Welcome to IAAAM

Upcoming Events

The International Symposium on Neglected Influenza Viruses, Amelia Island, Florida February 3-5, 2010. (Website)

Shark Reef Aquarium's Annual Aquatic Medicine Seminar, Las Vegas, NV. February 19-21, 2010. (Website)

38th Symposium of the European Association of Aquatic Mammals, Lisbon Zoo, Portugal. March 12-15, 2010 (Website)

2010 National Marine Animal Conference, National Conservation Training Center in Shepherdstown, WV. April 6-9, 2010.

41st Annual IAAAM Meeting and Conference, Vancouver, BC, Canada. May 8 - 12, 2010 (Vancouver Aquarium Web Site)

The 35th Anniversary of the Eastern Fish Health Workshop, Shepherdstown, WV. May 25 - 29, 2010

IUCN XI^th International Otter Colloquium, Pavia, Italy. September 1 - 5, 2010 (http://www.otterspecialistgroup.org/)

4th Keystone Veterinary Conference, Hershey, PA. August 12-15, 2010

6th International Symposium on Aquatic Animal Health, Tampa, Florida, USA. September 5 - 9, 2010 (more information)

IAAAM Conference News

Call for Abstract - IAAAM Annual Meeting and Conference May 2010

This is call for abstracts for the 41st Annual Conference of the IAAAM to be held in Vancouver, British Columbia, in Canada, on May 8 - 12, 2010, hosted by Dr. Martin Haulena at Vancouver Aquarium. While our host is setting up everything for all of us, from Hotel Reservations, the Workshop and Sessions' venues to the fun staff to do while in Vancouver, it is time that those of you who are planning to present abstracts at the upcoming conference start working on them as the deadline for abstract submission is 2 weeks earlier than usual, on February 10, 2010.

The abstracts will highlight your work in the area of Marine Mammals, fishes, aquatic birds, aquatic amphibians and reptiles, aquatic invertebrates. To avoid a lot of changes at the last minute, a suitable format for your abstracts has been included in the submission form and I trust everybody to take note and follow the suggested formatting of your abstracts. [Abstract Submission Form] [Sample Abstract]

Other IAAAM News

Wildlife and Zoological Veterinary Medicine Enhancement Act

Washington, DC -- Today, Congressman Alcee L. Hastings (D-Miramar-FL) introduced the Wildlife and Zoological Veterinary Medicine Enhancement Act [H.R. 4497]. This legislation will develop affordable and well-qualified opportunities for individuals who are seeking to become wildlife and zoo veterinarians, spur job growth, and promote robust public health policy.

Read the full text at: http://alceehastings.house.gov/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=443&Itemid=98

The EAAM - European Association for Aquatic Mammals has revised the conditions for Individual Membership.

As such, and if you already are an EAAM Member, starting of 2010 you will:

have a reduced annual fee:
- Full Members: €49 (was €60);
- Associate Members: €39 (was €60);
- Student Members: €24 (was €45);
continue to have reduced fees to attend the EAAM Annual Symposia;
have access to the Members' special area at the new EAAM website;
continue to have free online access to scientific journal "Aquatic Mammals";
receive an extra copy of the EAAM book "The Marine Mammal Contribution - a path with a past and a future" to offer at your discretion.

If you are a former EAAM Member and would like to regain your Member status, you can receive, starting of 2010:

access to the reduced fees to attend the EAAM Annual Symposia;
access to the Members' special area at the new EAAM website;
free online access to scientific journal "Aquatic Mammals" during your membership;
a free copy of "The Marine Mammal Contribution - a path with a past and a future" for yourself;
a second free copy of "The Marine Mammal Contribution - a path with a past and a future" to offer to someone of your choice.

If you are considering becoming an EAAM Individual Member, we can offer you:

free online access to scientific journal "Aquatic Mammals" during your membership;
a free copy of "The Marine Mammal Contribution - a path with a past and a future " for yourself.

For further information and conditions, please have a look at the EAAM website (www.eaam.org)

INTERNATIONAL OCEAN INSTITUTE Announces the DANIELLE DE ST. JORRE SCHOLARSHIP

Call for Applications for 2010 DANIELLE DE ST. JORRE SCHOLARSHIP
Since 2000 the International Ocean Institute presents a Scholarship of Swiss Francs 10,000 annually for one woman from Small Island Developing States (SIDS) involved in marine related research activities to improve their knowledge in the subject of attending training or University Degree programmes. The scholarship has been established to honour the memory of the late Danielle de St. Jorre, Minister for Foreign Affairs, the Environment and Tourism of the Republic of the Seychelles and a member of the Governing Board of the International Ocean Institute, in consideration of all she did in her short life for the benefit of her country, the small island developing states and the world at large.

The International Ocean Institute hereby invites applications and nominations for the 2010 scholarship. You may wish to use the Scholarship for attending the eight- week Ocean Governance: Policy, Law and Management (Canada, 19th May - 16th July 2010 - http://internationaloceaninstitute.dal.ca/training.html/<http://internationaloceaninstitute.dal.ca/training.html/> ), or the five- week Training Programme on Regional Ocean Governance for Mediterranean and Eastern European Countries at the University of Malta (November-December 2010 - www.capemalta.net/ioimoc).

The application must include a CV and a statement giving the reason for the application or nomination, including how the applicant or nominee intends to use the scholarship if awarded. Applications may be made initially by email before the deadline and followed by a mailed signed original application. The explanatory note on the scholarship, as well as on the eligibility and evaluation criteria is included in the attached Guidelines. Applications should be sent to:

Ms A Vassallo, Programme Officer?
International Ocean Institute HQ,
P.O. Box 3,
Gzira GZR 1000, MALTA.?
ioihq@ioihq.org.mt or antonella.vassallo@ioihq.org.mt

List of Eligible Small Island Developing States (SIDS).

Africa: Cape Verde, Comoros, Guinea-Bissau, Mauritius, Sao Tome and Principe,Seychelles;
Asia and the Pacific: American Samoa, Cook Islands, Fiji, Guam, Kiribati,Maldives, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, Niue, Palau,
Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Timor-Leste, Tonga, Tuvalu,Vanuatu;
Latin America & the Caribbean: Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, British Virgin Islands, Cuba, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Netherlands Antilles, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent & the Grenadines, Suriname, Trinidad & Tobago, US Virgin Islands.

RESEARCH TRAINING OPPORTUNITY FOR VETERINARIANS IN AQUATIC MODELS

Post-doctoral training for veterinarians will be available at Oregon State University (OSU) starting 1 July 2010. Successful applicants will be provided with a broad training in biomedical research specifically focused on using aquatic species. Positions are NIH post-doctoral fellows, but candidates are also provided the opportunity to obtain MS or PhD degrees with additional funding support for tuition. The program is funded by NIH National Center for Research Resources and is administered at OSU through the National Institute of Environmental Health Science (NIEHS) Environmental Health Sciences Core Center. Contact Dr. Michael L. Kent for further information (Michael.Kent@oregonstate.edu or 541-737-8652) {IAAAM JobBank}

AVMA Panel on Euthanasia

The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) has reconvened the AVMA Panel on Euthanasia and is in the process of revising its Euthanasia Guidelines. Members of the Panel's Aquatics Working Group and the Zoo & Wildlife Working Group are interested in receiving constructive comments regarding the current AVMA Guidelines on Euthanasia, available for inspection on the web at: http://www.avma.org/issues/animal_welfare/euthanasia.pdf. Specifically, the working groups are interested in hearing from IAAAM members which sections they believe are still appropriate and scientifically justified; which sections are not feasible or no longer justified; if any circumstances are not covered sufficiently; or if there are any other issues that have not been resolved or discussed in the document. Also please provide the working groups with scientific or gray literature citations that are relevant and not presently incorporated in the existing document. The Zoo & Wildlife Working Group is expected to address marine mammals, while the Aquatics Working Group focuses on fish and aquatic invertebrates, but there will be collaboration between the working groups and sharing of comments as appropriate. Please address comments for the Aquatics Working Group to Dr. Roy Yanong (rpy@ufl.edu) and comments for the Zoo & Wildlife Working Group to Dr. Pat Morris (PMorris@sandiegozoo.org), with <IAAAM Member Euthanasia Comments> in the subject line.

The European Medicines Agency (EMEA) draft guideline on “Demonstration of target animal safety and efficacy of veterinary medicinal products intended for use in farmed finfish” (EMEA/CVMP/EWP/459868/2008-CONSULTATION).

The document is available on the following webpage: http://www.emea.europa.eu/pdfs/vet/ewp/45986808en.pdf

This document provides updated guidance on the preclinical and clinical aspects of the application procedure for those who seek approval of such products. The guideline replaces the “Efficacy of veterinary medicinal products for use in farmed aquatic species” and takes into account the development during recent years, and feedback obtained from users of the previous guideline which was last revised in 1994.

Please provide any comments you may have on this document to vet-guidelines@emea.europa.eu , by using this template: http://www.emea.europa.eu/pdfs/human/regaffair/submitcomment.doc.

Please note that the deadline for submitting comments is 30th of April 2010.