Panelists at this week's VIV Asia 2009 in Bangkok spoke positively about the future of Asia's aquaculture industry.
The trade show, involving professionals from the animal production and processing industries, including aquaculture, featured a Bayer Health-sponsored conference called Innovations to Sustain Seafood Supply.
The session included a talk from Dr. Nanthiya Unprasert, director of fisheries at Thailand's Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives.
Unprasert and subsequent speakers emphasized the need for farmers to meet the food-safety and quality-assurance standards set by European and American buyers.
Dr. Pornierd Chanratchakool, technical director of aquaculture for biotech company Novozymes Thailand, the world's largest producer of industrial enzymes, described the potential for health problems in fish ponds.
Seed quality, pond water and soil management, and controls on feed management are all factors that can contribute to disease. Prevention involves understanding the dynamic interaction between these factors, said Chanratchakool.
Following the Innovations to Sustain Seafood Supply conference, Dr. Arjen Roam, product development manager for animal feed manufacturer Skretting Japan, stressed the need for greater transparency in administering farms, highlighting the need for careful monitoring, crisis management and recall management.
But, he added, increasingly popular electronic tracking systems would assist in identifying problems.
The VIV Asia runs through Friday.
VIV Russia is up next in May, followed by VIV Turkey in June, VIV China in October, VIV India in February 2010, VIV Europe in April 2010 and VIV America Latina in October 2010.
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