The third resource level in the NACA regional resource base initiative is Regional Reference Laboratories (RRL) for diseases of regional concern, not listed by the OIE. These laboratories would (a) function as centres of expertise and standardisation for designated diseases (b) store and distribute biological reference products and any other reagents used in the diagnosis and control of the designated diseases (c) develop new procedures for diagnosis and control of the designated diseases and (d) gather, process, analyse and disseminate epidemiological data relevant to their speciality.

Listed below are the six Regional Resource Centres (RRC), approved by the 16th NACA Governing Council (21-23rd March 2005). The RRCs will support the regional aquatic animal health program through the provision of scientific and technical training for personnel from the region and diagnostic testing services to governments that are members of the regional aquatic animal health initiative and their personnel.

A contact list of aquatic animal health experts that have kindly agreed to support the regional health program by answering technical questions related to their field of expertise, assisting in development of disease cards, diagnostic manuals and supporting documents, and providing diagnostic assistance as far as possible during disease emergencies.

In this issue:

Consultations address antimicrobial resistance risk in aquaculture; ASEAN consultation on emergency aquatic animal disease preparedness and response; Applications for the position of Director General, NACA; Aqua 2018 - #WeRAquaculture; Asian Aquaculture 2018: Celebrating Asian Aquaculture, 3-6 December, Thailand; and Training and Deans' Forum organised in China.

The ASEAN Regional Consultation on Aquatic Emergency Preparedness and Response Systems for Effective Management of Transboundary Disease Outbreaks in Southeast Asia was held in Bangkok, 20-22 August. The objective of the consultation was to bring together ASEAN member states and technical experts to discuss the current status of emergency animal disease preparedness and response systems, and to identify gaps and opportunities for regional cooperation in management of transboundary disease.

Antimicrobial resistance is a growing issue with significant implications for both human and animal health. However, data on pathogen resistance in aquaculture and other livestock industries has not been routinely or systematically collected. The purpose of these regional consultations, held in Bangkok, was to initiate action on this issue, identifying interventions to assess antimicrobial usage in Asian aquaculture, monitor antimicrobial resistance and develop guidelines and a strategy to minimise the long term risks. 

In this issue:

29th Governing Council Meeting held in Malé, Maldives; Proceedings of the Emergency Regional Consultation for Prevention and Management of Tilapia Lake Virus in the Asia-Pacific; NACA signs MOU on cooperation with the Bangladesh Shrimp and Fish Foundation; Aquaculture in China: Success Stories and Modern Trends; Quarterly Aquatic Animal Disease Report; Gender in Aquaculture and Fisheries 2018; International Training Course on the Biology and Pathology of Penaeid Shrimp; ASEAN-India Research Training Fellowships and more.

NACA’s 29th Governing Council Meeting was held in the Maldives capital, Malé, from 26-27 June, with attendance by fifteen member governments. This was the first official NACA meeting in the Maldives, since it became a member in 2014, and also the first time that most of the delegates had visited the country, affording participants a fascinating glimpse of a very different lifestyle in the archipelago, and a very different development context.

The Center for Excellence for Shrimp Molecular Biology and Biotechnology (Centex Shrimp) will organise this training course from 10-21 September, 2018. Tailored to those involved in shrimp research, you will learn from the very best in the field about major and emerging shrimp diseases, shrimp farm management, gross inspection and molecular diagnosis of shrimp infectious diseases. You will have opportunities to try your hand in a series of practical sessions, including anatomical inspection using digital slides, nucleic acid detection, and many more. 

Health and safety within the global aquaculture industry is widely overlooked – despite the sector posing a great risk to workers, according to University of Stirling-led research. The project found the world’s estimated 18 million aquaculture workers regularly contend with “highly hazardous” conditions and workplace injury and disease risks are high. While some aquaculture workers are highly trained and in secure jobs globally, most are from vulnerable populations in precarious work, including women, indigenous people, children, seasonal workers, migrant workers, rural and remote workers.

This symposium will focus on the function and form of fish gills in the face of a changing ocean environment with emphasis on ocean warming and acidification. The goal is to create small teams of discipline experts to co-author topic reviews to be submitted as part of a special research topic in Frontiers of Marine Science. Priority will be given to early and mid career researchers and developing country scientists. For more information please download the flyer below or visit the symposium website.

The 76th edition of the Quarterly Aquatic Animal Disease Report contains information from 14 governments. The foreword discusses the outcomes of a Stakeholder Consultation on Progressive Management Pathway to Improve Aquaculture Biosecurity, organised by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Mississippi State University and the World Bank.

Since 2009, tilapia aquaculture has been threatened by mass die-offs in Israel and Ecuador, caused by a novel Orthomyxo-like (RNA) virus named Tilapia lake virus. An Emergency Regional Consultation for Prevention and Management of Tilapia Lake Virus in the Asia-Pacific was undertaken in September 2017, China, to discuss and plan actions on the overall prevention and management of the disease, and to prevent its further spread. These are the technical proceedings of the workshop.

Mahseer in recreational fisheries and ecotourism in India; Small-scale aquaculture of wild fish in Myanmar: A preliminary report from the Bago Region; Current know how and possibility for growout culture of an endangered catfish, Horabagrus brachysoma; Accelerated poverty alleviation of tribal households - cage fish farming by displaced fishers in reservoirs of Jharkhand; Adaptive learning in sustainable aquaculture: Best practices for small-scale shrimp farmers in Thailand; NACA Newsletter.

Early mortality syndrome of the type more accurately known as Acute Hepatopancreatic Necrosis Disease is causing major losses in marine shrimp in a number of Asian countries. The disease is associated with infection by a strain of the bacteria Vibrio parahaemolyticus. Here we describe a project to reduce the incidence of disease and improve crop outcomes for small-scale farmers in Thailand via an adaptive learning approach, implemented in association with farmer societies and collectives.

In this issue:

Marine finfish seed production and growout training course, Thailand; global fish passage forum to include first symposium on hydropower and fish; International Workshop on Rehabilitation, Propagation and Conservation of Mahseer, India; World Brackishwater Aquaculture Conference, January 2019, India; Offshore Mariculture Asia 2018, 15-17 May, Singapore; Video lectures: Regional Training Course on Culture-based Fisheries in Inland Waters; Youth and Fish Drawing Competition Art Book; Report of the Sixteenth Meeting of the Asia Regional Advisory Group on Aquatic Animal Health.

This report summarises the proceedings of the 16th meeting of the Advisory Group, held 26-27 August 2017 in Bali, Indonesia. 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. The meeting included discussion on Tilapia Lake Virus (TiLV) and developments in antimicrobial resistance.

BRAQCON 2019 wil cover latest research and development in the broader themes of the conference in the form of special sessions, contributed papers, expert group discussions and brainstorming on issues facing aquaculturists and ecosystem managers in India and around the world. The conference themes include: Brackishwater ecosystems, estuarine biodiversity and conservation; aquaculture production systems; larviculture; fish and shellfish nutrition; environment and climate change; aquatic animal health; socio-economic and livelihood issues; and aquaculture genetics and biotechnology.

In this issue:

First training course on culture-based fisheries held in Nha Trang, Vietnam; GAF7: Gender in Aquaculture and Fisheries; 3rd International Symposium on Aquaculture and Fisheries Education, India; International Fishing Industry Safety and Health Conference, Canada; WHO: Stop using antibiotics in healthy animals to prevent the spread of antibiotic resistance; Register for the 8th International Symposium on Aquatic Animal Health; Quarterly Aquatic Animal Disease Report, July-September 2017; Biology and Management of Invasive Apple Snails; Antimicrobial use in the aquaculture sector.

Organizers of the 8th International Symposium on Aquatic Animal Health have opened registrations and called for abstract submissions for oral and poster presentations. The 2018 symposium marks the thirtieth anniversary of the ISAAH, which will be held September 2 – 6, 2018 in Prince Edward Island, Canada. Early Bird registration rates are available now, and, as there are limited spaces for registered delegates to attend the pre-conference scientific workshops, organizers encourage participants to sign up as soon as possible.