World Aquaculture Magazine - June 2021

20 JUNE 2021 • WORLD AQUACULTURE • WWW.WA S .ORG C H A P T E R R E P O R T S Kore a Chap t er , continued from page 9 on our strengths, adapt where we must and take some time to dream about where we want to go. There is no doubt that our industry is changing rapidly. When I started graduate school, pond production of finfish was the industry standard and RAS was largely relegated to research and development, being too expensive for most commercial production. Since then, we have seen the proliferation of net-pen production and we are all familiar with the challenges that sector is now facing in many parts of the world as opposition mounts. RAS technologies and economics are getting better and better all the time. My point is not to say that one of these production technologies is better than any other, but rather to illustrate that innovation and change make us all better. Along with changes in production technologies have come better feeds and improved disease management techniques. Collectively, our industry’s contribution to feeding the world increases every year. This makes me immensely proud and I hope it does to you too. As we change as an industry, the type and scope of support and assistance we need also changes. The USDA-NASS Census of Aquaculture helps ensure we have the support that today’s industry needs. One last thought on the importance of the USDA-NASS Census of Aquaculture. I would venture to say that most, if not all of us in academia are well acquainted with how beneficial the survey data can be. We regularly use these census data as justification when preparing grant proposals and making decisions in extension and outreach programming. I will encourage those of us in academia to reach out to our industry partners to encourage them to participate in the Census of Aquaculture, and thank those that already did so. We are stronger when we are all working together and having the best data possible can help. My final thought as I close out this column is to acknowledge that students are our future. They bring their energy, ideas and idealismwith themwhen they come to work with us, both in academia and industry. They are drivers of the innovations that benefit us all, spending long hours in the lab doing the research, finding the answers and ultimately changing the very industry we have spent our careers on. I would ask that, over the next year, think of some ways that we can do more to engage our students and increase their participation in the USAS. I believe that we owe them this much at least. For those not familiar with what USAS is doing nowwith and for our student members, check out the freshly redesigned USAS website to get more information. In brief, we offer a range of opportunities for students to win cash awards, conference registration assistance and to participate in field trips and other special opportunities during our annual conferences. But let me ask you this, what else can we do to invest in our student members to ensure they remain actively involved in our industry? Please reach out to me directly if you have any ideas you would like to share. You can e-mail me at dmcintosh@desu.edu with your ideas or pull me aside at Aquaculture America 2021 in San Antonio later this summer. —Dennis McIntosh, President U. S. Aquacult ure Soci e t y, continued from page 11 officer of the MOF. The term of office is three years, from 2021 to 2024. Mr. Han has held significant positions such as Marine Environment Division Director, National Maritime Research Institute, Maritime Industry Policy Officer, Central Maritime Safety Tribunal and Planning Coordination Office. Based on his extensive experience and expertise, Mr. Han is expected to contribute significantly to the conservation of the marine environment by raising the organizational status of the KOEM and actively promoting current issues such as 2050 carbon neutrality and marine debris reduction. — Ik Kyo Chung, President