Sustainability is critical to Cargill’s businesses, and we are involved in a range of stewardship activities to support responsible use of natural resources. Our innovative approaches to conserve resources, use renewable raw materials and reduce impacts are aimed at helping to protect and preserve our environment. The challenge will be how to structure aquaculture development to allow adequate investment and economies of scale with appropriate safeguards of sustainability and food safety within a smallholder-based industry.

Presentation on farmer group perspectives on sustainable intensification of aquaculture.

The objective of the consultation was to develop a regional strategic policy framework to guide national governments and regional organisations in promoting sustainable intensification of aquaculture in the Asia-Pacific region. The consultation also identified priority actions and, where possible, practical measures for their implementation, focussing on intensifying aquaculture through more efficient use of resources and environmentally sound practices rather than by increasing inputs to the system.

This report, the 59th in the series, contains information about the aquatic animal health status of sixteen states in the Asia-Pacific region. The foreword contains an update on acute hepatopancreatic necrosis syndrome (AHPNS) of cultured shrimp.

In this issue:

Health issues are not going away. Sustainable and Ethical Aquaculture Trade project in China. Oyster aquaculture for coastal defense and food production in Bangladesh. Importance of mycotoxins in aquaculture feeds. A model modular farm for size grading and monosex culture of freshwater prawn. Angelwing clam (Pholas orientalis) future assured after Thai DOF's breeding success. Ompok bimaculatus, an emerging species for diversification of aquaculture in Tripura, North-eastern India.

In this issue:

11th meeting of the Asia Regional Advisory Group on Aquatic Animal Health. Aquaculture community mourns Prof. M.C. Nandeesha. Got a story for Aquaculture Asia Magazine? AusAID funded project on Institutional Support for Development of Mariculture in South East Sulawesi commences. Regional training course on broodstock management in aquaculture, Vietnam 27 May - 1 June 2013. Video recordings from workshop on sustainable intensification of aquaculture released!

This is the report of the first workshop of the Regional proficiency testing program for aquatic animal disease diagnostic laboratories in Asia-Pacific, held from 25-26 July 2012 in Bangkok, Thailand. The objectives of the programme were to strengthen Asia’s regional capability to diagnose important aquatic animal diseases that impact on trade, train participating laboratory personnel in diagnostic standards and proficiency testing procedures, and to provide technical assistance to improve laboratory performance. 

Shrimp aquaculture is threatened by climatic changes that affect infrastructure and livelihoods of farmers. Ecological changes, inundation of low-lying lands and saline intrusions into freshwater regions are likely to cause substantial dislocation of communities and disruption of farming systems. The focus of the present study report is on mapping the small scale farmer’s perceptions and attitudes towards climate change impacts and their adaptive capacities to address the impacts in Krishna District, Andhra Pradesh, India.

This brief summarises the results from the interdisciplinary and multi stakeholder participatory study conducted within the Aquaclimate Project in Krishna District, Andhra Pradesh, India looking at the impacts of climate change on shrimp farming. The brief further provides guidelines for development of policy measures to address the climate change impacts on small scale shrimp farming.

This technical brief summarises the results from the interdisciplinary and multi stakeholder participatory study conducted within the Aquaclimate project in Krishna District, Andhra Pradesh, India, looking at the impacts of climate change and adaptation measures in the shrimp farming sector. The brief further provides guidelines for adaptation measure that can be undertaken by the farmers together with the institutional, policy and science and technology support for improving their adaptive capacity to cope with future climate change.