The issue of improving culture practices, harmonization and equivalence of standards improving food safety and quality are all part of FAO's programme of work. These areas have also been repeatedly highlighted in the Committee on Fisheries Sub-committee on Trade and Sub-committee on Aquaculture. Many of the issues relating to responsible aquaculture practice are also enshrined with the Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries (CCRF). Regionally relevant activities by FAO that are already planned include:
the development of technical guidelines for the improvement of hygiene and safety at the farm level. This will also include two training workshops on same subject (to be held in Asia in collaboration with INFOFISH);
an international expert consultation is planned for late 2004 (possibly in Asia) which will cover advance on fish safety (including traceability, risk analysis in fish and fish products and this will also include aquaculture);
regional training course (in Asia) in the application of risk analysis in the seafood (this could also include cases relevant to aquaculture/mariculture);
the publication of the nominally titled "Fish safety aspects of antibiotic use in aquaculture". This will cover aspects of antibiotic hazard control in aquaculture and will shortly (mid 2004);
development of a register of experts in human health and antibiotic/veterinary drugs utilization in research/universities; and
FAO has the potential to sponsor participants from Asia to attend IAFI.
There are also follow-up opportunities to explore the possibility for a regional Technical Cooperation Programme (TCP) project to support harmonization and equivalence within ASEAN in aquaculture products.
