Toward Systematic Breeding of Asian Sea Bass, Lates calcarifer (Bloch, 1790), in Malaysia: Status, Challenges and Prospects for Future Development

Asian sea bass, Lates calcarifer (Bloch, 1790), is one of the most farmed marine fish in Malaysia since the 1970 s and is predominantly cultured at present.Although it has been farmed for some time, there is no systematic breeding programme in place.Local hatcheries rely heavily on wild and imported broodstock.However, imported stocks do not guarantee improved quality and even increase the chances of introducing pathogens into the country.

57th Council Meeting of the Asian Fisheries Society

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57th Council Meeting of the Asian Fisheries Society
27 Apr, 2021

Asian Fisheries Society (AFS) holds 57th Council Meeting.

The 13th Council of the Asian Fisheries Society (AFS) held its 57th Council Meeting on 20 April 2021 with the AFS President, Prof. Alice Joan G. Ferrer (University of the Philippines Visayas) presiding.

Despite the challenges during the first quarter, AFS scored some accomplishments: increasing submission and the big leap in the CiteScore of the Asian Fisheries Science (journal of the Asian Fisheries Society; SCOPUS/SCIMAGO indexed). The Gender in Aquaculture and Fisheries Section (GAFS) of the AFS has started with the new project with the WorldFish and has announced the four awards of USD 5000 each to 2 individuals and 2 research teams for the preparation and publication of quality, open access, research articles. GAFS joined with CGIAR Research Program on Fish Agri-Food Systems (FISH) led by WorldFish and the CGIAR GENDER Platform for this award. The Fish Health Section (FHS) had a well-attended webinar titled, "Beauty and the Beast: Important Parasites of Fish" on 9 December 2020. On 21 April 2021, the FHS had another successful webinar titled, "Pathogen Free: Non-infectious Diseases and Disorders of Aquatic Animals."

Among a number of items, the Council discussed the adjustment to the 1) 7th Cage Aquaculture in Asia (CAA7) in Hainan, China (postponed to 2022); 2) Fourth International Symposium in Aquaculture and Fisheries Education (ISAFE4) to be hosted by the National Ping Tung University of Science and Technology in Taiwan (postponed to 2022); and to the 3) 13th Asian Fisheries and Aquaculture Forum (13AFAF) in Tainan, Taiwan in 2022 to be hosted by National Cheng Kung University.

Upcoming activities of AFS Sections will be the start of webinars of the GAFS and the first international scientific meeting of the Asian Fisheries and Social Science Research Network (AFSSRN) Section. Details will be out soon. The AFS website will soon start featuring fisheries scientists in the region who are members of the AFS.

In attendance were Dr. Joykrushna JENA (Immediate Past President; Indian Council of Agricultural Research-Fisheries Science Division); Prof. Han-Ching WANG (AFS Vice President, National Cheng Kung University); Prof. Neil Loneragan (AFS Incoming President 2022 -2025, Murdoch University, Australia); Associate Professor Murni Marlina Abd Karim (Secretary, Universiti Putra Malaysia); Dr. Nur Leena WONG W.S. (Treasurer, Universiti Putra Malaysia); Prof. Atsushi HAGIWARA (Nagasaki University); Dr. Ann FLEMING (Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research); Prof. Wilfredo CAMPOS (University of the Philippines Visayas); Prof. Yu-Hung Lin (National Pingtung University of Science and Technology); Prof. Hong-Thih LAI (National Chiayi University); AFS Councilors, Dr. Achamveetil GOPALAKRISHNAN (Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute, India), Prof. Jin-Long YANG (Shanghai Ocean University); and, Ms. Malathi Thanamsegaram (AFS Executive Officer).

Dr. Meryl Williams, chairperson of GAFS, Prof. Mohamed Shariff, chief editor of the Asian Fisheries Science, and Dr. Eduardo Leaño, secretary/treasurer of the Fish Health Section joined the meeting. AFS President, Prof. Alice Joan Ferrer is also the chair of the AFSSRN Section.

Not in the photo but have attended the meeting are Dr. Umi Muawanah (Research Center for Socio-Economics of Marine Affairs and Fisheries, Indonesia) and Prof. Liping LIU (Shanghai Ocean University).

More details on the Asian Fisheries Society here:
https://www.asianfisheriessociety.org/index.php