CAREER DEVELOPMENT IN AQUACULTURE: FOLLOWING YOUR PASSION  

Aquaculture, the farming of aquatic plants and animals, is the aquatic branch of agriculture. However, whereas aquaculture is recognized as an important food production sector within most Asian countries (Asia producing over 90% of global production), this is not necessarily the case in other regions, including Africa, the Americas, and most European countries, where aquaculture has little or no tradition and is usually viewed with environmental skepticism. As a consequence of the above, educational opportunities in aquaculture within these regions is usually very limited, and usually restricted to higher-degree University Institutions rather than to schools targeted toward lower aged students. Clearly, this must change as aquaculture is introduced into school text books and syllabuses on food production systems and human nutrition and health. The presentation follows the career development of the author from an initial passion for fish, to studying for his passion, to teaching his passion, to researching his passion, to finally implementing his passion from a base in Hawaii.