April 29, 2014
Thailand to modify Animal Epidemic Act to control EMS
In order to control the prolonged early mortality syndrome (EMS) outbreak at shrimp farms which has spread since 2012, Thailand''s Fisheries Department is expected to modify the Animal Epidemic Act to apply similar measures.
This is according to Putth Songsangjinda, director of the Marine Shrimp Culture Research and Development Institute.
He said the revised law would authorise government officers to take more serious actions in dealing with shrimp farm operations to ensure they use suitable techniques to combat
EMS.
The department now has a network of volunteers to monitor affected areas, examine sea shrimp diseases and address better hatchery and nursing management including raising baby shrimp.
The National Science and Technology Development Agency revealed its cooperation with Taiwanese researchers from National Cheng Kung University to use technology to examine bacteria, which is said to reduce the spread of EMS and the risks of the bacteria.
EMS first hit a shrimp farm in China in 2009 and moved to Vietnam before spreading to Thailand in mid-2012.
The outbreak has severely affected the Thai shrimp industry and exports of related products. Thailand produced 500,000 to 600,000 tonnes a year of shrimp before the outbreak hit the country''s shrimp farms but the figure dropped 42% to 270,000 last year.
Shrimp exports fell 34% to 187,000 tonnes or THB60 billion (US$1.9 billion) last year.
Earlier, Thai Union Frozen Products Plc, the world''s largest seafood company, estimated that local shrimp supply would reach nearly 300,000 tonnes this year as EMS eased in the second half.
The Fisheries Department believes shrimp production will rebound to 400,000 tonnes this year, up 37% from last year''s level. The Thai Shrimp Association estimates exports this year could reach 80,000 tonnes, generating revenue of THB76 billion (US$2.4 billion).