As a follow on from the first course, the Second Online Training Program of Mariculture Technology for the Asia-Pacific Region will be held from 15 to 20 December 2020 via Zoom. The course will focus on aquaculture biosecurity and related technologies at the international, national, and on-farm levels. Lectures will be given by experts from FAO, OIE, NACA, YSFRI, and industry. Participation is free but pre-registration is required.

A free webinar on important parasites of marine and freshwater fish will be held on 9 December 2020, from 13:00-16:00 Bangkok time (GMT + 7). Topics include: Parasites of freshwater fish; Sea lice problem in marine fish aquaculture in the Philippines; Neobenedenia: Can we innovate to successfully manage this parasite in sea cages?; and Marine leech: From life cycle to control measures. Participation is free for all but registration is required.

The 86th edition of the Quarterly Aquatic Animal Disease Report contains information from fifteen governments. The foreword provides a discussion of a webinar on decapod iridescent virus 1 (DIV1), held on 20 August 2020.

In this issue:

13th Technical Advisory Committee; Presentation of the State of World Aquaculture and Regional Aquaculture Reviews 2020; Online training course on mariculture technologies for the Asia-Pacific region; Quarterly Aquatic Animal Disease Report, January-March 2020; Regional Webinar on Infection with Decapod Iridescent Virus 1 (DIV1) and Preparedness for Emerging Shrimp Diseases; China announces import measures to respond to nucleic acid positives of COVID-19 detected from the outer packaging of frozen white leg shrimp from Ecuador.

A Regional Webinar on Infection with Decapod Iridescent Virus 1 and Preparedness for Emerging Shrimp Diseases will be held via Zoom video conference on 10-11 September 2020. This consultation will discuss and plan actions for the prevention and management of this disease. Specific objectives are to:

• Provide updated technological information on DIV1.
• Advocate the strengthening of diagnostic capacities as well as active surveillance of DIV1 (to detect presence or absence of the virus).
• Formulate recommendations on sanitary measures (including biosecurity) for disease prevention.
• Promote emergency preparedness for emerging diseases.

Participation is open to all interested parties but registration is required.

The 85th edition of the Quarterly Aquatic Animal Disease Report contains information from nine governments. The foreword provides a disease advisory concerning decapod iridescent virus 1 (DIV1), an emerging threat to the shrimp industry.

Chinese Customs detected nucleic acid positives of COVID-19 on packaging containing frozen white leg shrimp produced in Ecuador on 3 July. Experts believe that the positive results do not represent infectious virus. However, in order to protect the health of consumers, the General Administration of Customs decided to suspend the registration of the relevant enterprises, suspend the import and export of the products of the relevant enterprises, and take measures such as the return of goods and destruction of goods temporarily detained.

In this issue:

Vale Professor Sena De Silva; the State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture 2020; Viral covert mortality disease (VCMD): Disease card; Disease advisory: Decapod iridescent virus 1 (DIV1): An emerging threat to the shrimp industry; Infection with decapod iridescent virus 1 (DIV1): Disease card; Proceedings of the Regional Workshop on Underutilized Fish and Marine Genetic Resources and their Amelioration; Latest special issue of Gender, Technology & Development examines new learnings on women and fisheries; Development of a global information system for farmed types of aquatic genetic resources; Quarterly Aquatic Animal Disease Report, October-December 2019.

This disease advisory describes the history, known host range, clinical signs and PCR detection methods for viral covert mortality disease (VCMD). Crustaceans currently known to be susceptible to VCMD include Penaeus vannamei, P. chinensis, P. japonicus, P. monodon, Macrobrachium rosenbergii, Procambarus clarkii, Exopalaemon carinicauda, Ocypode cordimanus, Diogenes edwardsii, Corophium sinense, Parathemisto gaudichaud and Tubuca arcuate. Fish species including Mugilogobius abei, Carassius auratus, and Paralichthys olivaceus may also be susceptible to the virus.

The 84th edition of the Quarterly Aquatic Animal Disease Report contains information from eleven governments. The foreword discusses meetings of the ad hoc Steering Committee of the Regional Collaboration Framework on Aquatic Animal Health in Asia and the Pacific.