FAO and NACA have signed an agreement to convene a global conference on aquaculture in 2020. This will be the fourth conference in a series that began at the dawn of the industry in Kyoto, 1976. Aquaculture 2020 will be held late in the year in China. Arrangements, programme and partner details will be announced via the NACA website in due course.

The 78th edition of the Quarterly Aquatic Animal Disease Report contains information from twelve governments in the Asia-Pacific region. The foreword discusses three recent aquatic animal health consultations: The ASEAN Regional Technical Consultation on Aquatic Emergency Preparedness and Response Systems for Effective Management of Transboundary Disease Outbreaks in Southeast Asia; the Regional Consultation and Related Study on Antimicrobial Resistance Risk to Aquaculture in Asia; and the Preliminary Consultation on Monitoring of Antimicrobial Resistance in Bacterial Pathogens in Aquaculture.

The 9th Regional Training Course on Marine Finfish Seed production and Grow-out will be held from 19-30 November 2018 in Krabi, Thailand. The course will be taught by staff of the Krabi Coastal Fisheries Research and Development Centre. Drawing on expertise throughout the region, this three-week hands-on training course will provide participants with skills in marine finfish seed production and grow-out operations, with an emphasis on groupers and Asian seabass.

An Expert Consultation on Invasive Alien Fish Species: Need for a Risk Benefit Assessment and Management Framework for Healthy Freshwater Systems will be organised on 19 December 2018 in New Delhi, India. The consultation will flag the need for an equilibrium between access to non-native germplasm and the minimisation of risk to ecosystems and native fish diversity from such introductions. As a major outcome, an objective tool is expected to be developed, which can be used to evaluate prospective introductions and support decision making.

In this issue:

Consultations address antimicrobial resistance risk in aquaculture; ASEAN consultation on emergency aquatic animal disease preparedness and response; Applications for the position of Director General, NACA; Aqua 2018 - #WeRAquaculture; Asian Aquaculture 2018: Celebrating Asian Aquaculture, 3-6 December, Thailand; and Training and Deans' Forum organised in China.

In this issue:

Concept of seed production of Heteropneustes fossilis in farmers' fields in West Bengal, India; Fishing gear and practices in flood waters of Assam; Fisherwomen empowerment: Shedding light on the invisible gender; Integrated multi-trophic aquaculture systems: A solution of sustainability.

The freshwater catfish Heteropneustes fossilis is a high-priced fish, well regarded in India for its nutritional and medicinal properties. The first successful induced breeding of this fish was in 1956 at Bangalore Central College (under the then Mysore University), although seed production was not standardised until 2000, at ICAR-CIFA, Bhubaneswar. This article describes broodstock maintenance, induced breeding techniques and the nursing of H. fossilis larvae in small ponds for sale in fish seed markets.

Annual flooding of the Brahmaputra and Barak rivers provides Assam with some of the finest floodplain wetlands in India. Local people have adapted their livelihoods to the flood cycle and fishing remains a traditional activity of tremendous importance in rural communities, with a diverse range of fishing gear and methods developed. This article documents some of the major fishing gears of Assam, with reference to their efficacy and targeted fish species.

Women's engagement in fisheries can be viewed from social, political and technical perspectives, all of which show that the role of women is often underestimated. In the fisheries sector participation by women may only become visible after the landing of the catch. The inadequate recognition of women's contributions hampers development, slowing progress in reduction of poverty and food insecurity. This article examines the diversity of women's involvement in fisheries and aquaculture and highlights opportunities to increase the participation of women.

Marine aquaculture of high value species such as fish is generally reliant on external food supplies and has a negative impact on water quality, generating high organic and nutrient loadings. Integrated multi-trophic aquaculture offers a solution to reduce environmental impact of farming systems, culturing complimentary species that can recycle nutrients and reduce nutrient pollution while generating additional products for sale. This article looks at species selection and integration of trophic levels in system design.