Foreword

The Network of Aquaculture Centres in Asia-Pacific (NACA) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) are pleased to make widely available Aquaculture in the Third Millennium, the Technical Proceedings of the Conference on Aquaculture in the Third Millennium. It is the third major report from the Conference; the others are the Bangkok Declaration and Strategy for Aquaculture Development Beyond 2000 that was published in April 2000 and the Report of the Conference, published in December 2000. As with the previous two reports, these Technical Proceedings are available on the Websites of NACA and FAO.

Together, the three reports present a potent source of knowledge of the past, present and future status of world aquaculture, in-depth discussion of experience and ideas on how to reach the desired goals for the future of aquaculture, and inspiration to achieve this potential. Preparing and organizing the Conference was an undertaking buoyed significantly by the enthusiasm and cooperation that marked everyone’s efforts and input on an international scale.

The Conference was held in Bangkok between 20-25 February, 2000, and generously hosted by the Government of Thailand with major support from six organizations and agencies whose names and corporate logos appear on the back cover of this and the previous two publications. In addition to our official hosts and supporting agencies, many others, too numerous to mention individually, helped in countless heartwarming ways. We reiterate our deep appreciation for all the assistance given by each and every person, group and organization that enabled the Conference to be held successfully, and are grateful to everyone who took part. Your participation made it possible to achieve its immediate purpose of launching the pursuit of the long-term objectives outlined throughout these Technical Proceedings.

Regardless of the length of time it may take to realize our goals for aquaculture in the third millennium, the journey starts with the first step. NACA and FAO have taken those initial steps. The day after the Conference, Asian government representatives to the Governing Council of NACA met to map the immediate and long-term

Hassanai Kongkeo
Coordinator
Network of Aquaculture Centres in
Asia-Pacific (NACA)
Bangkok

  actions suggested in the Bangkok Declaration and Strategy. Among the tasks achieved was the formulation of NACA’s Work Programme for 2001-2005, which incorporates salient recommendations of the Declaration and Strategy. Likewise, FAO convened a meeting at its regional headquarters in Asia-Pacific immediately after the Conference. This included aquaculture experts from many parts of the world, who proposed constitution of a sub-committee on aquaculture within the FAO Committee on Fisheries (COFI), and outlined ways to implement the Conference recommendations, particularly those with inter-regional implications.

These modest first steps are intended to pave the way for many more initiatives to be taken to get the objectives outlined in the Bangkok Strategy “on the road” and “into the water”. In the one-year period during which these Technical Proceedings were being edited, many more steps have been initiated. As with the implementation of the Millennium Conference, NACA and FAO, in cooperation with other concerned organizations, institutions and agencies, have started to forge ahead to assist aquaculture stakeholders, especially the governments and people who depend on aquaculture for their livelihoods, to achieve the social, economic and environmental sustainability goals embodied in the Bangkok Declaration and Strategy. Our optimism, that these goals are realistic and attainable, is firmly founded on the dedication and drive shown by all sectors involved: farmer cooperatives and agencies, regulators, policymakers and planners, scientists, workers of non-governmental organizations, and other aquatic resource users. This optimism is further reinforced by a new wave of international collaboration, which clearly reflects increased recognition that sustainable use of our aquatic resources can only be achieved through vigorous and combined efforts.

These Technical Proceedings reflect this unity of effort. They also emphasize the openness of communication, singularity of purpose, and wisdom to adapt to dynamic aquatic systems and social conditions. It will be this flexibility, guided by principles founded on the common good, that will allow us to make optimal and sustained use of the aquatic environment, to which we are linked and on which we, and all who follow us, depend.

 

Ichiro Nomura
Assistant Director General
Fisheries Department
FAO Rome

 

 

 
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