Report of the Working Group on Marine Fish Culture (WGMAFC)

The Working Group on Marine Fish Culture [WGMAFC] (Chair: Dr J. Castell, Canada) will work by correspondence

in 2001 to:

a) report on the current status of marine fish cultivation in Member Countries and on the factors that are likely to

constrain further development of the industry;

b) graph and evaluate current and historical trends for major species;

c) initiate collaboration with the Working Group on Environmental Impacts of Mariculture (WGEIM) on the review of technological developments in relation to fish production and their application to various species;

d) report on alternative sources of protein and lipid, including references to electronically available bibliography;

e) prepare an inventory of the use of the ICES standard reference diets and the use of microdiets among laboratories and their use with different fish species;

f) support research programmes on fish health and report on existing and emerging diseases of cultured marine fish, including treatments used;

g) compile a comprehensive list of procedures and methods for monitoring of feeding regimes;

h) review fish welfare in relation to marine fish culture to initiate a process to establish a set of welfare guidelines or

indicators as to the state of the health and well-being of the fish;

i) refer to the work of the Working Group on the Application of Genetics in Fishes and Mariculture (WGAGFM) in

developing standard culture conditions under which strains, stocks, or species might be tested to evaluate their

performance.