Aquaculture

The overarching theme of this edition of Nature & Faune – Managing Africa’s water resources: integrating sustainable use of land, forests and fisheries – is at the very heart of the work of the African Ministers’ Council on Water (AMCOW), especially as regards the pursuit of the African Union’s Vision of:
An integrated, prosperous and peaceful Africa, driven by its own citizens and representing a dynamic force in the global arena and the Africa Water Vision 2025 of:

As a food-producing sector, aquaculture has surpassed both capture fisheries and the terrestrial farmed meat production systems in terms of average annual growth rate. However, it has a number of biosecurity concerns that pose risks and hazards to both its development and management, and to the aquatic environment and society. Aquaculture faces risks similar to those of the agriculture sector. However, as aquaculture is very diverse (in terms of species, environments, systems and practices), the range of hazards and the perceived risks are complex.

Quarantine is an important risk management measure and a key activity that should be considered when developing national strategies for aquatic animal health management. It can also be used effectively to increase biosecurity at the farm production level.

With the aim of alleviating poverty, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations and the Network of Aquaculture Centres in Asia-Pacific (NACA) identified a need among governments, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and donor organizations for insurance and risk management facilities to be made available to developing aquaculture in Asia. In response to this need, a Regional Workshop on the Promotion of Aquaculture Insurance in Asia was held in Bali, Indonesia, from 30 April to 2 May 2007.

This document provides guidance to assist developing countries in improving national emergency preparedness in order to maximize the efficiency of response to serious outbreaks of aquatic animal diseases. It is a product of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)/Network of Aquaculture Centres in Asia-Pacific (NACA)/WorldFish Center (WFC) Regional Workshop on Preparedness and Response to Aquatic Animal Health Emergencies, held in Jakarta, Indonesia from 21–23 September 2004.

The primary purpose of aquatic animal disease surveillance is to provide cost-effective information for assessing and managing risks associated with trade (intra- and international) in aquatic animals and products, animal production efficiency and public health. This statement of purpose is consistent with the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) Aquatic Animal Health Code and international perceptions of what disease surveillance is meant to achieve in both terrestrial and aquatic production systems.

This document is the Technical Proceedings of the Asia Regional Scoping Workshop on "Primary Aquatic Animal Health Care in Rural, Small-scale, Aquaculture Development," held in Dhaka, Bangladesh from 27 - 30 September 1999. The workshop was organised by the Department for International Development of the United Kingdom (DFID), the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the Network of Aquaculture Centres in Asia-Pacific (NACA), and hosted by the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock of the Government of Bangladesh (GoB).

In light of limited supplies of fish from natural populations, stock enhancement is being considered as one means of helping to meet the demand for seafood products from an ever-increasing human population. The technology to produce large numbers of early-life stage aquatic organisms in hatcheries is well-developed, and the use of alien species, although controversial, has also created new fisheries in some countries. Stock enhancement often requires technical interventions in the rearing process of aquatic organisms that may substantially change how an organism interacts with pathogens.