This is a draft conservation strategy for the Mekong giant catfish prepared under the project Development of a conservation strategy for the critically endangered Mekong giant catfish, released for public consultation. The strategy considers the population and legal status, conservation vision and goals, factors affecting the wild population and outlines a conservation strategy. The document also considers monitoring, research and adaptive management and implementation issues given the transboundary and multi-institutional nature requirements for effective implementation.

This report provides a quantitative assessment of the conservation of the Mekong giant catfish, Pangasianodon gigas, and an evaluation of the likely effectiveness of different conservation options. The report conisders the history of fisheries exploitation and environmental change, the estimated wild population size of P. gigas, the role of captive populations held by the Thailand Department of Fisheries and interactions with cultured fish. It makes a series of recommendations for conservation of this species.

This is a brief of a project to develop an overarching conservation strategy for the Mekong giant catfish integrating supportive breeding with harvest and habitat management. This will involve (1) quantitative assessment of population status based on existing information, (2) quantitative assessment of the likely effectiveness of different conservation measures (3) review and improvement of captive breeding procedures; (4) promotion of appropriate adaptive policies for the further development of the strategy; and (5) definition of an overall conservation strategy.

This is the report of the Second Mekong Giant Catfish Working Group Meeting, held in Phnom Penh 12-13 November 2005, under the project Development of a conservation strategy for the critically endangered Mekong giant catfish. The purpose of the workshop was to review existing knowledge on Mekong giant catfish, identify future conservation and research priority activities, and to continue the joint planning process aimed at developing an overarching conservation strategy.

This publication contains the proceedings and major recommendations of the expert workshop which tackled three major themes: Seed quality, genetics, technology and certification; seed networking, distribution, entrepreneurship and certification; and how rural fish farmers can benefit from the seed sector. It also contains the outcomes of a desk study consisting of three regional syntheses, twenty-one country case studies and five thematic reviews (seed quality, genetics and breeding, seed networks, role of seed supply, farmer innovations and womens' involvement).

This manual provides practical advice on good management practices for sustainable freshwater prawn (scampi) farming in India. The manual covers general principles of sustainable farming, relevant legal issues including for hatcheries, land and water use, impact on natural habitats, hatchery, nursery and growout management, and environmental and social responsibility. The manual was developed via a multi-stakeholder consultation held at the Head Office of the National Centre for Sustainable Aquaculture (NaCSA), Kakinada, 6-7 December 2007.

The Project 'Artificial propagation of empurau, Tor tambroides and semah, Tor douronensis, two species of commercial and conservation value to Sarawak, Malaysia' successfully achieved captive breeding and larval to fingerling rearing. An enhancement strategy for the long-term management of semah and empurau broodstock, and conservation of wild stocks, based on genetic findings is discussed. Guidelines on best husbandry management practices to ensure a supply of physically and genetically healthy quality seed are provided.

IDRC and NACA convened a workshop to identify the main research issues and needs to sustain Asian aquaculture into the first quarter of the 21st century, and also to bring them to the notice of relevant planners, managers and policy makers, and potential donors. The workshop was held in Rayong, Thailand from 4-7 June 2007. This report contains the issues papers drafted in preparation for the meeting and a summary of the discussions.

In this issue:

Developing guidelines for sustainable freshwater aquaculture planning in Vietnam. Aquaculture production, certification and trade for small-scale farmers. Backyard hatcheries for crustaceans in Thailand. Alternative carp species for diversification in India. Genetic and reproduction technologies for aquaculture and fisheries management of Murray cod. Status of sahar domestication in Nepal. Comparative advantage analysis of shrimp production in Asia. Strategies to improve the livelihoods of the rural poor, Vietnam, and more.

In this issue:

Better management practices for catfish aquaculture in the Mekong Delta, Vietnam. Developing better management practices for marine finfish aquaculture. Workshop on modelling carrying capacity for tropical finfish cage culture: Towards a consensus view. First comprehensive genetic management plan for Asian fish species: Mahseer. NACA and World Fisheries Trust sign agreement on collaboration. Fish Health Master Class. Second Workshop on Application of Molecular Genetic Techniques in Inland Fisheries and Aquaculture Management. Two new species of spiny eels described from Myanmar. Importance of species identification in conservation. Koh Yao Noi mangrove replanting in celebration of 80th birthday of His Majesty the King of Thailand. Responsible movement of live food finfish within ASEAN: Implementation workshop. Consultation on aquaculture certification guidelines. Strengthening regional mechanisms to maximise benefits to small-holder shrimp farmer groups adopting better management practices.