The Advisory Group (AG) is a body of technical experts that meets annually to provide advice to NACA member governments on aquatic animal health management. The group is drawn from academia, the private sector and government.

The role of the AG is to review disease trends in the region, identify emerging threats and developments in global aquatic disease issues and standards, evaluate the Quarterly Aquatic Animal Disease Reporting Programme operated by NACA/FAO/OIE and regional governments, and to provide guidance on strategies to improve aquatic animal health management.

This year’s meeting took place from 18-19 November at the Amari Don Muang Airport Hotel in Bangkok. Opening remarks were delivered by Dr Huang Jie, Director General of NACA, and with a progress report given by Dr Eduardo Leano, Coordinator of NACA’s Aquatic Animal Health Programme.

The meeting discussion included:

• Outcomes of recommendations from OIE General Session and the Aquatic Animal Health Standards Commission (Dr Ingo Ernst, AAHSC, OIE).
• Updates on FAO initiatives in Asia-Pacific in support of aquatic animal health management (Mr Weimin Miao, FAO-RAP).
• Biosecurity in Aquaculture: Progressive Management Pathway for Aquaculture Biosecurity (PMP/AB) (Dr Jie Huang, NACA).
• Updates and emerging threats on finfishes: diagnosis, management and prevention (Dr Siow Foong Chang, SFA, Singapore).
• Updates and emerging threats on crustaceans: diagnosis, management and prevention (Prof. Tim Flegel, Centex Shrimp, Thailand).
• Updates on other diseases (molluscs and amphibians): diagnosis, management and prevention (Dr Andy Shinn, Fish Vet Group, Thailand).
• Fish Health Section, SEAFDEC Aquaculture Department, Philippines (Dr Eleonor Tendencia, SEAFDEC AQD).
• OIE-Regional Representation in Asia and the Pacific (Dr Jing Wang, OIE-Tokyo).
• Aquatic Animal Health Research and Development Division, Thailand (Dr. Thitiporn Laoprasert, AAHRDD).
• Activities of the Australian Department of Agriculture and Water Resources (Dr Ingo Ernst, DAWR-Australia).
• Aquatic animal health activities of China (Dr Chenxu Cai, MoA-PR China).
• Activities of the Norwegian Veterinary Institute, Norway (Dr Saraya Tavornpanich, NVI).
• A Special Session on Regional Aquatic Animal Health Management Activities of the Private Sector was held, featuring presentations by PHARMAQ (Zoetis)-Asia (Dr Kjetil Fyrand), and Fish Vet Group Asia (Dr Andy Shinn).

With regards to disease reporting, discussions were held on:

• SHIV: Status and updates including change of name to DIV1 (Dr Liu Hong, GAC, China).
• QAAD Reporting: status and updates (Dr. Eduardo Leaño, NACA).
• New OIE Disease List and revisions to the QAAD List for 2018 (Dr Ingo Ernst, AAHSC, OIE).

A report of the meeting will be published on the NACA website in due course.