India Advocates Multi-stakeholder Approach for Aquatic Animal Health

India stresses a multi-stakeholder strategy for aquatic animal health, focusing on biosecurity, diagnostics, and disease surveillance. Union Minister George Kurian highlighted collaboration among government, research bodies, and industry. Key discussions involved ongoing projects and innovations for aquaculture sustainability and disease management, emphasizing AMR risks and international cooperation.

India, a global leader in fish production, advocated for a multi-stakeholder strategy to bolster disease surveillance among aquatic animals, alongside advancements in diagnostic and therapeutic practices. The Union Minister of State for Fisheries, George Kurian, at the 14th Asian Fisheries and Aquaculture Forum, underscored collaborative efforts between government entities, research institutions, and industry to reinforce biosecurity protocols.

The symposium highlighted the significance of sustainable aquaculture practices to ensuring food security and economic growth. Minister Kurian noted ongoing government initiatives like Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana and stressed ongoing research and innovation in managing aquatic animal health.

Discussions included strategies like the NSPAAD Phase II and INFAR projects for effective disease control. Experts emphasized the importance of surveillance, diagnostics, and the establishment of disease-free zones to combat the growing threat of antimicrobial resistance in aquaculture, calling for coordinated global biosecurity measures.

(With inputs from agencies.)