ICAR-Central Institute of Brackishwater Aquaculture (ICAR-CIBA) in association with the National Fisheries Development Board (NFDB) and the Fish Health Section of Asian Fisheries Society (AFS) with the support of national fisheries research institutions and development agencies organised the 12th International Symposium on “Diseases in Asian Aquaculture (DAA’12)” with a theme “Transformative Innovations Shaping the Future of Aquatic Animal Health Management” during 23-27, September 2025, at the Hotel Leela Palace, MRC Nagar, Chennai.
Shri. George Kurian, Honourable Union Minister of State for Fisheries, Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying and Minority Affairs, Government of India virtually inaugurated the international convention in the presence of Dr. Joykrushna Jena, Deputy Director General (Fy.), ICAR, New Delhi, Dr. N. Subbaiyan, Secretary, Dept. of Animal Husbandry, Dairying, Fisheries & FW, Govt of TN, Dr. Kua Beng Chu, Chairperson, Asian Fisheries Society (FSH), Dr. Bijay Kumar Behera, Chief Executive, NFDB and Dr. Kuldeep K Lal, Director, ICAR-CIBA & Convener, DAA’12.
The symposium having eight technical sessions brought together 436 participants comprised of researchers, academicians, global technical experts, consultants, fisheries officers, postdoctoral fellows and students, which included 71 international delegates from 21 countries. During the programme a book on ‘Aquatic Health Management and a Diagnostic Kit “ Shrimp Saathi” a real time PCR kit for detection of shrimp pathogens, WSSV and EHP developed by D-NOME a Hyderabad based company in collaboration with ICAR-CIBA, Chennai. An MoU was also signed between ICAR-CIBA and Ms. Sandhya Aquamarine, Andhra Pradesh for technology transfer on Super Intensive, Precision and Natural shrimp farming technology of ICAR-CIBA.
About 257 oral and poster presentations on various thematic areas were made in the four-day deliberations. Publications on EHP-Cura-I and shrimp waste to wealth and awards for best oral and poster presentations were presented during the valedictory session by Dr. Tarun Shridhar, the former Secretary, Department of Fisheries, Govt. of India. In his valedictory address he opined that the economic loss projections due to aquatic diseases loss need to be based on real-time data and there should be more thrust on health management.
As a part of DAA12, the 5th Edition of Shrimp Farmers Conclave-2025 was organised on 27th September, 2025 as the final event of the international convention, wherein more than 50 farmers, stakeholders and other participants of the symposium. Shri. K.C. Devasenapathy, IAS, secretary, the Coastal Aquaculture Authority, Govt. of India participated as the Chief Guest and interacted with the participants. During the conclave institutional support for shrimp farming from the Coastal Aquaculture Authority, MPEDA and the NFDB were informed to the shrimp farmers. Subsequently, shrimp farmers shred their experiences and success stories in prevention and management of aquatic diseases.
The Diseases in Asian Aquaculture (DAA) symposium is a premier triennial event organized by the Fish Health Section of the Asian Fisheries Society, Thailand to exchange knowledge, advance research, and develop collaborative strategies for managing aquatic animal health across the Asia–Pacific region.
