The 79th edition of the Quarterly Aquatic Animal Disease report contains information from eleven governments. The foreword discusses the outcomes of the 17th Meeting of the Asia Regional Advisory Group on Aquatic Animal Health, held in Bangkok, 13-14 November 2018.

The ICAR-National Bureau of Fish Genetic Resources, Lucknow, India is conducting a School on Aquatic Animal Epidemiology and Disease Surveillance from 1-6 March, 2019. Five seats are available in the school for researchers from NACA member countries (outside of India) on first-come first-served basis. Participants should be nominated by research centres participating in NACA or by member governments. Accommodation, hospitality and meals will be provided for the duration of the training. Travel grants are not available. Please apply / express interest by 13 February 2019.

In this issue:

Current status of freshwater cage aquaculture in India; Fattening of mud crab Scylla serrata in estuarine region of south-eastern West Bengal; Aquaponics - sustainable farming method in the fight against hunger; aquatic invasive apple snails (Pomacea spp.) in Timore-Leste - current status, spread and management in rice fields; NACA Newsletter.

Initial attempts to develop freshwater cage aquaculture in India focussed on air breathing catfish and Indian major carps in the Yamuna and Ganga rivers, with later efforts in several large reservoirs. Cage-based aquaculture in inland waters is currently being promoted by some state governments with a view to enhancing fish production. This article examines the history of cage aquaculture in India and some of the factors to be considered in cage design and site selection.

Live mud crab has a high export value and good overseas demand. Over the past fifteen years exports from India have increased, with the introduction of crab fattening practices. Wild-caught seed are held in pens constructed of bamboo screens for several weeks and fed to increase their body weight and hence value. Fattened crabs are onsold to traders exporters, who may air lift them to Singapore and other regional markets for the live restaurant trade.

Aquaponics is a closed-loop system in which the waste water produced from a tank of fish is used as fertiliser to feed a bed of vegetation. In turn, the plant life filters the water through its roots and the cleaned water is returned to the fish tank for reuse. Aquaponics is a form of integrated food production system in which the wastes from one production compartment are used as inputs for others.

Anecdotal evidence suggests that apple snails were first introduced into Timor-Leste as food by migrants, although there is no exact information on when this occurred. The first reported damages to rice crops from the snails was around 1985 in the south and west. There is an urgent need for systematic surveys on the areas invaded and the rice crop losses. Synthetic molluscicide formulations are used to control snail populations, along with a variety of non-chemical management interventions.

In this issue:

Joint FAO-NACA workshop reviews aquaculture farming system classification scheme; Join us for the Global Conference on Aquaculture 2020; Expert Consultation on Genetically Responsible Aquaculture; Strengthening governance in aquaculture; Pike perch and in-pond raceways; Quarterly Aquatic Animal Disease Report, April-June 2018.

Asia has experienced rapid development of aquaculture in the past four decades. This has improved food security, livelihoods and economic development in many Asian countries. It has also become the main source of fish products in the region. Yet aquaculture as a new industry is poorly regulated in many countries. Its development has come with environmental problems, animal disease and food safety issues. These have resulted from both inadequate laws and poor enforcement.

The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) and NACA will convene the consultation from 26-27 February 2019. The consultation will be hosted by the ICAR National Bureau of Fish Genetic Resources (NBFGR) in Lucknow, India. The aim of the consultation is to find ways to assure genetic quality in seed production systems. Experts will discuss broodstock management and mechanisms to verify seed origin and quality. The goal is to empower farmers and monitoring agencies with provision of quantifiable standards.