The meeting marked a decade of existence of AG in the region (officially established on November 2001), and was attended by the following members and co-opted members:
- Dr Jie Huang (OIE AAHSC, China).
- Dr Simona Forcella (OIE, France).
- Dr Hnin Thidar Myint (OIE Regional Representation for Asia and the Pacific, Tokyo, Japan).
- Dr Weimin Miao (FAO-Regional Representation in Asia and the Pacific, Bangkok, Thailand).
- Dr Ingo Ernst (DAFF Australia).
- Dr Edgar Amar (SEAFDEC Aquaculture Department).
- Dr Kjersti Gravningen (private Sector, PHARMAQ Vietnam).
- Dr Wensheng Lan (Shenzhen Exit and Entry Inspection and Quarantine Bureau, AQSIQ, China).
- Professor Timothy Flegel (Centex Shrimp, Mahidol University).
- Dr Supranee Chinabut (AAH Expert, Thailand).
- Dr Somkiat Kanchanakhan (IAAHRI, Thailand).
- Dr Eduardo Leano, Dr CV Mohan, Mr Simon Wilkinson and Dr Ambekar Eknath (NACA).
- Dr Siow Foong Chang (MSD Animal Health, Singapore).
- Dr Temduong Somsiri (Director, IAAHRI, Thailand).
Dr Ingo Ernst was re-appointed as the Chairperson of AG for 2012 and 2013, with Dr Somkiat Kanchanakhan as Vice-Chairperson. Commemorating the completion of 10 years of AG, Dr CV Mohan presented highlights of AG accomplishments in terms of improving the aquatic animal health management in the region.
During the three day meeting the group reviewed the disease situation in Asia, considered the recent changes made to OIE global standards, revised the list of diseases for listing in the regional Quarterly Aquatic Animal Disease (QAAD) reporting system, assessed the progress made against the various elements contained in the Asia Regional Technical Guidelines on Responsible Movement of Live Aquatic Animals, updated the list of regional disease resource centers, and developed recommendations and action points for the consideration by the NACA Secretariat and Member Governments.
One of the highlights of the meeting was the inclusion of the new emerging shrimp disease acute hepatopancreatic necrosis syndrome (AHPNS) in the QAAD list of diseases. This will require member governments to report any outbreak of the disease for the quarterly disease surveillance report commencing on the first quarter of 2013. Finalisation of the OIE-NACA WAHIS Regional Core was also discussed, and full implementation of this regional online reporting of aquatic animal diseases is targeted by January 2013 at the earliest.
A detailed meeting report will be developed by the Secretary of the AG (NACA Aquatic Animal Health Program Coordinator) to be circulated to all AG members for review/approval. The final report will be made available to all governments, published on NACA website and formally submitted to regional and international organizations (e.g. OIE AAHSC, FAO, SEAFDEC, ASEAN). OIE places considerable value to the NACA AG meeting report and recommendations and it is considered by the OIE-AAHSC annual meetings.
