Report of the third meeting of the Asia Regional Advisory Group on Aquatic Animal Health, 23-25 November 2004

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:

• Potential for pathogen exchange between species, eg. between Penaeus monodon and P. vannamei.
• Crustacean diseases: Monodon slow growth syndrome, spread of taura syndrome virus, white body disease in P. monodon, infectious hypodermal and haematopoietic necrosis virus, white tail disease in Macrobrachium rosenbergii.
• Finfish diseases: Koi herpes virus, spring viraemia of carp, bacterial diseases including streptococcosis (Streptococcus iniae and S. difficilis), nocardosis (Nocardia seriolae), Tenacibaculum maritimum and Vibrio spp.
• Mollusc diseases: Abalone viral mortality.

Other issues discussed included:

• Changes to the Asia regional quarterly aquatic animal disease report and list of reportable diseases.
• Progress in implementation of the the Regional Technical Guidelines on Health management for the Responsible Movement of Live Aquatic Animals.
• Risk analyses on the introduction of P. vannaemei and P. stylirostris to the Asia-Pacific region.
• Strengthening national coordination and communication.
• Development of procedures for management of aquatic animal health emergencies.
• Identification and designation of regional aquatic animal health resources, including experts, centres and reference laboratories.
• Regional and international collaboration.
• Outcomes of the 72nd General Session of OIE.