World Aquaculture Magazine - March 2021

WWW.WA S .ORG • WORLD AQUACULTURE • MARCH 2021 47 Survey Results After GLAD 2020, we sent a digital, ten-question survey to registered participants to assess the importance and usefulness of each session and to gather input for future GLAC events (Table 1). Of the 262 registrants, 108 individuals were online during the live event and, of those 108 participants, the survey response rate was 32 percent. Of those who responded to the survey, 37 percent worked in the aquaculture industry, 46 percent worked in education/ academia, 14 percent joined as interested citizens and 2 percent were government employees. An attendant’s role or length of time in each role (academic, industry, interested citizen, or government employee) did not affect how useful respondents found each session (Chi-Square analysis). The relevance of the themes of fish health and disease, regulations and COVID-19 impacts emphasized during GLAD presentations were further reinforced in the survey question, “What topics would you like to learn more about that may or may not have been covered during the Great Lakes Aquaculture Day?” The open-ended responses we received mainly related to fish health, business failures and a desire for more expert information on system limitations. The most enlightening feedback for the event committee was in answers to the question: “The following sessions provided information on aquaculture for me that was: 1) not at all useful, 2) slightly useful, 3) moderately useful, 4) very useful, or 5) extremely useful” (measured on a 5-point Likert scale). Overall, 50 percent of respondents indicated that each of the 12 sessions was either “very useful” or “extremely useful (Fig. 1).” Using the Likert scale mean score (range from 1 to 5) to determine “usefulness,” the three most useful sessions to participants were: 1) “Current challenges and potential solutions in the Great Lakes region: A panel discussion” (Fig. 2; 4.32), 2) “Technical expertise and professional development for aquaculture in the Great Lakes region: A panel discussion” (4.26), and 3) the “Aquaculture system types in the north central region” video (Fig. 3; 4.21). In terms of virtual event format, approximately 80 percent of respondents indicated that the distribution of speakers, panels, ( C O N T I N U E D O N P A G E 4 8 ) FIGURE 1. Survey results indicating the usefulness of each session during the 2020 Great Lakes Aquaculture Day (survey response rate = 38 percent). FIGURE 2. Screenshot of panel discussion on “Current Challenges and Potential Solutions in the Great Lakes Region.” Moderator: Dr. Lauren Jescovitch, Michigan Sea Grant. Panelists: Myron Kebus, Aquaculture Veterinarian at Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Alex Tsappis, U.S. Aquaculture Business Manager at Alltech, and Bill West, Owner of Blue Iris Fish Farm. FIGURE 3. Screenshot of presenter Emma Wiermaa, an Aquaculture Outreach Specialist at the UW-Stevens Point Northern Aquaculture Demonstration Facility and Wisconsin Sea Grant, sharing her video on an overview of aquaculture system types in the North-Central Region. FIGURE 4. Screenshot during the judging of the live Student Cooking Challenge. Winner: Stoyna Novakova featuring trout from Spring Valley Trout Farm ( http://springvalleytroutfarm.com/ ) in her Korean Miso and Honey Glazed Trout. Runner-ups: Cassidy Spencer featuring The Ocean’s Friend Aquaculture (http://www.tofaqua.com/ ) shrimp in her Asian Shrimp and Grapefruit Salad, and Michael Hatten featuring the Lake Superior State University for Freshwater Research and Education (https://www.lssu . edu/cfre/hatchery/) for his Atlantic Salmon with Ginger Garlic Glaze and Brussel Sprouts. Moderators: Elliot Nelson, Michigan Sea Grant, and Dr. Titus Seilheimer, Wisconsin Sea Grant. Judges: Chef Jeff Igel, Fox Valley Technical College Culinary Arts Instructor, and Dr. Amy Schrank, University of Minnesota Sea Grant.