WOAH, in collaboration with the Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie (IZSVe) and the Islamic Organisation for Food Security (IOFS), organised a regional technical webinar on “Strengthening National Capacities for Sustainable Aquaculture.”
The continued growth of the aquaculture sector requires strengthened national capacities in disease prevention and control, surveillance, biosecurity, responsible antimicrobial use and aquatic animal welfare.
The webinar brought together representatives of WOAH Members from the Region, including Veterinary Services, National Reference Laboratories, aquatic animal health specialists and other stakeholders involved in aquaculture. It provided a platform to exchange technical knowledge and practical experiences, as well as to discuss priorities for strengthening aquatic animal health capacities.
The technical programme provided an overview of the WOAH Global Strategy for Aquatic Animal Health and the role of WOAH Collaborating Centres in supporting Members. Experts from IZSVe presented international cooperation initiatives supporting sustainable aquaculture and shared practical knowledge on aquatic animal health.
Sessions covered key topics including fish viral diseases and diagnostic approaches, major bacterial pathogens and antimicrobial susceptibility testing, fish welfare, freshwater fish-borne zoonotic helminths, and responsible antimicrobial use in aquaculture.
Particular attention was given to strengthening disease prevention, diagnosis and control capacities, addressing antimicrobial resistance and promoting responsible antimicrobial use in aquaculture. Discussions also highlighted the importance of integrating aquatic animal welfare into sustainable production systems.
The webinar provided an opportunity for participants to discuss key messages and future capacity-building needs and to engage with international experts during a panel discussion and Q&A session.
Through this joint initiative, WOAH, IZSVe and IOFS reaffirmed the importance of regional cooperation, knowledge exchange and capacity building in supporting healthy, sustainable and resilient aquaculture systems. Continued collaboration among Veterinary Services, Competent Authorities, laboratories, aquaculture stakeholders and international organisations will contribute to addressing aquatic animal health challenges and supporting the sustainable development of the sector.
