Food security, safety and certification

Food safety is a key concern for international trade in fish products. The constantly changing regulatory environment and safety requirements of importing countries pose a special challenge to small-scale aquaculture producers.

The programme assists members to assure the safety and quality of aquaculture products through the adoption of science-based better management practices. Policy issues concerning aquaculture certification and activities in market access are also addressed.

The programme focuses on assisting small-scale farmers to adapt to the changing trade and safety environment. Cluster-based management approaches and formation of farmer societies are promoted as practical mechanisms for implementation of better management practices.

Key activities

  • Evaluation of commodity-specific better management practices for meeting domestic and international food safety standards.
  • Facilitating establishment of national residue testing and monitoring programmes and sharing of information amongst member countries.
  • Improving access to markets by small-scale farmers.
  • Improving market development for low-cost aquaculture commodities.
  • Address biosecurity and associated human health issues regarding the consumption of fish and processed products.
  • Development of farmer groups and cluster-based certification concepts and methodologies.

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High-level meeting on aquaculture transformation in Asia and the Pacific region

As a follow on from the September FAO/NACA workshop on aquaculture transformation (see article in previous issue), 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.

NACA Newsletter, Vol. XXXVII, October-December 2022

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.

Post-doctoral Scholarships for women in STEM at the University of Stirling

The University of Stirling has been awarded funds by the British Council to provide funding for four Early Academic Fellowships for Women in STEM. These fellowships will be 6-12 months in duration. The scholarships are available to women who are passport holders and permanent residents of India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal and Sri Lanka. For further information please visit the University of Stirling website. The deadline for submissions is 31 March 2022.

FAO Reviews of Aquaculture now available online

We are pleased to announce that the FAO Reviews of Aquaculture have been published online at the FAO website, including the six Regional Reviews and a Global Synthesis, which were developed and published in conjunction with the Global Conference on Aquaculture Millennium +20 (GCA+20). The publications are linked below. Video presentations of the reviews, including expert panel discussions and question and answer sessions, are also available from the GCA+20 website.

Apply now: Training Course on Mariculture Technology in Asia-Pacific

A free training course on mariculture technologies will be offered online via Zoom from 18 October to 5 November, by the Yellow Sea Fisheries Research Institute (YSFRI), People’s Republic of China. The course will cover genetics and breeding of mariculture species; large-scale propagation; disease control and prevention; nutrition research and feed development; technology for different farming models; equipment research, engineering and construction of farming facilities; quality and safety inspection technology for aquatic products. Space is limited, applications close 11 October.

Global Conference on Aquaculture Millennium +20

The GCA +20 was successfully held as a hybrid event from 22-25 September, with physical participation at the venue in Shanghai, China, and international participation via video conference. A total of 1,728 people participated in the event, of which 500 were physically present in Shanghai. A key output from the GCA +20, the Shanghai Declaration is a call to action that highlights the principles and strategic pathways to maximise the contribution of sustainable aquaculture in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, with a special focus on “Leaving no one behind”.

Invasive disease linked to raw freshwater fish: Group B Streptococcus

In 2015, a bacterium called Streptococcus agalactiae, also referred to as Group B Streptococcus (GBS), caused a foodborne disease outbreak involving at least 146 people in Singapore, associated with the consumption of raw freshwater fish. The specific strain responsible for the outbreak was later identified as sequence type 283 (ST283). Invasive GBS ST283 disease is also found in other countries in and around Southeast Asia. FAO has published a fact sheet and a risk profile for GBS ST283, which are available for free download. These documents provide guidance on risk reduction, and practical recommendations for food safety competent authorities.

Free online Training on Mariculture Technologies for the Asia-Pacific Region

The Yellow Sea Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fisheries Sciences and NACA are organising a free online training course on mariculture technologies, to be held from 21-25 September 2020. The programme will cover breeding, disease control and prevention, nutrition and feed research, breeding model construction, farm technology development, engineering, quality, safety and inspection technology for aquatic products. The course is open to government officials, researchers, enterprise managers and technicians from developing countries. The deadline for applications is 19 September 2020.

Report of the Seventeenth Meeting of the Asia Regional Advisory Group on Aquatic Animal Health

This report summarises the proceedings of the 17th meeting of the Advisory Group, held 13-14 November 2018 in Bangkok, Thailand. The group's role includes reviewing disease trends and emerging threats in the region, identifying developments in global aquatic disease issues and standards, evaluating the Quarterly Aquatic Animal Disease Reporting Programme and providing guidance on regional strategies to improve aquatic animal health management.

FAO and NACA to convene Global Conference on Aquaculture 2020

FAO and NACA have signed an agreement to convene a global conference on aquaculture in 2020. This will be the fourth conference in a series that began at the dawn of the industry in Kyoto, 1976. Aquaculture 2020 will be held late in the year in China. Arrangements, programme and partner details will be announced via the NACA website in due course.