By Nur Ashikin Louis
KUCHING, Aug 23: The 11th Symposium on Diseases in Asian Aquaculture (DAA11) will enable Sarawak to take part in information sharing on diseases in aquaculture in line with the State’s vision to develop commercial aquaculture through the establishment of an Aquaculture Industrial Zone (AIZ).
Sarawak Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan said with a 1,000km-long coastline and huge inland water bodies covering an area of 150,000 hectares, Sarawak has the potential in aquaculture to generate export earnings.
“For this reason, I cannot over-emphasise the need for Sarawak to be part of the regional network of information sharing on diseases in aquaculture to protect the State’s aquaculture industry,” he said when officiating at the DAA11 at Borneo Convention Centre Kuching (BCCK) here today.
Awang Tengah further said that timely action can help limit the spread of food-borne and zoonosis of antimicrobial-resistant microorganisms, which can infect humans, animals, and plants through various transmission pathways.
These routes of transmission, he said, include direct contact with animals and human sources, and indirect transmission through the environment and food supply chain.
“For example, mass mortality of cage-farmed tilapia was reported in July 2017 due to Tilapia Lake Virus (TiLV) in the Batang Ai Aquaculture Industry Zone. This prompted the Department of Agriculture (DOA) to swiftly collaborate and link up with the Department of Fisheries Malaysia (DOF) and National Fish Health (NaFISH) to monitor and contain the outbreak with appropriate measures,” he added.
At the same time, he noted that the Sarawak government through the Sarawak Research and Development Council (SRDC) is collaborating with two internationally renowned infectious disease research centres on setting up the Sarawak Infectious Diseases Centre (SIDC) in Kota Samarahan to ensure that Sarawak has the capacity and capability to respond to any outbreak.
The symposium held from Aug 23 to Aug 26, is organised by the DOF under the Ministry Agriculture and Food Industries (MAFI) with the Ministry of Modernization of Agriculture and Regional Development Sarawak (MANRED) and the Fish Health Section of the Asian Fisheries Society (FHS-AFS).
The four-day event includes information sharing, intellectual discussions and networking with strategic virtual exhibitions and trade displays at its first virtual symposium.
With the chosen theme ‘Land of Adventure: Exploring Aquatic Animal Health for Sustainable Aquaculture’, main topics will cover Biosecurity in Aquaculture, Epidemiology, Detection Method and Diagnostic, Prevention and Control Measures and cutting-edge research in Fish and Shrimp Health Management.
A special Farmers Day event for our local farmers especially Sarawakians will be held during DAA11 which focuses on strategic dialogues with internationally recognised fish health experts, with maximum exposure on the latest information and technologies in disease prevention, management, and control in aquaculture industries through exhibitions and live demonstration, showcasing latest innovations.
Apart from that, a total of 13 innovations of the Fisheries Research Institute under the DOF is highlighted during DAA11, namely ‘StrepToKit: Detection Method for Streptococcus agalactiae’, ‘Break & Protect 2 (BP2): Leech Remover’, ‘KRIPeK: Bloated Stomach Fish Treatment Kit’, ‘SHOS-Spotter™: Shrimp Health On-Site Spotter’, ‘StrepToVax : Feed-based Vaccine’, ‘Diagnosis Case Procedure Manual Kit’, ‘Garlex©: Alternative Medicine for Fish’, ‘Leech-Guard: Alternative Treatment for Leech Infestation’, ‘SirehMax®: Alternative Medicine for Fish’, ‘SitroPro® : Alternative Medicine for Fish’, ‘Super Intensive Shrimp Culture’, ‘Hygienic Moina sp. Production’, and ‘PrimEZeat: Prawn Broodstock Moist Feed’.
Amongst those present were Minister of Agriculture and Food Industries (MAFI) Datuk Seri Dr Ronald Kiandee, MANRED Minister Dato Sri Dr Stephen Rundi Utom, MANRED Deputy Ministers Datuk Dr Abdul Rahman Ismail and Maclaine@Martin Ben, DOF Malaysia deputy director-general (Management) Wan Muhammad Aznan Abdullah, MANRED permanent secretary Datu Edwin Abit and FHS-AFS secretary Dr Eduardo Leano. — DayakDaily
