Report of the FAO/MARD Technical Workshop on Early Mortality Syndrome (EMS) or Acute Hepatopancreatic Necrosis Syndrome (AHPNS) of Cultured Shrimp (under TCP/VIE/3304)

Under  the  auspices  of  the  FAO  TCP/VIE/3304  (E)  Emergency  assistance  to  control  the  spread  of  an unknown disease affecting shrimps, being implemented by Vietnam’s Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD), the FAO/MARD Technical Workshop on “Early Mortality Syndrome (EMS) or Acute  Hepatopancreatic  Necrosis  Syndrome  (AHPNS)  of  Cultured  Shrimp”  held  in  Hanoi,  Viet  Nam from 25 to 27 June 2013 was attended by 63 experts and shrimp aquaculture stakeholders from public and private sectors. 

 

The Workshop participants were informed of: (i) relevant findings and outcomes of the work carried out under  TCP/VIE/3304  project  and  (ii)  updates  on  EMS/AHPNS  situation  and  experiences  in  affected Asian  countries.  To  assist  in  further  understanding  this  disease  in  terms  of  its  aetiology  additional technical presentations from other experts were given. Nineteen technical presentations provided the basis for discussions on actions and measures to reduce the risk of EMS/AHPNS.  

 

The  Workshop  recognized  that  complacency  in  the  shrimp  aquaculture  sector  resulting  in  that  laxity, during a period of relatively trouble-free shrimp production, led to vulnerability of the sector to any newly emerging  pathogen  that  might  arise  unexpectedly,  as  is  the  case  of  EMS/AHPNS.  Poor  management practices, weak compliance with standard, good biosecurity and good aquaculture practices both at farm and  hatchery  facilities  were  evident.  It  is  now  clear  that  shrimp  aquaculture  needs  to  improve  and continue to develop into a sector that implements responsible and science-based farming practices. 

 

With  the  current  understanding  that  EMS/AHPNS  has  a  bacterial  aetiology,  a  strain  of  Vibrio parahaemolyticus,  the  Workshop  recommended  that  a  proper  name  be  now  given  to  EMS/AHPNS, i.e. acute hepatopancreatic necrosis disease (AHPND).  

 

The  Workshop  drew  a  number  of  recommendations  on  specific  and  generic  actions  and  measures  for reducing  the  risk  of  AHPND,  directed  to  wider  shrimp  aquaculture  stakeholders  (public  and  private sectors)  pertinent  to  important  areas  such  as:  AHPND  diagnosis;  AHPND  notification/reporting; international trade of live shrimp, shrimp products (frozen, cooked), and live feed for shrimp; advice to countries  affected  and  not  affected  by  AHPND;  measures  at  farm  and  hatchery  facilities;  advice  to pharmaceutical  and  feed  companies  and  shrimp  producers;  actions  on  knowledge  and  capacity development;  AHPND  outbreak  investigation/emergency  response;  and  specific  AHPND-targetted research  on  various  themes  (i.e.  epidemiology,  diagnostics,  pathogenicity  and  virulence,  public  health, mixed infections, non-antimicrobial control measures, environment, polyculture technologies).