In 2023, FAO and NACA initiated a consultation process on aquaculture effluent management in Asia and the Pacific in collaboration with NACA member governments. Experts across the region gathered information to assess the state of governance, advancements in technology and innovation in aquaculture effluent management. The consultative process culminated in an expert workshop, convened from 14 to 15 November, funded by FAO, to share views and national experiences on aquaculture effluent management.

A second High Level Meeting on Aquaculture Transformation: A Call for Collective Action was held in Bangkok from 8-9 November 2023 to further facilitate regional collaboration towards the Blue Transformation vision. The purpose of the meeting was to review progress made after the First HLM and discuss specific actions and mechanisms needed to enhance regional cooperation and progress transformation at scale by 2030. The meeting discussed and reviewed a draft Action Guide for Aquaculture Transformation for Asia and the Pacific Region. A proposal to develop an Asia-Pacific Aquaculture Innovation and Investment Hub as a regional mechanism providing policy advice, monitoring, resource mobilisation, partnership and capacity building functions as a regional platform driving aquaculture transformation was also considered.

The Thai Fish Project began in 2019, and involves around 200 research members and multiple institutions in Thailand and Japan. The project aims to promote domestication and wise use of two Thai native aquatic species, namely the Asian sea bass Lates calcarifer and banana shrimp Penaeus merguiensis through increasing productivity, reducing the impact of infectious diseases, and preserving genetic resources. The project also encompasses several specific research topics to ensure that it comprehensively addresses the concerns on safeguarding the food security and enhancing the environmental sustainability as much as possible. This article describes the main research activities, outputs and future expectations of the Thai Fish Project.

Management of waste products produced by fish processing can be an environmental and public health issue. But fish waste can be converted into agricultural fertilisers using simple backyard technology. This article describes techniques for producing fertilisers from fish waste, and a successful demonstration of the technology by the College of Fisheries, Gumla, to tribal communities in the state of Jharkand, India.

The 2023 Shrimp Summit will convene the global seafood value chain to address the critical challlenges of Asia’s shrimp-farming sector, from stagnant production to growers’ livelihoods, with a cross-topic focus on sustainability and climate change. The Summit is presented by The Center for Responsible Seafood (TCRS) and co-hosted by the Global Seafood Alliance. The format of the 2023 Shrimp Summit will allow the industry to develop a common understanding of issues, address key challenges through discussion and work toward consensus and actionable solutions. This in-person and virtual event will feature discussions, relevant content and informative webinars before, during and after the event in the TCRS Online Community. Access to the online community is included with event registration.

In this issue:

High-level meeting on aquaculture transformation in the Asia-Pacific region; Developing a regional strategy for aquatic organism health: Progressive management pathways; Job opportunity - health management and husbandry researcher; 2022 China-ASEAN International Forum on Sustainable Development of Fisheries and Aquaculture Under the Blue Transformation Strategy; A new progressive management pathway for improving seaweed biosecurity; Indian delegates visit Thailand for training and industry exposure; PhD scholarships: Shanghai Ocean University PhD Programme 2023; Reported aquatic animal diseases in the Asia-Pacific region during the second quarter of 2022.

The document provides an overall vision and framework intended to accelerate aquaculture transformation in Asia and the Pacific region through innovations and investment, and to provide guidance to partners from the public, private and development communities to actively engage with the region in transforming aquaculture to more efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable food systems. The document served as background information for discussion in the High-Level Meeting on Aquaculture Transformation in Asia and the Pacific Region, 22–23 November 2022, organised by the FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific and the Network of Aquaculture Centres in Asia-Pacific. The document is broadly aligned with FAO’s Blue Transformation Roadmap, paying specific attention to the context and needs of aquaculture within Asia and the Pacific region. The Paper translates the Roadmap into a vision and priority actions for aquaculture transformation in the region by 2030.

On 28-29 November FAO and NACA collaborated on a virtual workshop to develop a regional strategy for aquatic organism health, using a progressive management pathway for improving aquaculture biosecurity. The workshop was held under the auspices of the project “Responsible use of fisheries and aquaculture resources for sustainable development component 3: Biosecurity and health management”. The workshop involved 31 experts from 16 countries, including national focal points, FAO and NACA. The objectives of the workshop were to: Present and analyse country responses to a self-assessment survey on biosecurity and health management capacity and performance; to provide guuidance to country participants on conducting a SWOT analysis; and to prepare a detailed plan for Phase II of the initiative.

As a follow on from the September FAO/NACA workshop on aquaculture transformation, FAO and NACA convened a high-level meeting to discuss the issue and the outcome of the previous consultation with policy makers. The meeting was held virtually from 22-23 November and was attended by 79 senior officials from 25 countries and international organisations, with observers from industry and international NGOs. Specific objectives of the high-level meeting were to: Engage senior policy makers and business leaders in the process of defining regional targets, action areas and initiatives for aquaculture transformation in the region by 2030, identify strategies and mechanisms to stimulate innovation and investment, and to recommend follow up actions and commitments.

In this issue:

Training Course on Mariculture Technologies in Asia-Pacific; FAO/NACA Virtual Workshop on Aquaculture Transformation in Asia and the Pacific Region; Belt & Road Forum for International Freshwater Fishery Industry Innovation; 8th Global Conference on Gender in Aquaculture and Fisheries, 21-23 November; Reported Aquatic Animal Diseases in the Asia-Pacific Region during the First Quarter of 2022; International Training Course on Biology and Pathology of the Penaeid Shrimp 2022; Angkasa Putra inaugurated as first President of the South-East Asian Fisheries and Aquaculture Student Association; Artemia webinars: Video recordings of technical presentations available.

Video recordings and the report of the webinar are now available. The International Artemia Aquaculture Consortium (IAAC) hosted a webinar on Management of the Artemia Resources of the Great Salt Lake, 5 May 2022, at 14:00 UTC. The purpose of the webinar was to familiarise participants with recent international developments in Artemia research cooperation, and to examine the Great Salt Lake as a case study in successful management of Artemia resources in a multi-stakeholder environment.

The Yellow Seas Fisheries Research Institute (YSFRI) will convene a free online Training Course on Mariculture Technologies in the Asia-Pacific Region from 19 to 23 September (please note the change of date). The course is organised by YSFRI, NACA, the Qindao Marine International Cooperation Center and the Asia-Pacific Fishery Commission. The training course will cover: Theory and technology for producing high-quality seed; New mariculture modes and technology; Nutrient regulation and feeding technology; Disease prevention and control technologies; Product processing and utilisation technologies. Applications close 5 September.

A free virtual seminar series will be held from 13-17 December, hosted by the Freshwater Fisheries Research Center, Chinese Academy of Fisheries Sciences, in partnership with NACA and the Chinese Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs. The seminar will be held via Zoom. It will give participants a background in aquatic resource conservation practices, recommend options for sustainable aquaculture farming systems with potential for intensification with intervention strategies, and build a communication and experience exchange platform for information dissemination and future collaboration. Participation is free. Registration closes 10 December.

In this issue:

Global Conference on Aquaculture Millennium +20;  Workshop on SDG-aligned Artemia aquaculture;  Professor Sena De Silva Memorial Oration, 8 October 2021; Apply now: Training Course on Mariculture Technology in Asia-Pacific; New project on “Blue transformation in aquaculture”; Webinar on Status of Artemia cyst use in fish and crustacean hatcheries.

In this issue:

Opinion: Benefits of animal welfare in Indian aquaculture; Imparting skill on formulated fish feed preparation to women’s self-help groups in villages – an experience; Farming of the anadromous shad, Tenualosa ilisha: Signs of taking off in India; Some facts on cannibalism in Wallago attu and its management during captive seed production; NACA Newsletter.

Parasites and disease are amongst the greatest issues affecting Indian aquculture, incurring substantial economic losses every year. Due to disease risk, some farmers may use antibiotics as a prophylactic measure, with consequent risk of increasing anti-microbial resistance. Organic aquaculture has the potential to allow reduced chemical inputs, but must be coupled with other paradigms to alleviate disease issues. The Fish Welfare Initiative believes that measures to improve animal welfare, in particular water quality and stocking density, can contribute to improved animal health outcomes.

Join us on 2 September at 12 noon GMT for a free webinar on the Status of the use of Artemia cysts in fish and crustacean hatcheries around the world. The webinar is facilitated by the International Artemia Aquaculture Consortium (under formation). The webinar will document differences in practices used by fish and crustacean hatcheries in the use of Artemia cysts for the preparation of live feeds. Speakers include technical experts using Artemia in the production of shrimp, freshwater prawn, mud and mitten crabs, seabass, sabream and other marine fish from Bangladesh, Brazil, China, Ecuador, Greece, India, Spain, and Thailand. Participation is free but registration is required.

Over the last five decades, over 30 million people along Java’s north coast have experienced subsidence and subsequent soil erosion. In 2015, Building with Nature Indonesia (BwNI-Demak) started a coastal protection project in 10 communities of nine coastal villages of Demak regency. The protection measures introduced included the use of permeable structures (dams) that successfully capture sediment and support natural recovery of mangroves, and aquaculture field schools, to train small-scale farmers on good aquaculture practices such as low external inputs sustainable aquaculture, associated mangrove aquaculture and multi-trophic srhimp aquaculture.

The Shrimp Farming BD App contains information on improved technologies - from pond preparation through to harvest - and has a calculator that farmers can use to work out the quantities of chemicals, feeds and other inputs they need for their pond. Also incorporated is a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) page where users can find answers to common questions with a single click: and they can send specific technical questions to SAFETI specialists online and receive an answer back within hours. The app can also be used to post news messages, and a link to market prices is planned. 

In this issue:

First announcement: Global Conference on Aquaculture 2020, 26-30 October, Shanghai, China; Bangladesh delegation visits Thailand to study shrimp aquaculture; Expert Consultation on Development of Sustainable Aquaculture Guidelines, Rome; Report of the Seventeenth Meeting of the Asia Regional Advisory Group on Aquatic Animal Health; Quarterly Aquatic Animal Disease Report, October-December 2018; Tuskfish 2 Alpha: Testers wanted.