10 SEPTEMBER 2017 • WORLD AQUACULTURE • WWW.WAS.ORG TOWARD THE PROFESSIONALIZATION OF AQUACULTURE Claude E. Boyd is Professor Emeritus in the School of Fisheries, Aquaculture and Aquatic Sciences at Auburn University. He received a B.S in chemistry and entomology (1962) and M.S in insect toxicology from Mississippi State University (1963), and a Ph.D. in water quality from Auburn University (1966). His research efforts have included ecology and utilization of aquatic weeds, pond liming and fertilization, water quality and aeration, pond bottom soil management, and hydrology of ponds. In recent years, he has done considerable work on the environmental impacts of aquaculture and has been involved in many efforts towards developing better management practices to prevent negative impacts of freshwater and brackishwater aquaculture. Dr. Boyd’s teaching has focused on graduate training in water quality management and continuing education for professionals. He has been the major professor for 130 graduate students. Dr. Boyd’s publications have included research, review, and experience papers in scientific journals, eight books, experiment station publications, and articles in trade journals (totaling over 400). He has transferred his research findings to user groups through hundreds of international consultancy and advisory activities to farmers, industry, and various governmental and non-governmental organizations. Below is the quintessence of our conversation, held on 10 November 2016. Rodrigue Yossa: Why have you chosen to work in aquaculture? Claude Boyd: I have never studied aquaculture. My educational background was heavily slanted towards chemistry, toxicology, soil science, and plant physiology. I got involved in aquaculture because they needed somebody to work on water quality in fishponds at Auburn University back in the 1960s. At the time I started at Auburn University, there was a great interest in sport fishing in ponds and no real interest in aquaculture per se. Gradually people started to show some interest in culturing fish for food. It was amazing to see how people had deep knowledge about fish biology and fish while very little was known about the pond environment and rearing conditions. So I took the challenge to work on water quality in ponds; I liked it and stayed in this field. Rodrigue Yossa: How would you describe the ideal aquaculture scientist? Claude Boyd: There are so many subfields in aquaculture nowadays that it is difficult to describe an ideal aquaculture scientist. For scientists working at the level of aquaculture production, they need to have a broad general training and knowledge of genetics, nutrition, disease management, hydrology, water quality, etc. However, nowadays aquaculture scientists tend to be very specialized. For instance, scientist specialized in genetics do not necessarily have any training in aquaculture and they are just working on genetics, while those specialized in nutrition are just working on nutrition without taking any class in water quality for example. There is a tendency to develop several subfields in aquaculture science that do not necessarily need training in aquaculture itself. Scientists who would like to specialize in aquaculture production science could receive a good initial training in agronomy (including aquaculture) to build a strong background in agriculture production in general before specializing in nutrition or genetics or water quality for instance, as they absolutely must know how to grow fish. Rodrigue Yossa: How would you describe the ideal aquaculture producer? Claude Boyd: The best aquaculture producers read, listen to advice and do not hope for miracles. They try to use the methodologies that have been proven with some kind of verification through research or experience. There are so many farmers out there who are just hoping for miracles and follow what their neighbors do or say and will buy anything the salesman says might help them out. It is sometimes like trying to use a new medicine that is not yet proven instead of just going to the doctor. Rodrigue Yossa: What do you think are the main challenges for aquaculture in the short, medium and long run? Claude Boyd: In the short term, the biggest problem for aquaculture is making a profit. No matter how nice and promising the projections for aquaculture production are, trying to produce A Conversation with Claude E. Boyd Rodrigue Yossa Claude E. Boyd
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