ATTI DEL XV CONVEGNO NAZIONALE SIPI Società Italiana di ...

Abstract Workshop
- oversee production of the Aquatic Code and Aquatic Manual;
- promote the dissemination amongst Veterinary and other Competent Authorities of
information on aquatic animal diseases;
- keep the International Committee and the Director General informed of scientific
progress on methods for surveillance, diagnosis and disease prevention likely to
improve the prevention and the control of aquatic animal diseases;
- identify issues that require in-depth review and propose, to the Director General, the
composition and terms of reference of experts or Ad hoc Groups of experts convened
specifically to study such issues, and if necessary, to participate in the work of these
Groups;
- assess applications for appointment as OIE Reference Laboratory and advise the
International Committee;
- facilitate and work with the worldwide network of reference laboratories and
collaborating centres in the field of aquatic animals, so as to achieve OIE's mandate.
The Commission meets formally at OIE, Paris in March and September/October each year
but does much work by electronic communication between meetings. International leading
experts are asked to assist the Commission by attending its meetings as invited specialists
in fish, mollusc, crustacean or amphibian diseases to provide additional specialist
knowledge. In addition, the Commission may ask the Director General of the OIE to set up
ad hoc groups to address specific technical and scientific issues, and such groups report
back to the Commission, usually with their recommendations. The President of the
Commission reports on its activities and new proposals to the International Committee at
the OIE General Session in May, and includes any reports from the ad hoc groups. Any
recommendations of the Commission for changes to the Aquatic Code and the Aquatic
Manual are put forward for formal adoption. The adopted texts are made publicly available
as soon as possible on the OIE web site.
In addition to being published as hard copy, the Aquatic Code and the Aquatic Manual are
also made available electronically on the OIE web site under „Health standards‟. The latest
edition (11 th ) of the Aquatic Code (2008) incorporates modifications proposed by the
Aquatic Animals Commission and approved by Delegates during the OIE General Session
in May 2008. The latest edition (5 th ) of the Aquatic Manual (2006) is currently undergoing
revision and updating to account for advances in the science of aquatic animal diseases,
and the new edition will be published in 2009.
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