This report, the 23rd in the series, contains information about the aquatic animal health status of twenty states in the Asia-Pacific region. The foreword discusses a project on Capacity and Awareness Building on Import Risk Analysis for Aquatic Animals, funded by the APEC Fisheries Working Group.

To review mud crab aquaculture in Australia and Southeast Asia, ACIAR funded a scoping study, followed by a workshop to review the study and discuss status and problems in different regions of Australia and Southeast Asia. The primary conclusion from the scoping study, verified by workshop discussion, was that the substantial crab farming operations which exist throughout Southeast Asia are still mainly based on wild caught crablets.

In this issue:

Outcomes of the 15th Governing Council. Aquaculture seminar. Council Chair for 2004-2005. Shrimp disease and coastal management - four years. New Import Risk Analysis publications. Reducing the risk of shrimp disease outbreaks in Vietnam. Network of Aquaculture Centres in Central and Eastern Europe. OASIS: The One Stop Aqua Shop Information Service. Other recent STREAM activities. New faces at NACA.

This case study was carried out in the North and North Central of Vietnam. The study was based on discussions and structured interviews with farmers, extension officers and other stakeholders. The objectives of the study were to describe the current coastal aquaculture practises, the impact on the livelihood of the coastal inhabitants and on the environment, to discuss the current situation in relation to the Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries and identify issues where BMPs should be introduced.

The goal of this project was to optimise the economic yield from mixed shrimp aquaculture-mangrove forestry farming systems in Ca Mau Province, Vietnam, in a sustainable manner. Specific objectives were to investigate factors controlling the yields of shrimp and wood from shrimp farming-mangrove systems, experiment with shrimp pond and mangrove forest management to evaluate different culture options, identify improved practices and assist government to transfer the results of the project to the wider coastal farming community.

This collection of publications originates from the International Consortium Program on Shrimp Farming and the Environment, which was implemented by the World Bank, the Network of Aquaculture Centres in Asia-Pacific (NACA), the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). The consortium supported 35 complementary case studies prepared by more than 100 researchers in more than 20 shrimp farming countries.

The Expert Consultation on Aquaculture Education in the Asia-Pacific was held in, Vietnam, 2000. The consultation was the final activity of APEC project FWG/02/99 “Collaborative Aquaculture Education Program”. This report gives the findings and papers presented to the Expert Consultation, including the follow-up recommendations for establishing an Aquaculture Educational Consortium, in the form of a network, comprising academic and training institutions in the Asia and Oceania regions.

In this issue:

Freshwater prawn Macrobrachium nobilii for rural nutrition. Snapshots of a socially responsible farm in Sri Lanka. Introduction of rainbow trout in Nepal. Tilapia seed production in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Seaweed mariculture - scope and potential in India. Growth enhancement of carp and prawn through dietary suppliementation with salt. Fertilisation and water quality management in small ponds. The "Gher Revolution". Exercising responsibilities to tackle aquatic animal disease. Immunostimulants in aquaculture.

In this issue: Livelihood improvements through fisheries in the Pode community in Pokhara, Nepal. Women's participation in coastal resources management and livelihoods in Khanh Hoa Province, Vietnam. Supporting people's efforts and interactions in coastal resources management in Indonesia. Planning for a community fisheries M&E system. Identifying needs and recommendations for efficient stakeholder communications through an information access survey. IEC Seminar-Workshop in Support of Fisheries Ordinance Implementation in Roxas City, Philippines. About the STREAM Journal. About STREAM.

The Second STREAM Regional Conference was held in Tagaytay City, Philippines, from 8-10 June 2003 with the participation of 23 people from Australia, Cambodia, India, Nepal, Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam and Yunnan Province of China. Following a regional overview of STREAM’s themes, country partners, donors and funding, and activities, participants visited four “stations” on the themes of livelihoods, institutions, policy development, and communications, working in groups representing National Coordinators, Communications Hub Managers, and Partners. STREAM operations were discussed.