# Network of Aquaculture Centres in Asia-Pacific

The Network of Aquaculture Centres in Asia-Pacific (NACA) was formed by International treaty titled Agreement on the Network of Aquaculture Centres in Asia and the Pacific signed in Bangkok on 8 January 1988.
The purpose of the NACA is to promote rural development through sustainable aquaculture and aquatic resources management. NACA's objectives are to:
* Improve food security.
* Increase rural income and employment.
* Diversify farm production.
* Increase foreign exchange earnings.
NACA provides a networking platform for technical cooperation and capacity building between nineteen member states, their research centres, and the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations, which has an advisory role on the NACA Governing Council.
The NACA Secretariat is hosted by the Government of Thailand, in the Department of Fisheries compound at Kasetsart University, Bangkok.

## The network

The member states of NACA and participating research and development (R&D) institutions are:
| Member | R&D Institute |
| Australia | Australian Institute of Marine Science CSIRO Marine and Atmospheric Research Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies School of Life & Environmental Sciences, Deakin University South Australian Research and Development Institute |
| Bangladesh | Bangladesh Fisheries Research Institute |
| Cambodia | Cambodia Fisheries Administration |
| China | Freshwater Fisheries Research Centre (Regional Lead Centre) Yellow Sea Fisheries Research Institute |
| Hong Kong | Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department |
| India | Central Inland Fisheries Research Institute Central Institute of Brackishwater Aquaculture Central Institute of Fisheries Education Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute Central Institute of Freshwater Aquaculture (Regional Lead Centre) Marine Products Export Development Authority National Bureau of Fish Genetic Resources Directorate of Coldwater Fisheries Research |
| Indonesia | Brackishwater Aquaculture Development Centre, Takalar Brackishwater Aquaculture Development Centre, Situbondo Main Centre for Mariculture Development, Lampung Mariculture Development Centre, Ambon Mariculture Development Centre, Batam Mariculture Development Centre, Lombok |
| Iran | International Sturgeon Research Institute (ISRI) NACA Regional Lead Centre on Sturgeon Iran Fisheries Organization (Shilat) Iranian Fisheries Research Organization (NACA Regional Lead Centre on Coldwater Fishes) |
| Laos | Living Aquatic Resources Research Centre |
| Malaysia | Department of Fisheries |
| Maldives | Ministry of Fisheries and Agriculture |
| Myanmar | Department of Fisheries |
| Nepal | Agriculture Information and Communication Centre Directorate of Fisheries Development Nepal Agricultural Research Council |
| Pakistan | Ministry of Ports and Shipping |
| Philippines | SEAFDEC Aquaculture Department (Regional Lead Centre) |
| Sri Lanka | National Aquatic Resources Research and Development National Aquaculture Development Authority |
| Thailand | Aquatic Animal Health Research and Development Division Freshwater Aquaculture Research and Development Center (Regional Lead Centre) The Marine Shrimp Research Institute SEAFDEC Secretariat |
| Vietnam | Fisheries Informatics Centre Institute of Aquaculture, Nha Trang University Research Institute for Aquaculture No 1 Research Institute for Aquaculture No. 2 Research Institute for Aquaculture No. 3 |
NACA maintains technical cooperation linkages with other regions through reciprocal Associate Membership of external organisations including:
* Asia-Pacific Association of Agricultural Research Institutions.
* Network of Aquaculture Centres in Central and Eastern Europe.
* Secretariat of the Pacific Community.