As part of World Antimicrobial Awareness Week activities in 2020, the WOAH (then-OIE) Regional Representation for Asia and the Pacific (RRAP) organised a series of webinars to highlight antimicrobial use (AMU) in animals
The aquaculture industry signifies one of the last opportunities to increase production and contribute to food security in the developing world. It now represents the fastest-growing agricultural industry in some countries, with freshwater aquaculture dominating total aquaculture production.
The Asia Pacific region leads global aquaculture production, both in quantity and value. It contributed 65.2 million tons of aquatic animals in 2014, amounting to 88 percent of the global total in 2014. Traditionally, antimicrobials have been widely used in aquaculture to prevent and treat bacterial diseases. Excessive use of antibiotics in aquaculture in many countries has caused problems and resulted in concerns about development and dissemination of bacterial resistance, food safety hazards and environmental issues.
At recent WOAH (then-OIE) virtual meetings to discuss AMR in Asia and the Pacific, participants identified antimicrobial use (AMU) as a key topic for training from WOAH. Thus, as part of the annual World Antimicrobial Awareness Week in 2020, WOAH RRAP organised a series of webinars to highlight antimicrobial use (AMU) in animals. The event for aquatic animals was held on Monday, 16 November and was open to the region. 117 participants joined the online event.
The webinar informed stakeholders on WOAH guidelines and tools relating to AMU in aquatic animals. Summary reports from participating Members broadened understanding of the regulation of aquatic animals management and trade in the Asia Pacific region. Participants shared experiences from the region and explored approaches to improve responsible and prudent AMU in aquatic animals.
