Aquatic Animal Health in focus at WOAH Meeting in Ålesund

Aquatic animal health in focus at WOAH meeting in Ålesund

Over 50 representatives from countries in Europe and Central Asia gathered in Ålesund from September 3 to 5 to attend the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) workshop on aquatic animal health. The aim was to discuss how to prevent outbreaks of fish diseases, with a particular focus on biosecurity and vaccines.

Mona Dverdal Jansen from the Norwegian Food Safety Authority, Gun Peggy Strømstad Knudsen from the Norwegian Veterinary Institute, and Dr. Mereke Taitubayev from WOAH.. Photo: Bryndis Holm
Mona Dverdal Jansen from the Norwegian Food Safety Authority, Gun Peggy Strømstad Knudsen from the Norwegian Veterinary Institute, and Dr. Mereke Taitubayev from WOAH. Photo: Bryndis Holm

WOAH plays a significant role in setting standards for international trade and providing guidance, as well as expertise on various aspects of animal health, including disease prevention and control and animal welfare.

The meeting in Ålesund was organised in collaboration with the Norwegian Veterinary Institute and the Norwegian Food Safety Authority. The Managing Director of the Veterinary Institute, Gun Peggy Strømstad Knudsen, welcomed all participants, alongside Dr. Mereke Taitubayev from WOAH and Mona Dverdal Jansen from the Norwegian Food Safety Authority.

More than 50 delegates from countries across Europe and Central Asia took part in WOAH’s meeting in Ålesund. Photo: Bryndis Holm
More than 50 delegates from countries across Europe and Central Asia took part in WOAH’s meeting in Ålesund. Photo: Bryndis Holm

It was a strong gathering of experts in fish health and fish welfare, featuring productive discussions with a particular focus on biosecurity and vaccines. The representatives also had the opportunity to learn more about developments in the Norwegian aquaculture industry through a visit to AquaGen’s modern facility outside Ålesund.

In the video below, Edgar Brun, Director of Development Cooperation from the Department of Aquatic Animal Health and Welfare at the Norwegian Veterinary Institute, reflects on the meeting in Ålesund and how the institute collaborates with WOAH.


Collaborating Centres

WOAH maintains a network of Collaborating Centres to provide scientific expertise and support to WOAH and its members, as well as to promote international cooperation in the field of animal health and welfare. Each Collaborating Centre is designated for a specific focus area. The Norwegian Veterinary Institute is WOAH’s Collaborating Centre for Epidemiology and Risk Assessment of Aquatic Animal Diseases (Europe), and also part of WOAH’s European Collaborating Centre for Economics of Animal Health (CCEAH).

Reference laboratories

WOAH also maintains a network of reference laboratories, and the Veterinary Institute holds four such designations — for Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) in cervids, Gyrodactylus salaris, Infectious Salmon Anaemia Virus (ISAV), and Salmonid Alphavirus (SAV). As a reference laboratory, the institute collaborates with countries around the world to confirm diagnoses and exchange knowledge in diagnostics, pathology, and epidemiology.

You can read more about how the Norwegian Veterinary Institute collaborates with WOAH on our website.

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