The Asia Regional Advisory Group on Aquatic Animal Health meets annually to discuss regional disease issues including emerging disease threats. The group was established by the Governing Council of NACA to provide advice to member governments in the Asia-Pacific region. Members of the group include include invited aquatic animal disease experts, World Animal Health Organization (OIE), Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations and collaborating regional organisations. The activities of the group include to:

• Identify developments in global aquatic animal disease issues and standards of importance to the region.
• Review and evaluate the Quarterly Aquatic Animal Disease reporting programme and assess the list of diseases of regional concern.
• Provide guidance and leadership on regional strategies for improving management of aquatic animal health, including those under the framework of the Asia Regional Technical Guidelines on Health Management for the Responsible Movement of Live Aquatic Animals.
• Monitor and evaluate progress on Technical Guidelines implementation.
• Facilitate coordination and communication of progress on regional aquatic animal health programmes.
• Advise in identification and designation of regional aquatic animal health resources, as Regional Resource Experts, Regional Resource Centres and Regional Reference Laboratories.
• Identify issues of relevance to the region that require depth review and propose appropriate actions needed.

This collection comprises the reports of the annual meetings of the group. The reports are a rich source of information concerning the current disease status of the region and new or emerging diseases of aquatic animals.