TWENTY-FIFTH ANNUAL EASTERN FISH HEALTH WORKSHOP MARCH 10-13, 2000   Russian-American Symposium Aquaculture And Fish Health ’98;  First Step To Future Collaboration   Natalia V. Guseva1 And Rocco C. Cipriano2   1All-Russian Research Institute Of Freshwater Fisheries, Moscow Province, Dmitrov Region, Rybnoe, Russia; 2U.S. Geological Survey, National Fish Health Research Laboratory, 1700 Leetown Road, Kearneysville, Wv, 25430  U.S.A.     Approximately 28 years ago, an agreement was initiated between the former Soviet Union and the United States of America, which facilitated an exchange of science and technology between both countries.  That agreement was intended to increase bilateral emphasis and collaboration within the area of environmental conservation and protection.  In 1982, this broadly based program was amended by the addition of  Project 02.05-81 specifically designed to address topics in the disciplines of “Ichthyology and Aquaculture.”  This annually re-occuring program is administered through the Russian Federation Inter-Department Ichthyological Commission, the Russian Academy of Sciences, the Ministry of Agriculture and Foodstuffs of Russia - Department of Fisheries,  and the United States Department of the Interior.  Bilateral interactions in the area of fish health/disease during the 16 year period since Project 02.05-81 was enacted have been achieved through cooperative interactions between the Laboratory of Ichthyopathology of the All Russian Research Institute of Freshwater Fisheries (ARRIFF; Rybnoe, Russia) and the National Fish Health Research Laboratory (NFHRL) of the United States Department of the Interior (Kearneysville, WV).  For three years, both laboratories worked together to plan and co-sponsor the first and historic symposium, Aquaculture and Fish Health 1998.  The symposium was designed to comprehensively address the study of fish diseases within both countries  and Canada.  Approximately 40 Russian, 16 American, and 2 Canadian scientists were invited to speak at the symposium, which was convened at the Laboratory of Ichthyopathology in Rybnoe from 12-19 July 1998.  Invited symposium participants presented comprehensive reviews of priority fish health issues in the different regions of their respective countries and updated current status of research in  areas of personal fish health expertise including microbiology, virology, parasitology, immunology, and toxicology.  Participants were also selected upon their willingness and abilities to sustain collaboration.  An extremely friendly atmosphere reigned throughout the symposium enabling participants to overcome language barriers  and discuss common interests.  All scientists involved in this initial symposium  have spoken in favor of continuing the forum in re-occurring on a five year cycle.   Return to 25th Annual Eastern Fish Health Workshop Return to Leetown Science Center Home Page