On August 13, 2011, the opening ceremony of the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) Reference Laboratories of White Spot Disease (WSD), Infectious Hypodermal and Hematopoietic Necrosis (IHHN) was held in the Yellow Sea Fisheries Research Institute.

Prof. Barry Hill, President of Aquatic Animals Commission of the OIE Health Committee; Zhang Zhongqiu, Delegate of China to the OIE and DirectorGeneral of the Veterinary Bureau of the Ministry of Agriculture (MOA); Li Yanliang, Deputy DirectorGeneral of Fisheries Bureau of the Ministry of Agriculture; FengXueping, Department of Supervision on Animal and Plant Quarantine of General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine (AQSIQ); Sun Ximo, Assistant Station Master of National Fisheries Technology Extension Center, Liu Qing, Vice-president of Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, and senior officials and experts from Department of International Cooperation, China Animal Health and Epidemiology Center, Qingdao National Oceanographic Center, Qingdao Bureau of Ocean and Fisheries, Shandong Entry-Exit Inspection and Quarantine Bureau, etc. attended the ceremony. The opening ceremony was hosted by Prof. Jin Xianshi, Deputy Director of the Yellow Sea Fisheries Research Institute.

Prof. Wang Qingyin, Director General of the Yellow Sea Fisheries Research Institute, first addressed a warm welcome and grateful appreciation to everyone for attending the opening ceremony for the OIE Reference Laboratories, and introduced the current status of YSFRI.

Ms. Liu Qing expressed thanks to OIE and relevant organizations for the continuing support and help to CAFS, and made expectations to two Reference Laboratories for the future work. Mr. Li Yanliang hoped that two Reference Laboratories would implement the function of the OIE Laboratory by continuously promoting the capability and level of developing aquatic animal Standards, and developing new procedures for diagnosis and control of the designated pathogens or diseases for the aquatic animal in the world.

Mr. Zhang Zhongqiu noted in the opening ceremony that he hoped that the OIE Reference Laboratories in Qingdao could build on achievements to further enhance capacity building, strengthen standardized management, and play the following three key roles.

First, leading role: the Laboratory should conduct studies on international standards, keep up with new developments in scientific research, and base on realities of Chinese aquaculture to provide leadership in research on standards and diagnosis methods, and provision of standardized diagnosis reagents for the relevant diseases.

Second, service-providing role: the Laboratory should faithfully fulfill responsibilities of OIE Reference Laboratories, and offer support and assistance to OIE members on sample diagnosis, technology training, etc.

Third, driving role: with a view to promoting international exchange and cooperation, the OIE Reference Laboratory should build bridges between China, OIE and its members in new veterinarian technologies, research on new methods, etc.

President Barry Hill expressed congratulations to the YSFRI for the approval of two Reference Laboratories and introduced in-detail the relevant requirements as OIE Reference Laboratories and Experts. OIE Reference Laboratories are designated to solve all the scientific and technical problems relating to a named disease or specific topic. OIE Reference Laboratory also plays a role as diagnosis technique center and assures the standardization and validation of disease diagnosis techniques.

As a technical support body for formulation and revision of standards in international trade of animals and animal products, OIE reference laboratories provide technical support and standardized service for diagnosis for OIE and its relevant members, playing a critical role in global animal disease prevention and control and animal product safety. In 2011, the OIE has a global network of 225 Reference Laboratories with 166 experts covering 111 diseases/topics in 37 countries, and 40 Collaborating Centers covering 38 topics in 21 countries.

The Mariculture Organism Disease Control and Molecular Pathology Laboratory is designated as OIE Reference Laboratories for White Spot Disease (WSD) and the Laboratory for Infectious Hypodermal and Hematopoietic Necrosis (IHHN) , symbolizing that the development of the Laboratory and technical personnel, surveillance technology and scientific research ability of aquatic animal diseases of YSFRI have already reached the international advanced level, and widely acknowledged by the international community.

After the ceremony, Dr. Barry Hill and Dr. Huang Jie, the Laboratory Director, gave special speech on aquatic animal health project. Relevant scientists, researchers and graduate students attended the seminar.