Interest in freshwater fish and in the biology of fresh waters in Europe extends back for centuries; statutes and regulations governing the taking of fish from rivers and lakes existed as early as the twelfth century. Freshwater biology as a science had its origins in the nineteenth century, and the first international congress of limnology, the science of fresh waters, was held in Europe in 1922.
In the early 1950s, a number of fishery experts considered the possibility of creating an international organization to encourage collaboration in dealing with the problems of inland fisheries in Europe, problems which were to a large extent different from those of marine fisheries. The latter were already the responsibility of an international scientific body, the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES).
There were differences of opinion as to whether the new organization should be independent or associated with an existing body, but it was noted that FAO, which already had a responsibility for assessing the status of fisheries as a source of food for the populations of the world, might be an appropriate parental body for the proposed new organization.
After several years of further discussion among scientists, FAO convened a small meeting of inland fishery experts in 1955 in Rome to discuss the matter: Professor F. Ruttner (Austria), Professor H. Jarnefelt (Finland), Professor U. d'Ancona (Italy), Dr B. Havinga (Netherlands) and Dr G. Alm (Sweden). The group agreed that there was a need to improve and develop international collaboration in the field of inland fisheries, and that no existing organization provided the necessary range of collaboration. They further proposed that FAO should convene an International Inland Fisheries Meeting in Helsinki, 24–26 July 1956, at the invitation of the Government of Finland, immediately before the XIII Limnological Congress.
Invitations were then sent to the Member Governments of FAO to send delegates to the meeting to: (i) review the importance of inland fisheries in world food economy, (ii) review fishery science as applied to inland fisheries, (iii) discuss the kinds of international action that should be promoted, and (iv) discuss the means whereby such international action could be made possible.
Seventeen representatives of 13 countries attended as well as observers from international organizations. The problems of European inland fisheries were thoroughly explored and the need for international collaboration discussed, including the possibilities of using existing organizations such as ICES, the International Association of Limnology (IAL) or the General Fisheries Council for the Mediterranean (GFCM). The meeting agreed on the need for international collaboration, but considered the task to be beyond the terms of reference, area of operation or resources of existing bodies. It was therefore decided to request the Director-General of FAO to establish an advisory body for Europe.
The resolution adopted at the Helsinki meeting in 1956 by the representatives of Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, the Federal Republic of Germany, Iceland, The Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom requested the Director-General of FAO to:
“establish a Standing Advisory Committee on the Inland Fisheries of the interested countries in Europe, Members of FAO, composed of experts on this subject, whose functions would be to advise him and its Member Governments of measures to be taken with reference to:
the collection and dissemination of pertinent information
the organization of appropriate symposia
the establishment of proper liaison in cooperation with governmental and non-governmental organizations
the evolution of such an organized approach amongst interested governments of this region toward the development of inland fisheries as may seem desirable and feasible, and
any other matters appropriate to the promotion of the development and utilization of the inland fisheries within the competence of the Organization.”
The proposition was accepted by the Council of the Organization at its 26th Session in Madrid, June 1957; and the Director-General proposed that a regional Commission should be established to advise him and Member Governments concerned on matters relating to inland fisheries in Europe. The Council noted that “development of improved management of fisheries in inland waters offered considerable opportunity to increase food supplies in the form of animal protein and that the promotion of the necessary research and the improvement of government services to assist the development of this industry required effective international exchange of information and ideas.”
It accepted that there were certain bodies in Europe affording marine fisheries such advantages, but none for European inland fisheries. Resolution No. 2/26 was therefore adopted, establishing the European Inland Fisheries Advisory Commission.
The Organization was responsible for providing funds, and for setting up a Secretariat to service the Commission. Member countries in Europe were invited to become members of the new body, and a majority had indicated their acceptance by 1960. An offer to hold the first meeting of the Commission in Dublin was made by Ireland, and this meeting took place there in April 1960.
