Acute viral necrosis in scallops was included in the list of Qquarterly Aquatic Animal Disease (QAAD) reporting list for the year 2008. The disease card developed by regional resource experts from China in support of QAAD reporting system in Asia-Pacific provides information on pathogen, hosts, and confirmatory diagnostic methods. This is an emerging disease in the region and has caused significant losses to scallop culture industry in China.

In this issue:

Possible improvements to carp culture in Andhra Pradesh. Aquaculture and environmental issues in the region of Nai Lagoon, Vietnam. Selection potential for feed efficiency in farmed salmonids. Freshwater prawn broodstock concern in Bangladhesh hatcheries. Production of Cirrhinus molitorella and Labeo chrysophekadion for culture-based fisheries in Lao PDR: Nursery and grow-out. Mussel farming: Alternate water monitoring practice. Use of poultry by-product meals in pelleted feed for humpback grouper Cromileptes altivelis.

The Asia Regional Advisory Group on Aquatic Animal Health meets annually to discuss regional health issues including emerging disease threats. This report includes a review of regional disease status circa 2007, global and regional disease reporting arrangements, global issues and standards, progress in implementation of the the Regional Technical Guidelines on Health management for the Responsible Movement of Live Aquatic Animals, identification and designation of regional aquatic animal health resources and regional and international cooperation.

In this issue:

Sustainable black tiger shrimp farming in Sri Lanka. An economic analysis of Persian sturgeon stock enhancement. Aquaculture and environmental sustainability in Thailand: Food or financial security? Cage fish culture - successful income generation in manmade reservoir Kulekhani, Nepal. Diversification of rice farming alleviates poverty in a Bangladesh village. Sea-pineapple aquaculture in Japan. Green mussel cultivation in Thailand. Selective breeding for growh and fillet yield in Vietnamese catfish. Producing quality fish seed in rural Asia.

The Asia Regional Advisory Group on Aquatic Animal Health meets annually to discuss regional health issues including emerging disease threats. This report includes a review of regional disease status circa 2006, global and regional disease reporting arrangements, global issues and standards, progress in implementation of the the Regional Technical Guidelines on Health management for the Responsible Movement of Live Aquatic Animals, identification and designation of regional aquatic animal health resources and regional and international cooperation.

Shrimp Health Management brochures provide better management practices in a reader friendly format. These brochures were prepared as extension materials through the village based demonstration programme by the Marine Products Export Development Authority of India and NACA. The programme continues building success and involved a total of 29 villages and 29 Aquaclubs in five Indian states (Andhra Pradesh, Tamilnadu, Orissa, Gujarat, and Karnataka) in 2006.

This paper provides an overview of seafood consumption production in southeast Asia circa 2006. It forecasts a need for aquaculture to expand area under culture and intensity; highlights the potential for fishmeal to constrain growth, and identifies a trend towards cultivation of high-value species. Sources for the review included a regional synthesis of aquaculture developed for a regional workshop in 2005, a review of marine finfish hatchery development and a regional survey of cage fish culture.

This report examines the role mariculture could play in reducing poverty and providing alternative livelihood opportunities for people living in coastal areas. This includes a review of the current status of coastal poverty, coastal livelihoods and vulnerabilities within the Asia-Pacific region and the experiences and examples of sustainable economic development through mariculture. This review then identifies key follow-up actions and recommends strategies for future pro-poor mariculture development.

The Asia Regional Advisory Group on Aquatic Animal Health meets annually to discuss regional health issues including emerging disease threats. This report includes a review of regional disease status circa 2005, global and regional disease reporting arrangements, global issues and standards, progress in implementation of the the Regional Technical Guidelines on Health management for the Responsible Movement of Live Aquatic Animals, identification and designation of regional aquatic animal health resources and regional and international cooperation.

In this issue:

Small-scale pond culture in Bangladesh. Issues and challenges in community-based aquaculture. Aquaculture as an action programme building confidence and self-worth. Transforming policy recommendations into pro-poor service provision. Grow out of spotted Babylon to marketable size in polyculture with seabass. Influence of economic conditions and global shocks on grouper markets. Status of cobia hatchery technology in Vietnam. Organic shrimp raceway system. Macrobrachium rosenbergii in Vembanad Lake. Management of monogenean parasites.

In this issue:

Asian Development Bank study on aquaculture and poverty. The consequences of converting to organic shrimp farming. Recycling water and making money with Artemia. Advances in the seed production of cobia Rachycentron canadum in Vietnam. Australian success with barramundi cod Cromileptes altivelis. Recent grouper breeding developments in Thailand. Application of probiotics in rotifer production systems. Contract hatchery systems. Rainbow trout culture in Iran. Spotted babylon Babylonia areolata growout in earthern ponds.

The Asia Diagnostic Guide to Aquatic Animal Diseases or ‘Asia Diagnostic Guide’ is a comprehensive diagnostic guide in support of the implementation of the Asia Regional Technical Guidelines on Health Management for the Responsible Movement of Live Aquatic Animals. It was developed from technical contributions of members of the Regional Working Group and Technical Support Services and other aquatic animal health scientists in the region and outside who supported the Asia-Pacific Regional Aquatic Animal Health Management Programme.

The most comprehensive aquatic disease guide ever published in the region. It covers economically significant diseases of molluscs, fish and crustaceans. Contains information on laboratory and diagnostic techniques, causative agents and distribution, host range, clinical aspects, screening methods, diagnostic procedures, modes of transmission, control measures. Includes contact details for technical support services throughout the region and national health coordinators.

The Asia Regional Advisory Group on Aquatic Animal Health meets annually to discuss regional health issues including emerging disease threats. This report includes a review of regional disease status circa 2004, global and regional disease reporting arrangements, global issues and standards, progress in implementation of the the Regional Technical Guidelines on Health management for the Responsible Movement of Live Aquatic Animals, identification and designation of regional aquatic animal health resources and regional and international cooperation.

In this issue:

Freshwater prawn culture in China and its market prospects. Demise of wastewater-fed duckweed-based aquaculture in Bangladesh. Freshwater finfish biodiversity - an Asian perspective. Her farm is destroyed, how can we help? Women oyster vendors in Eastern Thailand. Farm-level feeds and feeding practices for marine finfish. ACIAR grouper grow-out feeds and CSIRO research. Feed development and application for juvenile grouper. Grouper growout feeds. Silver pomfret culture technology.

Recognising the importance of abalone viral mortality, in terms of its potential to spread and cause economic loss, "abalone viral mortality" was included for listing in the regional NACA/FAO/OIE quarterly aquatic animal disease (QAAD) reporting list under "unknown diseases of serious nature" effective first quarter of 2004. This disease card is developed to provide information to national authorities and support the regional QAAD reporting system.

The workshop Indigenous Participation in Aquaculture – the Pacific Experience was held as a day-and-a-half session in the Australasian Aquaculture 2004, Sydney, 27–28 September 2004. The workshop promoted exchange of information and experiences between researchers, government representatives and industry involved in aquaculture development in the Pacific. The workshop recognised the increasing interest in aquaculture as an industry that can provide benefits for indigenous communities in Australia as well as the Pacific Islands.

In this issue:

Captive breeding of vulnerable Indian carp Cirrhinus reba for conservation. Conservation of the Asiatic catfish Clarias batrachus through artificial propagation. A perspective on breeding and genetics of walking catfish in Thailand. Decline of wastewater-fed aquaculture in Hanoi. Artificial propagation of indigenous Tor species in Malaysia. Aquaculture of spotted babylon Babylonia areolata. First successful hatchery production of Napoleon wrasse Cheilinus undulatus. Trade and market trends in the live reef fish trade.

Akoya oyster disease is of concern to the region and was included in the Regional NACA/FAO/OIE quarterly aquatic animal disease (QAAD) reporting list, effective first quarter of 2003, to assist in the collection of occurrence data. This disease card will support the surveillance programs of countries in the Asia-Pacific region.

In this issue:

Genetic considerations in fisheries and aquaculture with regards to biodiversity. Rice-fish culture for food and environmental security. Land-based aquaculture of spotted babylon Babylonia areolata in Thailand: Hatchery-based seedling operation. Shrimp health question and answer. Women in coastal aquaculture. Insights into live marine food fish markets in Asia. Farming practices, market chains and prices of marine finfish in Malaysia, Indonesia and Hong Kong.