A series of occasional lectures on important topics in aquaculture, given by visiting scientists and aquaculturists.

The objective of the consultation was to develop a regional strategic policy framework to guide national governments and regional organisations in promoting sustainable intensification of aquaculture in the Asia-Pacific region. The consultation also identified priority actions and, where possible, practical measures for their implementation, focussing on intensifying aquaculture through more efficient use of resources and environmentally sound practices rather than by increasing inputs to the system.

An emerging disease known as acute hepatopancreatic necrosis syndrome has caused significant losses amongst shrimp farmers in China and Vietnam (2010), Malaysia (2011) and Thailand (2012). The disease affects both Penaeus monodon and P. vannamei. An emergency consultation was convened in Bangkok, 9-10 August 2012, to share information on this emerging disease, its occurrence, pathology and diagnosis, and to develop a coordinated regional response to the issue.

The recordings in this collection are the annual progress reports of NACA's regional lead centres in Thailand, China and the Philippines. The presentations were made at the 23rd NACA Governing Council Meeting, which was held in Siem Reap, 27-29 May 2011, hosted by the Government of Cambodia. The Governing Council is NACA's peak policy body, which meets annually to review the organisation's activities and set priorities for the year ahead.

For three years NACA worked with a consortium of partners on a project to strengthen the adaptive capacities of small-scale farmers to climate change. The aim of the “Aquaclimate” project, funded by the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (NORAD), was to identify the likely medium-term impacts of climate change on important aquaculture systems and to develop adaptation strategies that will help farmers to cope with the changes.

Better management practices have proved to be a highly effective tool for the Indian shrimp farming industry. Work to extend adoption of the practices is ongoing and in this view a national workshop was held in Chennai, 16-18 May 2011 at the Central Institute of Brackishwater Aquaculture to discuss scaling up strategies, to extend the concept to new areas and to involve more farmers and identify lessons learned that can be applied elsewhere.

The recordings in this collection are the annual progress reports of NACA’s regional lead centres in India, Thailand, China and the Philippines, plus a summary of NACA’s progress over the past five years and a special address by Professor E.G. Silas. The presentations were made at the 22nd NACA Governing Council Meeting in Cochi, Kerala, from 9-11 May 2011, India.

International requirements on food safety, traceability, animal health and welfare and social responsibility are increasingly stringent. The burden of compliance and the cost of certification are particularly heavy for small scale farmers who are often excluded by the limited resources at their disposal. Working in groups can help small scale farmers attain economies of scale necessary to address compliance issues and participate in certification schemes, improving their competitive position.

The conference was organised by FAO, the Thai Department of Fisheries and NACA and held in the Mövenpick Resort and Spa, Phuket, Thailand, 22-25 September. The conference was the third in a series of aquaculture development conferences, following on from the Conference on Aquaculture in the Third Millennium held in Bangkok 2000, and the FAO Technical Conference on Aquaculture, held in Kyoto 1976.

Over the past few decades inland fisheries resources have come under increasing pressure from water engineering projects, pollution and overfishing. FAO and NACA convened an expert workshop to review inland fisheries resource enhancement and conservation practices in Pattaya, Thailand, 8-11 February. Experts from 10 Asian countries attended the meeting to share experiences and lessons learned. Regional collaborative efforts are required to facilitate assessment of current inland fisheries resource enhancement and conservation practices.