WWW.WAS.ORG • WORLD AQUACULTURE • DECEMBER 2025 55 • The Subcommittee on Women in Aquaculture supports the advancement of Caribbean women in research, entrepreneurship, and leadership. • A regional networking platform was developed to connect all aquaculture stakeholders across the Caribbean—students, teachers, researchers, farmers, and entrepreneurs. The Caribbean Aquaculture Network Several years before the CAEIH was launched, in November 2021 the Caribbean Aquaculture Network was conceived and became the first net aquaculture network brought to a global audience through the Zoom platform. A virtual Aquaculture Network is essential for the Caribbean, where geographical distance between islands often limits collaboration and access to timely information. Establishing a regional network is one of the fastest and most effective ways to share knowledge, foster innovation, and build partnerships in aquaculture. Networking, whether formal or informal, encourages the exchange of ideas and best practices among people with shared interests, helping to break down silos within the industry. In the Caribbean, many aquaculture farmers operate in isolation. The culture of competitiveness and reliance on limited, often anecdotal, knowledge discourages collaboration and slows the industry’s growth. This fragmented approach makes it difficult for the region to compete with more advanced aquaculture sectors in Asia and Europe, which benefit from strong research, infrastructure, and information-sharing networks. Before 2020, digital tools like Zoom and social media were not widely used across the region. Today, even rural farmers have smartphones and internet access, opening the door to virtual engagement. The Caribbean Aquaculture Network (CAN) was created to bridge these gaps by connecting aquaculturists, researchers, entrepreneurs, and policymakers across islands and internationally. Through platforms like Zoom and social media, CAN fosters collaboration, supports innovation, and helps Caribbean aquaculture grow as a unified, competitive, and sustainable sector. Gender and Youth Inclusion In 2023, Women in Caribbean Aquaculture (WiCA) was founded to increase the participation of women in aquaculture and to support those already contributing to the sector. Given that women make up the majority of science students in the Caribbean, WiCA was established to showcase their achievements, foster leadership skills, and inspire the next generation of aquaculture professionals. WiCA is led by Caribbean women scientists committed to advancing aquaculture in the region. While the group celebrates its Caribbean roots, it is inclusive of all women, regardless of birthplace, who are dedicated to the development of Caribbean aquaculture. Its members include experts in marine conservation, farming, aquaculture engineering, education, aquatic veterinary medicine, fish nutrition, feed manufacturing, governance, and entrepreneurship. Through an integrated approach, WiCA collaborates with CAEIH, governments, academia, communities, the private sector, and international agencies to incorporate Aquaculture Sciences into STEM curricula at both secondary and tertiary levels. The shared vision is to bridge the region’s technical knowledge gap by empowering a new generation of scientists to develop sustainable marine seafood solutions and produce nutritious aquatic animals and plants for local communities. The Need for a Paradigm Shift Aquaculture in the Caribbean has long been framed around large pond systems that demand extensive land, water, and financial resources, requirements often unattainable for Small Island Developing States (SIDS). This outdated model limits local capacity, excludes many potential practitioners, and fails to align with the region’s ecological, economic, and spatial realities. There is an urgent need for a paradigm shift in how aquaculture is taught, practiced, and innovated across the Caribbean. Education and training must move toward scalable, space-efficient systems like mariculture and aquaponics that are better suited for small islands. Local scientists must be equipped with skills to advance the cultivation of low-trophic, low-cost species such as seaweed, shellfish, and herbivorous fish, which do not require large land footprints or high feed inputs. These systems offer sustainable solutions that are both environmentally and economically viable. Moreover, fostering innovation, entrepreneurship, and community-based models, especially those that support women and youth, can transform aquaculture into a key driver of food security, climate resilience, and economic opportunity. Research institutions and training programs must prioritize applied research, creative problem-solving, and business development skills to prepare a new generation of Caribbean aquaculture leaders. Path Forward CAEIH is dedicated to supporting regional engagement of women and youth in aquaculture to meet long-term goals for food security, climate resilience, and sustainable livelihoods. Through collaborative research, curriculum development, training, and outreach, CAEIH is building the foundation for a strong, diverse, and forward-looking Caribbean aquaculture sector. This initiative is particularly timely given the region’s strong educational achievements. Together, we are planning the way forward, investing in science education, empowering youth, and promoting environmentally sustainable practices for the future of Caribbean aquaculture. In summary, aquaculture in the Caribbean must evolve beyond land-intensive systems to embrace a more inclusive, innovative, and island-adapted future anchored by education, research, and a commitment to sustainable development. Notes Juli-Anne Royes Russo Ph.D.,* Caribbean Aquaculture Education and Innovation Hub, Via Monte Roncone, Allumiere 00051, Italy * Corresponding author: caribbeanaquaculturen876@gmail.com References FAO. 2022. The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture 2022. Towards Blue Transformation. Rome, FAO. https://doi.org/10.4060/ cc0461en Fish farmers of the Caribbean: Wealth of potential for aquaculture in the Caribbean. Science Daily. January 10, 2019 UN Environmental Program. Nature Action: Restoring the Caribbean to the paradise that it used to be https://www.unep.org/ news-and-stories/story/restoring-caribbean-paradise-it-used-be
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