As I take on the first “trimester” of my nine-month presidential term, I feel very optimistic about the future of our Society. For the first time, I joined all WAS Chapters, not only so that I would not miss anything interesting, but also to gain some perspective on the priorities of members in different parts of the world. The successful implementation of Chapter Secretariats for the Asian-Pacific and Latin American and Caribbean Chapters has greatly improved the flow of information among our members and also infused new ideas and energy into the Society. The use of multiple languages among members is an obvious challenge in making WAS truly international. Yet, this obstacle seems less daunting now that both technological and human resources are being engaged to make WAS information more accessible in different languages at our conferences, on our websites and in our publications. This initiative is a critical part of effective communication and broad participation among current and potential members of WAS, as well as with the public.

Much of the work of our Society is accomplished through committees and I feel fortunate to have very capable and enthusiastic members chairing and staffing all of our committees this year. The committees and their respective members are featured on our web page. We are making an effort to include seasoned WAS members with a long institutional memory, along with newer members who can bring novel ideas and enthusiasm to the committees. With this approach, newer members make valuable new contacts and gain a track record of WAS service, which will enhance their future chances of being elected to the Board. I encourage all WAS members to become actively engaged in the Society by participating in committee activities. You gain a much deeper insight into WAS through committee service than you can by simply attending conferences (and committee membership is free!).

As many members know, the Publications Committee has tackled some very difficult issues over the past few years, with recent efforts focused primarily on the journal. There was a critical need to identify a new Executive Editor for the Journal and to bring JWAS in line with evolving expectations of our members. In Jeju, a major component of the JWAS re-invigoration plan was put into place with identification of Carole Engle as the new Executive Editor. Carole brings an extensive background and expertise in publishing and editing to the position, and has proposed several new ideas to help poise JWAS for renewed success. For instance, she will pursue revenue streams to help make the journal more profitable. In addition, she is developing JWAS Best Article awards, similar to that for World Aquaculture magazine. The awards will encourage and recognize the submission of high-quality journal articles. Finally the process of identifying experienced and motivated Associate Editors is underway. This network of support will be critical for JWAS to increase its impact factor, partly by soliciting review articles on timely topics from highly respected authorities in our field.

In making this transition, it is important to recognize the tremendous dedication of Carl Webster, who has stayed on in the role of Executive Editor long after he expressed a desire to step down from the position. His insight and experience were invaluable in reshaping our vision for JWAS and we owe him a great deal of thanks for his tenacity during this arduous process.

Another major initiative that will fall to the current Board is the update of our Strategic Plan. This document embodies our goals and strategies and outlines actions needed to achieve them. It is a critical part of identifying and addressing WAS priorities over time. Although we make minor revisions to the plan as tasks are completed each year, a major re-examination of our priorities and activities is undertaken every five years. An ad hoc committee was formed to focus on this plan update, with Graham Mair (our Immediate Past President) chairing the committee. The punishment fits the crime, as Graham was the major author of the first “living” strategic plan designed to map specific committee activities to overall WAS goals and objectives.

The relatively new ad hoc Communications Committee is a very ambitious group charged with identifying means of improving information flow within our Society, to other professional and industry groups and also to the general public. Given the mind-boggling array of available communication methods and the types of information that may interest different target audiences, this will be a major undertaking. However, providing consistent, accurate and current information on aquaculture to these different groups is one of our primary missions.

The Promotion and Membership Committee is large and diverse, with membership reflecting all geographical regions where WAS has current and potential new members. This committee will continue to build on earlier successful initiatives to increase membership in areas such as India, China and Africa, and to propose ways to enhance the value of WAS membership.

Complementary activities are being pursued by the Affiliations Committee, which is retooling agreements with other professional organizations that seek mutually beneficial relationships with WAS. Although affiliates are not necessarily WAS members, a positive association with WAS and increased awareness of our merits could attract new members.

The Industry Relations committee is working to increase industry participation in key Society events such as conferences, workshops and many other WAS committee activities. The very successful Aquaforum held in conjunction with WA 2015 in Jeju is an example of how workshops focused on industry can add value to WAS events and membership. It was rather telling that we had record low attendance at the WAS Business meeting, which happened to overlap the Aquaforum!

The Student Activities Committee is a dynamic group that blends the talents of current and future aquaculture professionals to address Society needs. They are systematically assessing and refining the application and judging procedures for student awards. These awards are an excellent way for students to gain early career recognition and mentoring opportunities. Working closely with that group, the Awards Committee is developing a new award in honor of Mudnakudu C. Nandeesha, and is actively soliciting nominations for the existing Honorary Life, Exemplary Service and Fellows awards. Likewise, the Election committee is seeking nominations for dedicated individuals who are willing and able to make a substantial commitment to WAS through Board service. We are seeking candidates for President-Elect, Secretary and two Directors.

Committees focused on Finance and Long-range Planning, as well as Policies, Rules and Regulations are developing a policy to enable WAS to make robust, well-informed financial decisions under different economic scenarios. The Policies Committee is also in the initial stages of developing a distinctive brand for WAS, which will be essential for marketing the many attributes of our Society to different user groups.

As always, Carol and Judy (Home Office), Mario Stael, and the Cooksey clan play vital roles in planning, facilitating and coordinating our numerous and varied WAS activities. I will continue to rely on their guidance and that of fellow Board members, Past Presidents and Fellows to help lead WAS. However, broad engagement of the full membership is the real key to ensuring the growth, health and future of our Society.

— Rebecca Lochmann, President