Culture-based fisheries in village reservoirs of Sri Lanka is a communal activity involving agricultural farmers without prior experience in fisheries. Awareness programs have facilitated establishment of CBF in small village reservoirs. Dissemination of research findings through means such as production of a documentary film, publication of a monograph which was translated to several regional languages, and holding a series of regional workshops were instrumental for CBF development at the regional level.

Fish stocking in Indonesian lakes and reservoirs has been conducted for a long time. Since 1999, culture-based fisheries (CBF) practices based on scientific evidence such as using suitable fish species, consideration of the primary productivity, stocking density, economic evaluation and community participation, have been conducted in some reservoirs and lakes and have showed encouraging results. CBF is highly recommended and prioritised in small reservoirs with an area less than 200 ha.

Sri Lanka is blessed with a large number of irrigation reservoirs. Culture-based fisheries (CBF) in seasonal reservoirs was initiated in the 1980’s and the government has recognised CBF as an effective way of increasing fish supplies in rural areas, at affordable prices, while providing employment and income to farmers and thereby contributing towards alleviation of poverty. The role of fisher community based organisations and fisheries management for effecting successful CBF are discussed.

Releasing of giant freshwater prawn (Macrobrachium rosenbergii) for the purposes of stock enhancement and to create a fishery has been conducted in Thailand since the 1980s. Average age at harvest is around 6 to 8 months, with an average total length of 20 cm. Overall, the success of stocking M. rosenbergii is poor since the recapture rate is generally less than 5 %. However, the economic return is high.

In this paper, the culture-based fisheries in lakes are presented, with special reference to mandarin fish and mitten crab stocking in lakes in China. The stocking rate of mandarin fish is determined by food consumption rates, which are mainly related to water temperature and fish size, and prey fish productivity. A bioenergetics model of mandarin fish was established to predict the growth and consumption of prey fish in stocked lakes.

This book is the proceedings of the “Regional Consultation on Culture-Based Fisheries Development in Asia”, held in Siem Reap, Cambodia, 21-23rd of October 2014, under the auspices of the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR), the Mekong River Commission (MRC) and the Network of Aquaculture Centres in Asia-Pacific (NACA). The consultation was jointly organised by NACA and the Fisheries Administration of the Royal Government of Cambodia.

Further training provided to aquaculturists in Fiji. Spatial planning for sustainable coastal shrimp production. Availability of grouper (Serranidae) fingerlings and seed in the coral reef of Son Tra Peninsula, central Viet Nam. Small-scale carp seed production through portable FRP hatchery at Khanguri, Odisha. Regional consultation on culture-based fisheries developments in Asia. Gender Assessment Synthesis Workshop. Broodstock management in aquaculture. Urgent appeal to control spread of the shrimp microsporidian parasite Enterocytozoon hepatopenaei (EHP).

In this issue:

Regional consultation on culture-based fisheries developments in Asia. Gender Assessment Synthesis Workshop. NACA participation in the 5th Global Symposium on Gender in Aquaculture and Fisheries, Lucknow, India. Broodstock Management in Aquaculture: Long term effort required for regional capacity building. Urgent appeal to control spread of the shrimp microsporidian parasite Enterocytozoon hepatopenaei (EHP).

A regional consultation was held to discuss culture-based fisheries development in Asia from 21 to 23 October 2014 in Siem Reap, Cambodia. The consultation was funded by the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research as part of the project Culture-based fisheries development in Lao PDR and Cambodia. The consultation provided the opportunity to discuss the outcomes of a series successful projects that have been implemented over the past decade in the Asian region.

In this issue:

Culture-based fisheries exchange visit from Lao to Cambodia. National Fish Day, Cambodia. WAS Adelaide: Special Session on Regional Cooperation for Improved Biosecurity. Inbreeding and disease in tropical shrimp aquaculture: a reappraisal and caution. Shrimp EMS/AHPND Special Session at DAA9. 2nd International Symposium on Aquaculture and Fisheries Education. Report on Sustainable Fisheries and Aquaculture for Food Security and Nutrition.