Context:
Sri George Kurian, Union Minister of State for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry, and Dairying, inaugurated the symposium, “Aquatic Animal Diseases: Emerging Challenges and Preparedness,” from February 12 to 15, 2025, under the theme of Greening the Blue Growth in Asia Pacific at ICAR Convention Centre, New Delhi, as a preparatory event of the 14 Asian Fisheries and Aquaculture Forum (14AFAF).
Key Highlights:
Ministerial Address: On Biosecurity and Sustainability
- Shri George Kurian connected aquaculture with nutrition, biosecurity, and economic development while emphasizing the One Earth One Family framework.
- Sustainable Aquaculture Practices for Food Security and Livelihoods Were An Important Emphasis.
- He commended the government’s efforts in undertaking such initiatives, like PMMSY (Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana), and insisted on continued research and innovations.
- He insisted that there should be a multi-stakeholder approach to strengthening disease surveillance and biosecurity, including government agencies, research institutions, and industry stakeholders.
Strengthening the Disease Management
- Dr. Jena introduced the symposium in general and thanked GoI and NACA (Network of Aquaculture Centers in Asia Pacific) for their support.
- He talked about NSPAAD Phase II (National Surveillance Programme for Aquatic Animal Diseases) and INFAR project in enhancing disease control strategies.
- The third item was the way the Network project on Fish Health approached disease management, early response mechanisms and biosecurity.
- He emphasized the importance of vaccines, diagnostics, and therapeutics for effective disease control, especially with the expansion of aquaculture and introduction of new species.
Integrated Fish Disease Surveillance Mechanisms
- Integrated Fish Disease Surveillance Mechanisms ought to be institutionalized in India for detection and control.
- Instigate disease-free zones in major aquaculture areas so as to minimize infections.
- Integration of surveillance within the national aquaculture policies and legislative frameworks.
The Asian Fisheries and Aquaculture Forum (AFAF)
- The Asian Fisheries and Aquaculture Forum (AFAF) is organized by the Asian Fisheries Society (AFS), Kuala Lumpur, once in three years.
- 14AFAF is jointly organized by
- AFS (Asian Fisheries Society)
- ICAR (Indian Council of Agricultural Research)
- DoF (Department of Fisheries, Government of India)
- AFSIB (Asian Fisheries Society Indian Branch)
- This is the second time AFAF is being hosted in India, first being Kochi in 2007.
The symposium reiterated the need for advanced s
