42. To hasten discussion of this topic, the Chairman requested that the Secretariat set up a small ad hoc working group to draft and present a summary of the workshop's deliberations on the new mechanism to be established by the countries for collaboration on aquaculture development. The ad hoc group's summary was then reviewed in plenary session, leading to the following conclusions and recommendations:
The need to establish a regional cooperation network for aquaculture
43. The experts examined past occurrences of regional cooperation for aquaculture in Latin America, the diversity in culture, technology, natural resources and stages of economic and institutional development, and the alternative initiatives for the creation of an aquaculture cooperation network. They agreed on the need to establish such a network to facilitate the harmonious development of aquaculture on the American continent.
Preferred type of cooperation mechanism
44. It was agreed that the network should be intergovernmental, that it should exploit existing aquaculture capacities and that the impact of its activities should respect criteria of economic and social efficiency and environmental sustainability.
Key issues to be addressed by the network
45. The experts agreed that the point of departure for determining the issues that were to be addressed by the network was recognition that it should contribute to sustainable aquaculture development by working closely with existing provisions in international instruments such as the Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries, the Bangkok Declaration and the recommendations of the Sub-Committee on Aquaculture of FAO's Committee on Fisheries (COFI).
46. The sustainable development of aquaculture was understood as the long-term harmonious development of the objectives of economic growth, social equity and environmental conservation.
47. The network's main tasks should be to:
a. Propose productive options to countries and producers, oriented towards diversification of culture systems, species and scale of production.
b. Promote small-scale rural aquaculture as a vehicle for the generation of employment and income, poverty alleviation and improved food security.
c. Strengthen training and skills development, especially at field technician and middle-ranking technical staff, and professional specialization.
d. Support programmes and projects of interdisciplinary research (natural sciences, social sciences and humanities), development and transfer of technology applicable to aquaculture (e.g. genetics, health, disease, nutrition, feed, safety, biotechnology, traceability and culture techniques).
e. Support and promote the conduct of studies and analyses to improve systems of marketing and distribution of aquaculture products in accordance with national and international market requirements.
f. Support the transfer, exchange and dissemination of information.
g. Promote the role of women role in aquaculture.
h. Support a stronger institutional and regulatory framework for aquaculture in the network's member countries.
Geographical scope of the cooperation mechanism
48. Taking into consideration the studies presented and reviewed for the establishment of a cooperation mechanism, the participants agreed that one single network should be created and that it should be kept open to all interested countries of the American continent. The network should be willing to establish interregional cooperation links that would draw upon the experience of similar networks.
Possible structure of the network
49. The experts agreed that the proposed structure of the network could include a Council, a General Coordinator and a Subnetwork National Coordinator in each member country. They outlined the main functions and responsibilities of each. They recommended that national subnetwork coordination and its structure be determined by each respective country.
Sources of financing
50. The participants recommended that a distinction be made in the financing of the network's functional costs and operating costs: i) the funds needed for the network to actually function and; ii) the funds needed for economic assistance granted to member institutions to help them conduct the activities undertaken in the framework and under the concept of the network.
51. It was also recommended that the funds needed for the intrinsic functioning of the network (general coordination and coordination of national subnetworks) should be made directly available by the member countries, while the funds needed for economic assistance granted to member institutions for projects and other activities undertaken in the framework and under the concept of the network could be covered by external sources of financing.
