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.

In Bangladesh the delegation visited carp hatcheries, nurseries and farms producing carp and giant freshwater prawn as well as ox-bow lake fisheries that are receiving World Bank support and the Department of Fisheries. On arrival in Vietnam, the group visited the National Breeding Center for Southern Freshwater Aquaculture and the Research Institute for Aquaculture No. 2 in Tien Giang Province, before travelling to Tram Chim National Park in Dong Thap Province to observe community-based wetland management sites. The group finally visited integrated rice-fish farms, catfish farms and cage culture in Mekong River, before heading to Thailand to visit the Department of Fisheries and NACA Secretariat in Bangkok.

NACA wishes to thank our partners in Bangladesh, Viet Nam and Thailand for their assistance in organising the tour and for their hospitality.