The OIE has been working to improve aquatic animal health globally through various activities including the development of Aquatic Animal Health Code and Manual of Diagnostic Tests for Aquatic Animals. Considering that aquaculture is expanding and becoming a major food producing sector in the region of Asia and the Pacific, recent spread and outbreaks of some aquatic animal diseases in the region is our concern.

The OIE organised, in collaboration with the Networks of Aquaculture Centres in Asia-Pacific (NACA), the Regional Workshop on Emergency Aquatic Animal Disease Response in Bali, Indonesia from 6 to 8 November 2013.

The objectives of the meeting include: 

• To identify the factors that constrain regional members’ abilities to apply appropriate sanitary measures to protect aquatic animal health;
• To raise awareness of OIE standards including standard setting procedures, OIE Aquatic PVS as well as FAO/NACA Asian Regional Technical Guidelines (TG) to support capacity building of members’ effective application of those standards and guidelines;
• To inform participants about the OIE/NACA regional core for better reporting and information sharing;
• To help improving national coordination between OIE Focal Point and NACA National Coordinator which are not necessarily the same. 

Total of 35 participants including country representatives from Bangladesh, China PR, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea RO, Myanmar, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Vietnam attended the workshop. The programme for the first two days of the workshop was dedicated to country reports on current aquatic animal disease situations in the selected countries and presentations on the national aquatic animal health programmes of China, Japan and Korea. In addition, case studies on the molluscan diseases (Akoya Oyster Disease and Soft Tunic Syndrome), shrimp diseases (Acute Haematopancreatic Necrosis Syndrome, AHPNS) and finfish diseases (Koi Herpes Virus) were presented to facilitate the subsequent discussion on emergency response of those diseases in the national and regional level.

The workshop was successfully completed with the visit to the Institute for Mariculture Research and Development (IMRAD) and PT Suri Tani Pemuka Hatchery for Marine Fish (JAPFA), Gondol. 

The OIE RRAP would like to thank to the Directorate General of Livestock and Animal Health Services and Directorate General of Aquaculture, Indonesia for hosting this important workshop with a nice field trip in Bali, Indonesia.

Summary Report

Programme

Presentations

Link to workshop photos

Source: OIE.