Bintulu, August 10 – The Fish Parasitology Workshop: Diagnosis of Parasitic Diseases, held from August 4 to 6, 2025, successfully brought together experts, researchers, and practitioners from various local and international institutions in the fisheries industry. This made it a high-impact platform for strengthening expert networks and building shared understanding in the field of fish parasitology.

The workshop was organized by the Department of Animal Science and Fisheries, Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry, Universiti Putra Malaysia Sarawak (UPMS), under the leadership of Program Director, Dr. Nora Faten Afifah binti Mohamad. Strong commitment was also provided by Universiti Malaysia Terengganu (UMT) and the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universiti Malaysia Kelantan (UMK), who generously contributed technical support, expertise, logistics, and facility resources. This strategic collaboration allowed the workshop, originally planned at UPMS, to be moved to the UMK Veterinary Diagnostic Centre (UVDC) to meet the initial requests of the participants. This demonstrates the flexibility and dedication of the organizers in ensuring accessibility for all stakeholders.

Starting with a target of only 20 participants, the workshop received over 30 registrations, but only 25 selected participants were chosen to ensure the quality of learning and the effectiveness of the objectives. The success of this event was further highlighted by the presence of five (5) participants from Airlangga University, Indonesia, thereby elevating the workshop's status to an international level. Also participating were representatives from various agencies and institutions such as the Glami Lemi Fisheries Research Institute, Sabah Fisheries Department, Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman, Gold Coin Specialities Sdn. Bhd., Penang Veterinary Centre Aquawalk Sdn. Bhd. (Aquaria), Blue Archipelago, Kembang Subur Sdn. Bhd., and the National Fisheries and Fish Health Research Centre (NaFisH). Histocenter Sdn. Bhd. emerged as the main sponsor, providing support by supplying the latest technology microscopes for use throughout the workshop, further strengthening the impact of the event.

The program featured keynote speaker Prof. Dr. Marina Hassan (AKUATROP, UMT) along with invited experts from UPM Sarawak and UMK. They delivered in-depth lectures and practical sessions related to the diagnosis of fish parasitic diseases. Over three days, participants had the opportunity to learn diagnostic techniques through a comprehensive combination of theoretical and practical sessions.

According to Dr. Nora Faten Afifah, this workshop not only provided technical training but also served as a platform for the exchange of ideas, sharing of experiences, and building professional networks among academia, government agencies, and industry players. “Such collaborations are crucial to ensure that we can effectively address the threat of parasitic diseases, while maintaining the sustainability of the nation's fisheries and aquaculture sector,” she stated.

With the success of this event, the second and subsequent series of the workshop are planned for the future, with the hope that it will continue to be a prestigious learning platform at national and regional levels.

Date of Input: 11/08/2025 | Updated: 11/08/2025 | lanz