From December 21 to 25, with the strong support and guidance of the Yangtze River Fisheries Administration, MARA, the Freshwater Fisheries Research Center successfully implemented the capacity building project on aquatic resources conservation and aquaculture advancement for Lancang-Mekong countries. Prof. Zhu Jian, Chief of the Division of Research, FFRC, attended the opening ceremony and delivered a speech. A total of 50 fishery officials, researchers and technicians from the Lancang-Mekong Basin and neighboring countries attended this event.

Researcher Zhu Jian said in his speech that over the past 40 years, FFRC has trained more than 680 senior fisheries officials and technicians for five Lancang-Mekong countries. FFRC has successively carried out high-level mutual visits, scientific and technological academic exchanges, training courses and academic seminars, etc. with relevant Lancang-Mekong countries, as well as joint scientific surveys of aquatic resources and enhancement and releasing in the Mekong River Basin, etc., further enhancing regional capacity building and deepening the connotation of the LMC mechanism through scientific and technological cooperation and humanistic exchanges.

Ms. Somnea Outh from Cambodian Fisheries Department delivered a speech as the representative of the participants.

A total of 5 experts in the fields of aquatic biological resources protection and aquaculture advancement were invited to give special reports. Researcher Zhu Jian gave a lecture entitled “Practice and Cases of Integrated Rice-Fish Farming in China”, and introduced in detail China’s practical experience in the field of integrated rice-fish farming. Dr Yuan Xinhua, Deputy Director-General of the Fisheries and Aquaculture Division of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), was invited to give a special report on “Sustainable Aquaculture Technology, Innovation and Development Policy”. Researcher Xu Dongpo and Associate Researcher Zhou Yanfeng of FFRC gave special reports on “Management and Conservation of Fishery Resources in Waters” and “China’s Fishery Law Enforcement and Protection of Endangered Species”. Professor Wang Qing of the Pearl River Fisheries Research Institute gave the special report on “Fish Immunology and Vaccine Development”.