The main objective of this symposium is to provide a venue for information sharing on extension of small-scale aquaculture, specifically targeted to those individuals and relevant organizations involved in various aquaculture development projects. The symposium will also assess and present the effectiveness of “farmer-to-farmer extension” approach in the implementation of relevant aquaculture development projects in the region. The symposium was organised for stakeholders in JICA-assisted projects in SE Asia and Africa.

This report, the 65th in the series, contains information about the aquatic animal health status of thirteen states in the Asia-Pacific region. The foreword discusses the outcomes of the 13th meeting of the Asia Regional Advisory Group on Aquatic Animal Health.

In this issue:

Culture-based fisheries exchange visit from Lao to Cambodia. National Fish Day, Cambodia. WAS Adelaide: Special Session on Regional Cooperation for Improved Biosecurity. Inbreeding and disease in tropical shrimp aquaculture: a reappraisal and caution. Shrimp EMS/AHPND Special Session at DAA9. 2nd International Symposium on Aquaculture and Fisheries Education. Report on Sustainable Fisheries and Aquaculture for Food Security and Nutrition.

We describe a new method for detecting isolates of Vibrio parahaemolyticus that cause acute hepatopancreatic necrosis disease (AHPND). This method is based on the gene sequence of a protein discovered in a sub-fraction of cell-free culture broth from isolates of V. parhaemolyticus that cause AHPND, but not from V. parahaemolyticus or other bacteria that do not cause AHPND. This cell-free preparation caused the typical signs of acute AHPND when administered to shrimp by reverse gavage. 

In this issue:

25th NACA Governing Council held in Vientiane, Lao PDR. Dr Cherdsak Viripat elected as next Director General of NACA. 9th Symposium on Diseases in Asian Aquaculture 24-28 November 2014, Vietnam. NACA to convene the 11th AFS Asian Fisheries and Aquaculture Forum. Free primers for specific detection of bacterial isolates that cause acute hepatopancreatic necrosis disease. World Aquaculture Adelaide 2014: Special session on regional cooperation for improved biosecurity. AHPND detection discussion group established. OIE Regional Workshop on Emerging Aquatic Animal Disease Response, in collaboration with NACA, Bali, Indonesia. United Kingdom - Southeast Asia Workshop on Sustainable Aquaculture.

The Asia Regional Advisory Group on Aquatic Animal Health meets annually to discuss regional health issues including emerging disease threats. This report includes a review of regional disease status circa 2013, global and regional disease reporting arrangements, global issues and standards, progress in implementation of the the Regional Technical Guidelines on Health management for the Responsible Movement of Live Aquatic Animals, identification and designation of regional aquatic animal health resources and regional and international cooperation.

The workshop was held in Bali, Indonesia from 6 to 8 November 2013. The programme included reports on current aquatic animal disease situations in selected countries and presentations on the national aquatic animal health programmes of China, Japan and Korea. In addition, case studies on the molluscan diseases, shrimp diseases and finfish diseases were presented to facilitate the subsequent discussion on emergency response of those diseases in the national and regional level.

The symposium provided a venue for information sharing on extension of small-scale aquaculture targeted to those individuals and relevant organisations involved in various aquaculture development projects. The symposium also assessed and presented the effectiveness of “farmer-to-farmer extension” approaches in the implementation of relevant aquaculture development projects in the region. The symposium was organised by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), NACA and the Thai Department of Fisheries. 

Shrimp aquaculture in tropical regions is facing a disease-induced catastrophe of lost production. There is reason to believe that current (poor) broodstock management practices may induce genetic erosion that increases susceptibility to disease and vulnerability to epizootics. The basic tenet for this consultation is that an important aggravating factor in the disease crisis is an agro-economic system that locks shrimp breeders, hatcheries and farmers into behaviour that induces high levels of inbreeding.

Shrimp aquaculture in tropical regions is facing a disease-induced catastrophe of lost production. There is reason to believe that current broodstock management practices may induce genetic erosion that increases susceptibility to disease and vulnerability to epizootics. The basic tenet for this Expert Consultation is that an important aggravating factor in the disease crisis is an agro-economic system that locks shrimp breeders, hatcheries and farmers into behaviour that induces high levels of inbreeding.

This report, the 63rd in the series, contains information about the aquatic animal health status of fifteen states in the Asia-Pacific region. The foreword provides an update on acute hepatopancreatic necrosis disease of cultured shrimp, including a description of an improved PCR method for detection of AHPND bacteria.

In this issue:

International Symposium on Small-scale Freshwater Aquaculture Extension, 2-5 December, Bangkok. 12th Meeting of the Asia Regional Advisory Group on Aquatic Animal Health. National Workshop on EMS/AHPND of Cultured Shrimp held in India. Report on early mortality syndrome / acute hepatopancreatic necrosis syndrome of shrimp. Sustaining Ethical Aquaculture Trade Newsletter. India and the AFSPAN Project. Report on AFSPAN Chilean survey. Feeding and feed management of Indian major carps in Andhra Pradesh.

In 2001, the Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center and Department of Fisheries in Thailand conducted acollaborative pilot project on coastal fishery resources management with the cooperation of local fishing communities and other stakeholders, community groups and local administrative authorities in Chumphon Province. The project established a practical framework for locally-based coastal resource management by encouraging fishermen’s participation supported by the creation of alternative job opportunities in coastal fishing communities. 

Presentation on the experience of the Asian Institute of Technology in small-scale aquaculture development.

This report, the 62nd in the series, contains information about the aquatic animal health status of sixteen states in the Asia-Pacific region. The foreword discusses the outcomes of the 12th meeting of the Asia Regional Advisory Group on Aquatic Animal Health.

In this issue:

Special session on regional cooperation for improved biosecurity. Pond aquaculture taking off in Nepal. Introduction of culture-based fishery practices in small water bodies in Cambodia: Issues and strategies. A case study on polychaete fishery by the Irular tribal fishing community on the Tamil Nadu coast. Use of pangasius pond sediment for rooftop bag gardening: Potential for rural-urban integrated agriculture-horticulture. Culture-based fisheries exchanges between Lao PDR and Cambodia.

This report is the proceedings of a workshop held under the FAO technical cooperation project Emergency assistance to control the spread of an unknown disease affecting shrimps held in Hanoi, Viet Nam from 25 to 27 June 2013. The workshop reviewed recent investigations into the cause of acute hepatopancreatic necrosis syndrome, believed to related to a strain of Vibrio parahaemolyticus and drew a number of recommendations on specific and generic actions and measures for reducing the risk of AHPND.

Since 2005, students from the Koh Yao Noi school, working together with the Chiba Environmental Council (Japan), Koh Yao Noi Eco-Tourism Club and with coordination from NACA have endeavoured to restore the environmental damage from the tsunami, and to improve the livelihoods of local people through a variety of initiatives. One of the main activities has been the annual replanting of seedlings of locally occurring mangroves and tropical forest trees to regenerate the damaged areas.

NACA was pleased to coordinate an aquaculture study tour to Bangladesh, Vietnam and Thailand from 19-26 April for a delegation of twelve fisheries development officials from Assam, India. The delegation included Mr Sri Hemanta Narzary, Commissioner and Secretary for Fisheries; Mr Sri Kailash Chang Damria, State Project Director for the ARIAS Society, Mr Sri Siddhartha Purkayastha, Deputy Directory of Fisheries, and district fisheries development and extension officers.

These are the proceedings of the FAO/AAHRI Expert Workshop on Improving Biosecurity through Prudent and Responsible Use of Veterinary Medicines in Aquatic Food Production, held in Bangkok, Thailand, from 15 to 18 December 2009. The workshop discussed the current status of antimicrobial usage in aquaculture and the impacts of their irresponsible use on human health, the aquatic environment and trade. The outcomes are relevant to the development of guiding principles on the responsible use of antimicrobials in aquaculture.