that will incorporate a tilapia strain reg-
istry and museum data, the assemblage
of which is the responsibility of the
Zoologisches Institut und Museum, Uni-
versity of Hamburg (Pullin 1990).
ICLARM, with Philippine and Norwe-
gian collaborators, established the GIFT
(Genetic Improvement ofFarmed Tilapias)
project with the aim of developing more
productive stocks of' tilapias by selection
for high growth rate and other economi-
cally important traits (Pullin et al. 1991).
This project includes a study of tilapia
genetic resources in Asia and Africa, and
the establishment of a collection of prom-
ising strains from new importations from
Africa and from existing Asian cultured
stocks.
A major component of the AADCP
(ASEAN-EEC Aquaculture and Coordina-
tion Programme) focuses on the role of
genetic manipulation and population
genetic techniques in aquaculture and
fisheries management in the ASEAN
region, twinning the National Aquaculture
Institute (NAGRI) in Thailand with the
Institute of Aquaculture of the University
of Stirling, Scotland.
IDRC has promoted the AGNA
(Aquaculture Genetics Network in Asia)
project, as a link between aquaculture
genetics projects in Asian countries with
each other and with Dalhousie University
in Canada. The objectives are to develop
new superior strains of fish by efficient
artificial selection and hybridization, to
maximize the rate of domestication and
to minimize the inbreeding of present
stocks.
A Nordic Symposium on Gene Banks
(1978) held in Helsinki recommended the
establishment of gene banks in each of the
Nordic countries with contact between
groups to exchange information, and re-
search results, particularly for gamete
storage (Gjedrem 1981).
Nyman and Norman (1987) suggested
a national strategy for the conservation
of Atlantic salmon genetic resources in
Sweden, where most rivers have been
modified by the building of damsforhydro-
electric power production. The strategy
relies on restocking with river-specific
stocks bred from at least 25 pairs of
broodstock and requires that wild
populations be carefully protected from
hybridization with hatchery stocks, and
used as in situ gene-banks.
In Hungary, a government-sponsored
program maintains 18 "landraces" of com-
mon carp, including nine native races and
nine exotic races imported from elsewhere
in Europe and Asia (Lannan et al. 1989),
and coordinates activities to meet the needs
of aquaculture and natural resource
management.
Genetics is one of the most important
fields of scientific research in Czech ich-
thyology and applied fisheries science
(Barus 1989) and three specialized meet-
ings on fish genetics have been organized
in Czechoslovakia. Endangered species
have been surveyed with analyses of the
causes of threats, present status, future
prospects and conservation efforts (Lusk
1989). A specific program has been
launched for the preservation of the wild
Danube carp, Cyprinus carpio carpio
(Krupka et al. 1989).
Despite their richness in endemic fish
genetic resources, most African countries
have given low priority to aquaculture and
conservation of fish genetic resources.
Countries with sites of special significance
for aquatic genetic resources generally
lack funds to invest in their conservation.
However, MalaGi has recognized the
importance of genetic conservation and
prohibits introductions of exotic fish to
protect the native species, ecology and
fisheries of Lake Mala%. Many African
waterbodies are shared among countries
and conservation programs should be
established at the regional level.
The International Study on Artemia
(ISA) was created in 1978 to establish an