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.

In this issue:

Developing guidelines for sustainable freshwater aquaculture planning in Vietnam. Aquaculture production, certification and trade for small-scale farmers. Backyard hatcheries for crustaceans in Thailand. Alternative carp species for diversification in India. Genetic and reproduction technologies for aquaculture and fisheries management of Murray cod. Status of sahar domestication in Nepal. Comparative advantage analysis of shrimp production in Asia. Strategies to improve the livelihoods of the rural poor, Vietnam, and more.

This document presents current status on genetic diversity of empurau and semah in Sarawak, Malaysia, including taxonomic status and a management guideline based on genetic data. Inadvertent mixing of the two species, especially during breeding, may lead to hybridisation, a threat to the genetic integrity of wild populations. Surveys on current status of genetic variability of empurau and semah are reported herein, and the results from which are used as baseline data for development of a genetic management plan.

This report, the 38th in the series, contains information about the aquatic animal health status of seventeen states in the Asia-Pacific region. The foreword discusses the OIE/NACA Regional Workshop on Aquatic Animal Health.

These standard operating procedures were developed to reduce the risk of spread of trans-boundary disease of aquatic animals through the movement of live food fish. The procedures are a set of documents for health certification and quarantine measures to be used by competent authorities in trade among ASEAN member countries. The procedures recognise the existing variation in capacity between ASEAN members and have been designed so that they can be implemented across varying policy and legal frameworks.