This manual provides practical guidelines for those engaged in the nursery culture of groupers in Indonesia as well as elsewhere in the tropics. It provides information on husbandry of groupers in the nursery phase, to reduce losses due to disease and cannibalism, and thus to increase the profitability of grouper nursing. The guidelines are derived from outcomes of ACIAR-funded research as well as other published information on grouper nursery management.

This manual provides guidelines for the production of tiger grouper fingerlings. It outlines best-practice methods for broodstock maintenance, spawning, egg incubation and rearing of larvae through to 2–3 cm, fully metamorphosed juveniles. The guidelines have been developed from the outcomes of ACIAR-funded research, as well as from the experience of Indonesian, Philippine and Australian scientists and commercial hatchery operators, and published information. It provides an aid for improving the availability of grouper seed stock.

Regional workshop on freshwater extension approaches in the Asia-Pacific region, held  at the International Symposium on Small-scale Freshwater Aquaculture Extension.

This document presents a tool in the form of an audit table that can be used to broadly screen and identify gaps in the management systems of government agencies responsible for regulating aquaculture. These gaps, once identified, can be a first step toward building regulatory frameworks that can better deliver on jurisdictional ecologically sustainable development and ecosystems approach to aquaculture objectives. The end product of an assessment is a report for consideration by decision makers.

This report, the 60th in the series, contains information about the aquatic animal health status of fifteen states in the Asia-Pacific region. The foreword discusses response to aquatic animal disease emergencies.

In this issue:

Workshop on mainstreaming gender in NACA. Fish Farmer Field School: Towards healthier milkfish / shrimp polyculture and fish farmer empowerment in South Sulawesi. A success story of Maa Tarini Self Help Group Ornamental Fish Unity, India. Use of lactic acid bacteria in fish farming. AFSPAN field surveys underway. Anti-viral treatment for healthier black tiger prawns. Jungle perch on the comeback trail. Nursery management of grouper manual. Hatchery management of tiger group manual.

In this issue:

Call for applications (2nd round): FK Norway South-South Aquaculture Professional Exchange Programme. AFSPAN field surveys underway! 4th Global Symposium on Gender in Aquaculture and Fisheries. An anti-viral treatment for healthier black tiger prawns. Jungle perch on the comeback trail. Nursery management of grouper: A best-practice manual (Indonesian translation). Hatchery management of tiger grouper (Epinephelus fuscoguttatus): A best-practice manual (Indonesian translation). Priority adaptations to climate change for Pacific fisheries and aquaculture: Reducing risks and capitalising on opportunities. Improving biosecurity through prudent and responsible use of veterinary medicines in aquatic food production.

Since the Asia Pacific Emergency Regional Consultation on EMS/AHPNS held in August 2012 in Bangkok, Thailand, many news reports have been widely circulated that have led to various baseless speculations and conclusions on the true nature of AHPNS. This disease update/advisory has been issued to address the many circulating false and baseless speculations on the effects and spread of AHPNS in the region.

The Asia Regional Advisory Group on Aquatic Animal Health meets annually to discuss regional health issues including emerging disease threats. This report includes a review of regional disease status circa 2012, global and regional disease reporting arrangements, global issues and standards, progress in implementation of the the Regional Technical Guidelines on Health management for the Responsible Movement of Live Aquatic Animals, identification and designation of regional aquatic animal health resources and regional and international cooperation.

To provide food to the world’s population in 2050, it has been estimated that agricultural output, primarily from crops, livestock and fisheries, including aquaculture, must increase by 60 percent. Intensification of aquaculture is inevitable in the face of increasing demand, limited land areas, and improved technology. Whether we are able to accomplish this in a sustainable manner will depend on global governance and stewardship as much as on technological progress.