WWW.WAS.ORG • WORLD AQUACULTURE • SEPTEMBER 2019 5 There are many positive aspects happening within the industry and areas of growth are exploding. A prime example of this is the shellfish industry. Both East Coast and West Coast shellfish production has grown by double digits over the last decade. On the East Coast, while natural harvest has been flat over the past five years, aquaculture production of bivalves has doubled and was valued at $165 million in 2018 ($87.5 million of oysters and $73 million of clams). Including all the support industries and associated value-chain activities increases the total value to $500 million into local economies. The ornamental fish industry is also growing and is a multi-million-dollar industry annually. There is significant growth in kelp and seaweed production and development for uses that were not in existence 1015 years ago. The polyculture of kelp and shellfish is also a growth area within production and research for food, pharmaceuticals and remediation activities in areas such as Long Island Sound and the Florida and Louisiana coasts dealing with nuisance blooms of bluegreen algae and biological energy absorption of storm surges. Unfortunately, many people, including journalists outside of the industry, think all aquaculture is for foodfish. We are taking the opportunity to educate people in the ways and means that aquaculture infiltrates their lives. This is very evident when people comment that they only eat wild caught salmon. These same consumers are shocked to know that the majority of all those “wild caught” salmon started out in a spawning facility, a hatchery and or fingerling production system prior to being released into the wild, to be caught as wild fish at maturity. Chances are the aquarium fish in their child’s night-light aquarium or their first trout caught at a state or federally stocked lake were spawned and raised in captivity and supplied through responsible aquaculture, relieving pressure and even enhancing natural production. Sport fishermen that purchase live bait for a good day of fishing have been able to get those rosiereds and fathead minnows thanks to aquaculture. These are just a few areas where education is so important and the responsibility in educating the masses is up to all of us. There have been some species and production methods that have ebbed and flowed within the aquaculture industry. It is easy to see where some people may think the industry is not doing well, when the one or two species they have connected with are not in the spotlight. However, unlike other livestock species, aquatic animals have several diversifying aspects of the industry and, whether produced in ponds, RAS or raceways, in fresh or salt water, at different temperatures and water quality, products of aquaculture are grown to meet the ever changing demand of the consumer. The un-informed need to be exposed to the research, opportunities and potential within the aquaculture industry. In other USAS news, the Awards Committee has posted a request for nominations for professional awards and all the requirements are listed on the website. The Strategic Planning Committee is working on the next five-year strategic plan and are doing a great job working with WAS to align USAS with common U.S. Aquaculture Society Wow, I cannot believe it has been already over six months into my USAS Presidency! There are several USAS actions and activities in the works that I think will have significant positive impacts on the aquaculture industry here in the US. First, the USAS Board of Directors took a chance and supported an aquaculture information booth at the National Conference for State Legislators in Nashville. The conference was attended by over 5,000 state legislators, staffers and several industries and associations from every corner of the US, representing everything from animal rights to hemp production to Google marketing. Unlike most of the booth attendees, the USAS was not asking for changes in regulations or funding but to increase the knowledge of state legislators about aquaculture and possible opportunities within the industry and how it may affect their states. This was welcomed from the attendees and many felt that, when an aquaculture item now hits their desk, they are more educated and have a resource in USAS and NAA to gather further information to make more informed decisions. Several state legislators and staff stopped at the booth with great questions about aquaculture. Several from coastal states and states in the Mississippi Delta area spoke very proudly of their aquaculture sectors and were very willing to work closely with USAS to identify opportunities and overcome constraints where needed. They and many others were further enlightened and encouraged by the growth potential of different species and diversification of culture techniques happening in the US. All in all, it was a productive and educational experience. The USAS Education and Outreach Committee is working diligently to develop an aquaponics workshop for the 2020 USAS meeting in Hawaii that will be quite informative, hands-on and well worth the effort to attend. More webinars are planned and more details about these will follow. The Initiative on Education is well into the planning stage, with confirmation of the First Annual Forum for Sustainable Aquaculture: Food Security and The Future. This will be held in Washington DC on October 16 at Top of The Hill Conference Center. We have a great set of presenters to address the economics, opportunities and constraints within the US aquaculture industry and some awesome videos that will also be shown to drive home the vital impacts the industry has on farming families that have been and continue to be profitable by being good stewards of the land and available water resources. We will have excerpts and possibly the entire forum videoed and available on the USAS website after the event. This forum comes at a very critical time when several op-ed pieces and publications have come out that have broad-brushed the US aquaculture industry with general observations that lead to the overall take-away message that the industry is in a dire situation. Nothing could be further from the truth! Representatives of the USAS, the National Aquaculture Association and other organizations have written rebuttals and will continue to monitor these activities and respond with factual information to expand knowledge about US aquaculture. CHAPTER REPORTS (CONTINUED ON PAGE 12)
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