The Asian Pacific Aquaculture 2017 (APA17) conference and exposition was held from 24^th - 27^th July 2017 at the Putra World Trade Centre (PWTC), Kuala Lumpur. APA17 was the annual meeting of the Asian Pacific Chapter of the World Aquaculture Society. It was jointly organised by the Malaysian Fisheries Society (MFS), Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) and World Aquaculture Society (WAS). It was hosted by the Department of Fisheries (DOF), Ministry of Agriculture and Agro-Based Industry, Malaysia. 

Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Agro-Based Industry Malaysia, Dato’ Anthony Nogeh anak Gumbek had officiated APA17 Conference and Trade Show. It was a very successful event with approximately 3,000 attendees from 46 countries. There was a total of 444 abstracts submitted with 325 delivered as oral presentations, and 119 posters. At the trade show, there were about 170 booths with exhibitors from 20 countries led by Malaysia, Singapore, USA, Thailand and Taiwan. Products on display included feeds, health and diagnostic services, farming equipment, cages, tanks, nets etc. 

The plenary session on 25^th July 2017 started with a presentation by Mr. Herve Lucien-Brun, an independent consultant from France, entitled "Marketing of Farmed Seafood from Asia to Global Markets". The second plenary was given by Dr. Mazuki Hashim, Senior Director of Fisheries Biosecurity Division, Department of Fisheries Malaysia who presented “Transforming the Aquaculture Industry in Malaysia”.

The Malaysian Farmers Day programme was attended by local fish farmers. It was chaired by Mr. Abdullah Abd Rahim, MFS President and Dr. Mazuki Hashim. Local and international experts presented a comprehensive program on fish farming from transforming grouper aquaculture to disease management, tilapia genetics and market trends. 

APA17 had 37 sessions on aquaculture such as marine shrimp, tilapia, freshwater fish culture, aquatic animal health, nutrition and aquafeeds, plus a post conference farm tour. More than 30 participants joined the post conference tour organised by MFS on 28^th July to visit cage culture activities at Pulau Ketam, a land-based grouper hatchery and a shrimp farm.

Date of Input: 29/08/2017 | Updated: 29/08/2017 | azah