Saudi Aquaculture Society in cooperation with Ministry of Agriculture held the eighth biosecurity workshop on Thursday 10^th September 2015 in Jeddah.

Sr. Luis Fernando, Advisor of Ministry of Agriculture for biosecurity gave a presentation about the latest procedures of aquaculture biosecurity in Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

The workshop also tackled the results of regular investigations of shrimp and fish aquaculture projects and yields as well as following the frozen shrimp samples imported from abroad. 

In addition, the status quo of pathology in fish and shrimp aquaculture projects was discussed. The ministry began to issue certificates for certain companies complying with the required standards. Such certificates shall be valid for one year only.

Furthermore, the workshop discussed the investigation results of the quarantines allocated to receive the imported fingerlings, recorded diseases, and the followed steps to treat the situation.

Dr. Victoria Aldi, Advisor of National Aquaculture Group, gave a significant presentation about EMS (early mortality syndrome) of shrimps. The bacterial disease appeared in 2009 in Thailand causing sever losses of shrimp production. The spread of this disease represents significant risk against shrimp industry as it is transported through the frozen shrimp exported from the affected areas.

The workshop included reviewing the steps followed to apply biosecurity procedures in the working projects whether fish or shrimp by representatives of such projects.

It should be noted that 2015 witnessed a huge increase in shrimp production that gave strong indicators about the working projects and return to the production normal level.