700.

70. The Committee (paragraph 22) noted the serious under-staffing in the Boat Section of the Technology Branch and recommended that the Section be strengthened immediately by the establishment of one additional Professional Officer and one General Service staff member at an estimated cost of $30,700.

71. The Committee (paragraph 55) also endorsed the strong recommendations from delegates from Africa for the appointment of additional officers to strengthen the work of the Division in Africa generally and the service to the East African subregion in particular. The Committee, therefore, recommended the immediate establishment of one Professional post at an estimated cost of $31,200.

72. The Committee expressed the view that these recommendations should be effected without increasing the over-all budget of the Organization.

Appendix I. Draft resolution

THE CONFERENCE

Realizing that the most pressing need in human nutrition is to make available to people in all parts of the world an adequate supply of high-quality protein such as that derived directly from animals,

Noting that whereas there are great difficulties in rapidly increasing supplies of animal protein in many parts of the world, the oceans and inland waters offer exceptional possibilities for meeting this urgent need,

Observing that world fisheries production has doubled within the past decade and that opportunities exist for comparable increases in the next several decades,

Noting the increased attention which, in recent years, has been given to the national exploitation of the living resources of the oceans and inland waters by rational and international governmental and nongovernmental bodies concerned with research management and development,

Emphasizing that wasteful duplication in international fishery work can be avoided only if all efforts are properly co-ordinated,

Recognizing the constitutional responsibility of FAO in this field, and the increasingly important role that the Fisheries Division should play in the rational use of quality resources in order to supply food needed for the world, and

Realizing the limited attention which the Fisheries Division has been able to give to this responsibility,

Requests that the Director-General prepare, for consideration by the Council and the Thirteenth Session of the Conference, proposals outlining measures which can be taken to ensure that FAO, through its Fisheries Division, has in future years the status of being the leading intergovernmental body in encouraging rational harvesting of food from the oceans and inland waters, bearing in mind the dynamic relationship between the living aquatic resources and the environment and also bearing in mind the importance of fisheries in providing needed animal protein;

Also requests that means for carrying out the proposals which are to be outlined by the Director-General be derived from within the existing resources of FAO as well as from other sources;

Further requests the Council to consider the status of the Fisheries Division in order to determine how the fisheries activities could be given full recognition in the Organization and among other international bodies that concern themselves with matters related to fisheries.

Appendix II. Special note of the Technical Committee on Fisheries concerning the present and future activities of the Fisheries Division

The pressing need in human nutrition on a world-wide basis is to make available an adequate supply of animal protein. Each survey of human nutritional needs that has been made in recent years has emphasized this great need and the dreadful results on human welfare that the lack of these proteins brings to considerable sections of the human population particularly among young children and lactating mothers in broad areas of the tropics and subtropics.

Some land areas can produce added quantities of animal protein with difficulty. In Southeast Asia for example, the land is required for producing grain and cannot be spared for animal production in sufficient quantity. In large areas of tropical Africa, as another example, endemic livestock diseases hamper the production of animal protein.

It seems self-evident that the oceans can do much to relieve this present and growing need for animal protein. Substantial programs of ocean research are being initiated by the nations on a scale never undertaken before. In large part they are being initiated by forces other than the drive for better human nutrition, but their results are capable of being put to such use if correlated with ocean fishing research and development schemes.

In reaction to this protein need the production of the world fisheries is increasing steadily and at a sharp pace. Production has approximately doubled in the past ten years.

The living resources of the high seas are constantly renewable. If the fisheries upon them are rationally developed and managed, each resource can produce an annual crop of stable proportion in perpetuity. This development and management can only be rationalized with detailed knowledge and understanding of the dynamic relations between the ocean, the resources and the fisheries.

For the most part, the living resources of the high seas, unlike those of the land, are the common property of all nations and all nations have a free right to their uses. This feature of the sea resources affects substantially all aspects of their usage, the research required to understand their variability and occurrence, their harvesting, the management of the harvests, and in a considerable degree their marketing and distribution.

The problems touched upon briefly above bring to the fisheries a more highly international complexion than is the case with the harvest of lend resources, almost all of which is undertaken on the sovereign territory of some nation. The fisheries, and the whole system of producing usable products from the sea (which makes up 71 percent of the surface of the earth), require a higher degree of international collaboration, collation of data, co-operative research, and the application of this research than is required in harvesting land resources.

The agency in the United Nations family which presently is supposed to have responsibility in this field of activity is FAO (through its Fisheries Division). It should be looked to as the leader of the nations of the world in this field but it has not been able to attain this status. It has failed because it has not been able to cope with the rapid growth of activities in this field. International oceanography, for example, has in the last few years been organized under the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission within Unesco. Weather research, in which oceanic forces play a major role and which affects nearly all fishery research, is organized internationally under the World Meteorological Organization. Ocean research related to certain pollutants which might possibly adversely affect ocean resources in a major way is organized internationally under the International Atomic Energy Agency.

The consequence is a fragmentation of international ocean research objectives and activities and a diminution in their applicability to ocean resource production.

Great projects are now under way in the world which will shape happenings in this field for many years, and perhaps generations. Examples are:

FAO, through its Fisheries Division, should be co-ordinating and guiding these developments rather than standing by and watching them develop and progress, but the Division finds itself unable to handle the task.

In the FAO Fisheries Division there are many capable, energetic and devoted staff members perfectly competent to carry their weight in these fast-moving endeavors. In fact, the limited staff of the Division, working under difficult conditions is doing an excellent job on the projects assigned to them, but they must be discouraged and disheartened because they find themselves out of the main stream of events in the world in which their Organization should be playing a dominant part. The reasons for this situation include the following:

The fishing industry in many large fishing countries, is becoming increasingly worldwide in its outlook, operations and aspirations. Scientists from government agencies and university and private laboratories are becoming involved to an increasing extent in all of the major ocean projects noted above. There is a growing feeling within these groups that international activities related to the ocean are not presently organized in the United Nations family in a way to assure maximum effectiveness.

Some individuals have gone so far as to suggest that the Fisheries Division of FAO and the Office of Oceanography of Unesco be separated from their present Organizations and placed together to form a new United Nations specialized agency devoted solely to ocean problems as they affect man's welfare.

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