The conservation and sustainable use of aquatic genetic resources is characterised by intensive international cooperation in which Germany plays a vital role.
The most important international cooperation partner in the field of AqGR is the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and its Commission for Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (CGRFA). The CGRFA is the only standing commission that discusses and negotiates exclusively biodiversity issues in the food and agricultural sectors. Germany is intensively promoting cooperation with CGRFA, including in the area of AqGR. For instance, the "State of the World’s Report on Aquatic Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture", which is based on the country reports of 92 nations, was significantly supported by the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture (BMEL). The Information and Coordination Centre for Biological Diversity (IBV) of the Federal Agency for Agriculture and Food (BLE) prepared the German country report on behalf of the BMEL and in cooperation with the Expert Committee on Aquatic Genetic Resources. It also sent a representative of the IBV to international working groups, which accompany the work of FAO in the field of aquatic genetic resources. The BMEL also provides funds to enable developing countries to participate in the reporting process and to finance individual projects. This includes, for example, the creation of a database coordinated by the FAO, which in future will record all fish species bred worldwide and their most important breeding lines.
As the national contact point, the IBV fulfils the German reporting obligations to the North Atlantic Salmon Conservation Organization (NASCO) and supports the BMEL in representing German interests within the EU-NASCO membership. NASCO is a Regional Fisheries Organisation dedicated to the conservation, restoration, promotion and management of salmon throughout the North Atlantic Basin based on scientific advice on this migratory fish species. NASCO is also the main initiator of the
International Year of Salmon, a multi-year initiative focusing on 2019.
