WWW.WAS.ORG • WORLD AQUACULTURE • SEPTEMBER 2024 13 project. This quarter, the committee also hosted a virtual student subunit happy hour and created a student subunits page on the Aquaculture Information Exchange. They are also exploring the idea of regional subunits, which would allow surrounding institutions and students to get involved with new or pre-existing subunits, without requiring them to meet the criteria to form a subunit of their own. If you’re a student and want to know what Student Activities exist and how you can get involved reach out to Board Director Adriane Michaelis (contact information at the “leadership” link above). This quarter has also brought to light how important it is that USAS has existing and accessible historical records. With assistance from many of the Past Presidents, as well as others, members of the board are exploring the best way to build and maintain this important institutional knowledge. If any reader has access to resources they think could aid in this endeavor please don’t hesitate to reach out to myself or President-Elect Mick Walsh. As always, we would like our focus to reflect the needs of the membership. The Promotion and Membership Outreach Committee has written an article summarizing the 2024 USAS membership survey results. You can expect to see this article published in this, or an upcoming, issue of WAS Magazine. It is our intention to use this feedback to guide our activities. But don’t stop the conversation there. Why are you (or aren’t you!) a member of the USAS? What else should we be doing as a Society? Think big and let’s talk. — Abigail Bockus, President U.S. Aquaculture Society As fall approaches, the US Aquaculture Society Board is pleased to share what we’ve been working on this summer. The Webinars Subcommittee will be hosting a webinar on Social Dimensions in Aquaculture in late September. Keep a look out for the registration email coming soon. It’s also time to submit your abstract and register for the 2025 Triennial Aquaculture conference being held in New Orleans, Louisiana USA from March 6-10. The abstract deadline is September 30, 2024. Students! Be sure and get your abstract submitted in time to be eligible for our Student Travel Awards, with over $10,000 available in student support. The Continuing Education Workshops Subcommittee has also helped organize a pre-conference workshop on RAS Systems Design. If you’re interested in participating sign up during the online conference https://www.was.org/Meeting/code/AQ2025. The Student Awards Committee is still recruiting sponsors to support student participation at the Aquaculture conference. Please contact our Vice President, Allen Pattillo if you’re interested in becoming a new or continuing sponsor at https://www.usaquaculture. org/our-leadership. A complete list of previous student award winners from 2015-2024 has also been added to the USAS website. One of the top priorities of the Board is supporting our students and I’d like to extend special appreciation to all the members that spend their time, energy, and expertise helping us encourage our young professionals. In line with this mission, the Student Subunits Committee will be offering a new $1,000 award in support of a student subunit CHAPTER REPORTS (CONTINUED ON PAGE 68) WAS’s continued important role in information and technology exchange, policy development and collaborations in aquaculture as key factors for sustainable aquaculture development. During the last decade FAO and WAS have strengthened their collaboration as seen through FAO’s improved presence in regional events organized by WAS globally. In turn, WAS has contributed directly or indirectly to many committees, providing not only technical expertise but a diverse, plural, and inclusive perspective. WAS has actively WAS participates at FAO’s 36th Committee on Fisheries (COFI) Meeting, Rome Italy Blessing Mapfumo and Antonio Garza de Yta The WAS participated at the FAO’s 36th Session of the Committee on Fisheries (COFI36) - the largest global gathering of policymakers, experts and partners dealing with key issues affecting fisheries and aquaculture. This year’s session, which took place 8-12 July 2024 had more than 960 participants, almost 700 of whom were present in person, representing largely COFI member countries. The WAS was amongst the 84 observer organizations present. Dr. Antonio Garza de Yta (WAS Past President) delivered a speech congratulating FAO, and all its members for the successful hosting of the Session. He highlighted WAS Past-President Antonio Garza de Yta delivered a speech highlighting WAS’s role in sustainable aquaculture development.
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