Symposium on Aquatic Animal Diseases at the 14AFAF

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