Report of the second meeting of the Asia Regional Advisory Group on Aquatic Animal Health, 10-12 November 2003

The Asia Regional Advisory Group on Aquatic Animal Health meets annually to discuss regional disease issues including emerging disease threats. This is the report of the first meeting, held 10-12 November 2003 in Bangkok, Thailand. The report discusses emerging disease problems and regional response to:

• Finfish diseases: Spring viraemia of carp, koi herpes virus and koi mass mortalities, grouper iridoviral disease and epizootic ulcerative syndrome (EUS).
• Crustacean diseases: Taura syndrome, white spot syndrome virus, infectious hypodermal and haematopoietic necrosis virus, slow growth syndrome in Penaeus monodon, Mourilyan virus, peripheral neuropathy and retinopathy, white tail disease in Macrobrachium rosenbergii.
• Mollusc diseases: Abalone mortalities.

Other issues discussed include:

• A review of Quarterly Aquatic Animal Disease Reports.
• Update on the OIE Aquatic Animal Health Code and OIE Manual of Diagnostic Tests for Aquatic Animals.
• Outcomes from the 2003 meetings of the OIE Aquatic Animal Health Standards Commission.
• Development of regional emergency preparedness contingency plans.
• Establishment of an emergency fund to facilitate rapid respose to disease incidents in the region.
• Progress in implementation of the the Regional Technical Guidelines on Health management for the Responsible Movement of Live Aquatic Animals and development of national strategies for aquatic animal health.
• Development of 'disease cards' as extension tools.
• Harmonisation of diagnostic procedures and approaches to risk assessment in the region.
• A risk assessment of the introduction of Penaeus vannamei to the region.
• Regional and international cooperation in aquatic animal health.