In this issue:

Regional network on culture-based fisheries and stock enhancement; trout fisheries in the uplands of Arunachal Pradesh - resources and opportunities; empowering young Indian women through entrepreneurship development - opportunities and constraints; a view on murrel (snakehead) fisheries in India; hybrid catfish Clarias batrachus x Heteropneustes fossilis produced by farmers in West Bengal, India; Backyard fish based pig farming using low-cost feed in Arunachal Pradesh - a success story; NACA Newsletter.

In the north-east hill region of India, integrated fish farming is one of the best alternatives for improving livelihoods as most of the houses in rural areas have access to ponds and livestock. Among livestock, pigs are a popular choice, particularly for the tribal population of the region, who account for a major portion of the population. Pigs can fit into diverse systems of management, and can be reared on a wide variety of waste materials.

Among the freshwater catfishes, magur (Clarias batrachus) is in great demand in eastern and north-eastern India; it is revered as highly nutritious and therapeutic in nature. During May-June 2016, Sri Sayer Mohammad Sarkar, an experienced magur breeder and seed producer, has achieved success in producing induced-bred hybrid seed of Heteropneustes fossilis and Clarias batrachus. His breeding protocol and experiences in nursery and growout of hybrid catfish are shared in this article.

Murrels (snakeheads) are the third most important group of freshwater fishes in India after carps and catfishes. Murrels are the most common and dominant group of air breathing freshwater fishes and are highly regarded as food fish. Murrels have a pair of cavities in the pharynx that have folded linings, richly supplied with blood vessels for taking in air. These organs enable these fishes to survive out of water for a few hours or migrate from one pool to another.

Women’s entrepreneurship can be a boon for sustainable utilisation of resources, food security and employment generation. Women entrepreneurship can be defined as the process, in which she thinks to set up a business, gathering all the resources necessary to manage a business venture, provide employment to others and to make a profit along the way while minimising risk while initiating, organising and running a business enterprise.

Since 2009, tilapia aquaculture has been threatened by mass die-offs in Israel and Ecuador, which have been caused by a novel Orthomyxo-like (RNA) virus named Tilapia lake virus. This has been reported as a newly emerging virus that causes syncytial hepatitis of tilapia. An emergency regional consultation was held in Guangzhou, China from 27-28 September 2017 to discuss and plan actions on the overall prevention and management of this disease.

The potential for augmentation of fish production and fish-based eco-tourism in Arunachal Pradesh are immense. The landscape of the state is characterised by lofty mountains with snow-clad peaks, dense forests, turbulent streams and a rich diversity of flora and fauna. We review the potential of some of the lakes in the region to support trout fisheries for both recreational fishing and eco-tourism, with a view to providing job opportunities for highland communities.

In this issue:

28th NACA Governing Council, Dhaka, Bangladesh; register for the First Regional Training Course on Culture-based Fisheries; 11th Indian Fisheries and Aquaculture Forum, Kochi, 21-24 November; audio recordings for regional feed consultation now available; tilapia lake virus; Proceedings of the International Symposium on Aquatic Animal Health and Epidemiology for Sustainable Asian Aquaculture; ICAR-CIBA launch "Vanami Shrimpapp", a mobile app on Pacific white shrimp (Penaeus vannamei) farming; Pakistan officials train on aquaculture certification.

These are the proceedings of a symposium convened by the ICAR National Bureau of Fish Genetic Resources, Lucknow, India, from 20-21 April 2017. The symposium included presentations from national and international experts on aquatic animal epidemiology and related disciplines to address a range of risk factors that catalyse horizontal spread of disease, spread of transboundary pathogens and increased disease susceptibility, thereby contributing to strengthening of surveillance efforts, especially in the Indian context.

The 73rd edition of the Quarterly Aquatic Animal Disease Report contains information from 14 governments. The foreword provides a disease advisory on tilapia lake virus (TiLV), an emerging threat to farmed tilapia in the Asia-Pacific region.

A regional consultation on aquaculture feed production and use in Asia-Pacific was held from 7-9 March 2017. The consultation reviewed the current situation of aquaculture feed production and use, sourcing of ingredients, policy and research needs. This collection contains audio recordings of the technical presentations made by experts, international organisations, the private sector and governments in the region. The report of the consultation is in press and will be made available for download in due course.

In this issue:

Inspiring story of aquaculture in Sikkim - a journey from conservation to farming; farming of scampi and tiger shrimp together - a case study from West Bengal; Labeo pangusia - a candidate for diversification of hill aquaculture; sustainability of an integrated livestock-fish-crop farming system as a small scale enterprise; sustainable coastal aquaculture in India; potential scope and prospects of domestic fish market in Chhattisgarh.

Sikkim is a small Himalayan state of India with three climatic zones ranging from tropical to temperate to alpine. The moderate-cool and warm agro-climatic zones are suitable for farming rainbow trout and exotic carp species, while brown trout hatchery and ranching can be conducted in the alpine areas. We report on the status of exotic carp and trout farming in Sikkim including farming practices, constraints faced by local farmers and possible solutions.

We report on an Indian farmer co-culturing tiger shrimp Penaeus monodon and the giant freshwater prawn, Macrobrachium rosenbergii. The farm utilises wild-caught riverine seed, stocked at a relatively low density and fed on a Macrobrachium pellet which P. monodon also accepts.

Labeo pangusia is a highly prized hill stream carp found mainly in the deeper pools of upland streams. Heavy fishing pressure has led to depletion of wild populations in recent years and the species is likely to become threatened if a conservation strategy is not developed. We report on an investigation into the reproductive biology of this species and on the result of successful induced breeding trials.

We examined the sustainability and economic viability of a model integrated livestock-fish-crop farming system developed by the Fisheries Research Centre, Assam Agricultural University, over an extended period of 13 years. The system was developed as an ecologically sustainable alternative technology for small and margin farmers. It incorporates two livestock components, pig and poultry, with horticulture and carp polyculture. Analysis of cash flow and benefit-cost ration revealed the system to be economically sustainable over the long term.

Coastal aquaculture in India was historically focussed mainly on tiger shrimp farming (Penaeus monodon) but production issues and disease led to the introduction of SPF Pacific white shrimp (L. vannamei) in 2009. A robust technical and legal framework was established by the Coastal Aquaculture Authority. Improved regulation has improved sustainability of the sector and underpinned production, with farmed Pacific shrimp output rising from 1,731 tonnes in 2009-2010 to 353,413 tonnes in 2014-2015.

Trade in fisheries products is an important source of livelihoods for economically underprivileged people in Chhattisgarh. A socio-economic profile of traders and other actors from a domestic fish market is presented, including age, gender, education and income levels. The market infrastructure, distribution channels and species traded are described. Constraints to marketing arrangements are identified and include a lack of cold chain, storage and transport facilities.

Recently, we released a warning of TiLV in Thailand and an improved RT-PCR detection methodology. The Fish Health Platform in Centex, BIOTEC/Mahidol University has also obtained positive test results for TiLV in other Asian countries where it has not yet been reported. Many countries have been translocating tilapia fry/fingerlings prior to and even after the description of TiLV. We have prepared a map listing countries with confirmed reports of TiLV infections and 43 other countries that we believe have imported infected fish.

The 73rd edition of the Quarterly Aquatic Animal Disease Report contains information from 14 governments. The foreword provides information about the implementation of a National Surveillance Programme for Aquatic Animal Diseases (NSPAAD) in India.