The Colombo Declaration is a commitment to regional cooperation in aquaculture development for food security, nutrition and economic development in Asia. It was developed and agreed on by delegations from 18 states at a ministerial-level meeting held in Colombo, Sri Lanka, 28-29 July 2011.

This regional review study is an effort to promote improved inland fisheries management under the Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries. It covers ten Asian countries with significant inland capture fisheries, namely Bangladesh, China, India, Indonesia, the Republic of Korea, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Viet Nam. The papers were presented and discussed at a regional workshop held from 8-11 February 2010 in Pattaya, Thailand. Audio recordings of the presentations are also available for download.

In this issue:

Rapidly changing aquaculture scene in the Red River Delta, Vietnam. Current situation and challenges for the farming of snakeheads in the Mekong Delta. Is there a business case for small-holders in Vietnamese pangasius? Small scale prawn culture practices towards sustainable development in Chittagong region, Bangladesh. Gloating hapa technology for the mass production of tilapia Oreochromis niloticus in Bangladesh. Management in seed production of golden mahseer Tor putitora in hatchery condictions.

Various measures for resource enhancement, conservation and management have been tried in Bangladesh in order to prevent the decline of fisheries resources. The needs of Bangladesh’s poor fisher community to eat what they catch and lack of a legal legislative framework means this situation can only worsen. Hope is offered by new conservation initiatives including habitat restoration, enhancement of depleting fish stocks, transferral of fishing rights and establishment of fish sanctuaries at strategic points.

This report, the 49th in the series, contains information about the aquatic animal health status of fifteen states in the Asia-Pacific region. The foreword discusses the outcomes of the ninth meeting of the Asia Regional Advisory Group on Aquatic Animal Health.

In this issue:

Relative efficacies of lobsters Panulirus ornatus and P. homarus cultured using pellet feeds and trash fish, Vietnam. Tilapia in Chiang Mai, Thailand. Marketing low-value cultured fish in Bangladesh: An evaluation of value chain. Current practices of rice field eel Monopterus albus culture in Vietnam. Self-help group makes fisherwomen self-relian: A story of success. Small indigenous freshwater fish species of India: Significance, conservation and utilisation. 

This report, the 48th in the series, contains information about the aquatic animal health status of fifteen states in the Asia-Pacific region. The foreword discusses current fish health concerns.

This report is the outcome of a study conducted by NACA to assess the shrimp price trends in Vietnam, Indonesia and Bangladesh from January 2008 to June 2009, updating the previous study Evaluation of the impact of the Indian Ocean Tsunami and US Anti-Dumping Duties on the Shrimp Farming Sector of South and South-East Asia, 2006. The previous study highlighted the need for continuous collection of price data at all levels in the supply chain.

This report, the 47th in the series, contains information about the aquatic animal health status of fifteen states in the Asia-Pacific region. The foreword discusses Asia-Pacific aquatic animal disease surveillance.

This report, the 46th in the series, contains information about the aquatic animal health status of sixteen states in the Asia-Pacific region. The foreword discusses important emerging diseases in the region and the outcomes of the 8th meeting of the Asia Regional Advisory Group on Aquatic Animal Health.

In this issue:

Mussel farming initiatives in North Kerala, India. Selective study on availability of indigenous fish with ornamental value in West Bengal. Aquaculture livelihoods centre in Aceh, Indonesia. e-Sagu Aqua - an innovative information and communication technology model for transfer of technology for aquaculture. Freshwater pearl crop: An emerging enterprise in the Indian subcontinent. Preliminary risk assessment of Pacific white shrimp (P. vannamei) introduced to Thailand for aquaculture. Black gill disease of lobster and more.

This report, the 45th in the series, contains information about the aquatic animal health status of sixteen states in the Asia-Pacific region. The foreword discusses the Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) Agreement and its relationship to the OIE Aquatic Animal Health Standards.

In this issue:

Community management and revenue sharing practices of culture-based fisheries in Lao PDR. Floodplain aquaculture in Bangladesh. Promoting small-scale inland aquaculture in Papua New Guinea. Group approaches to shrimp farming: The key to sustainability. Native catfish culture - a technology package for farmers. Influence of salinity in the growth of the black clam Villorita cyprinoides. EUS in Asia and Africa. Offshore opportunities for artisinal aquaculture. Grouper aquaculture in Brazil. NACA Newsletter.

This report, the 44th in the series, contains information about the aquatic animal health status of fifteen states in the Asia-Pacific region. The foreword discusses national aquatic animal health strategies.

In this issue:

Myanmar revisited. Harvesting, traditional preservation and marketing of fishes of Chalan Beel, Bangladesh. Role of community in production and supply of larger, quality fingerlings. Can rice-fish farming provide food security in Bangladesh? Nutritional and food security for rural poor through multi-commodity production from a lake of eastern Uttar Pradesh. Emerging boost in Sri Lankan reservoir fish production. Farming the freshwater prawn Macrobrachium malcolmnsonii. Breeding and seed production of catfish Ompok pabda.

This report, the 42nd in the series, contains information about the aquatic animal health status of fifteen states in the Asia-Pacific region. The foreword discusses import requirements for live aquatic animals and their products for the European Union.

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.

This technical paper provides an analysis of the economic implications of, and the reasons for, adopting various feeding practices for different fish species and aquaculture systems in Asia. The systems studied include extensive/traditional, semi-intensive and intensive farms for a number of different species including sutchi and pangasiid catfishes (Bangladesh and Viet Nam), hybrid catfish (Thailand), carp polyculture (India and China), prawn and milkfish polyculture (the Philippines).

In this issue:

From integrated carp polyculture to intensive monoculture in the Pearl River Delta, China. Better management practices for Vietnamese catfish. Ipomoea aquatica - an aquaculture friendly macrophyte. Status of fisheries and aquaculture development in Pakistan. The changing face of post-grad education in aquaculture: Contributing to soaring production and sustainable practices. Hatchery management in Bangladesh. Production of Cirrhinus molitorella and Labeo chrysophekadion for culture-based fisheries in Lao PDR and much more.

This report, the 39th in the series, contains information about the aquatic animal health status of fifteen states in the Asia-Pacific region. The foreword discusses the 7th Symposium on Diseases in Asian Aquaculture.