The Regional Commission for Fisheries (RECOFI), which is based in Cairo at The Regional Office for the Near East of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, will hold a Regional Technical Workshop on Aquatic Animal Health during the period 6 to 10 April 2008 at the Movenpick Resort in Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. 

The regional workshop will be attended by representatives of the eight RECOFI Member countries (Bahrain, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates), in addition to FAO staff and selected technical staff of the Jeddah Fish Farming Centre involved in aquatic animal health. 

The idea of this workshop was brought up during the Fourth Session of the Regional Commission for Fisheries (RECOFI), held from 7-9 May 2007 in Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, during which the Commission endorsed the implementation of activities towards the preparation of a “regional strategy on aquatic animal health” as part of the work plan of the Working Group on Aquaculture. 

This workshop aims to: (i) Present the outcomes of the RECOFI Regional Aquatic Animal Health Capacity and Performance Survey; (ii) Hold a technical seminar on important and emerging issues concerning aquatic animal health; (iii) Finalize a proposal and the initial action plan for a regional aquatic animal health development programme based on the outcomes of the regional survey, workshop brainstorming and deliberation.