2 MARCH 2026 • WORLD AQUACULTURE • WWW.WAS.ORG Contents (continued) 2 President’s Column 3 Editor’s Note 4 Latin American and Caribbean Chapter Report 7 USAS Chapter Report 8 Asian Pacific Chapter Report 10 African Chapter Report 14 Korean Chapter Report 80 Conference Calendar 81 Future Conferences and Expositions 82 Membership Application President’s Column babies, new cars, and the ever-present fishing trip pictures. In Las Vegas, one such personal connection took center stage for me when I, as the current WAS President, was honored to recognize my research collaborator and dear friend, Dr. Michael Schwarz, as the 2025 WAS Fellow Award recipient. Beyond these personal moments, Aquaculture America also provided an important setting for our Society’s leadership work. The same spirit of collaboration that filled the conference rooms carried into the WAS Midyear Board Meeting held in conjunction with the event. I was honored to preside over this meeting, which continued to better define our governance and operations. Substantial progress was made in updating our Policy, Rules, and Regulations and in finalizing our strategic plan. And, I was truly inspired by the Board’s engagement and strong commitment to new initiatives that can maintain membership value and ensure the continued success of WAS in shaping the future of aquaculture. As the lights of the Strip and Aquaculture America fade behind us, we turn our attention toward Singapore and the opportunities that await us June 2–6. I invite you to reflect on the meaningful connections you’ve made at WAS meetings and to recognize how these relationships and shared experiences shape our collective work. The future of aquaculture is built not only in our research and innovations, but in the moments of collaboration and community we create together. Thank you for your ongoing dedication to the World Aquaculture Society. I am grateful to be part of this collective journey and look forward to continuing to serve you in the months ahead. — Wendy Sealey, President PS: Any resemblance of Dr. Schwarz to the “fictional” crazy uncle described above is purely coincidental. What Happened in Vegas… Shaping Aquaculture’s Future Through Connection The marketing phrase “What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas” has been used for the last 20 years or so to encourage visitors to come to Las Vegas and enjoy the city without fear of their activities being shared outside of the city. But for the global aquaculture community, what happened in Las Vegas when the U.S. Aquaculture Society held Aquaculture America there February 16–19, 2026, definitely shouldn’t stay in Las Vegas. What do I mean, you might ask? As members of the World Aquaculture Society, we know that conferences are far more than a venue for presenting research papers. They are catalysts. They are where early-stage ideas evolve into collaborative projects, where students meet mentors, where new technologies find practical applications, and where old assumptions are challenged. Las Vegas was an appropriate backdrop for this process. Producing more seafood with fewer resources, adapting to environmental fluctuations, developing new feeds, advancing genetics, and expanding sustainable production systems all require creativity and risk-taking. That is why what happened at Aquaculture America in Las Vegas matters. The presentations we attended, the discussions in hallways, the questions asked after a talk, and even the chance encounters over coffee sparked solutions that can shape the future of aquaculture far beyond the conference venue. On a more personal note, I am reminded that World Aquaculture Society meetings can often feel less like I’m shaping aquaculture and more like I’m attending a family reunion—where my weird uncle always laughs too loud, stands too close, and steals all the shrimp appetizers at the President’s Reception. World Aquaculture Society meetings are where conversations shift seamlessly from introductions of new colleagues and research projects to personal life updates about kids’ college choices, new I invite you to reflect on the meaningful connections you’ve made at WAS meetings and to recognize how these relationships and shared experiences shape our collective work. The future of aquaculture is built not only in our research and innovations, but in the moments of collaboration and community we create together.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MjExNDY=