National Aquaculture Extension Conferences (NAECs) are interregional projects funded by the USDA-supported Regional Aquaculture Centers (USDA RACs). NAECs provide the only dedicated national aquaculture Extension event that allows participants to present programs and trainings, tour aquaculture operations and exchange information and network. Conferences have been held in Little Rock, AR (1992), Annapolis, MD (1997), Tucson AZ (2003), Cincinnati OH (2007), Memphis, TN (2011) , Boise, ID (2017) and Portland, ME (2022) . Both NOAA Sea Grant and the USDA RACs provided funding for the 2017 and 2022 NAECs . During the COVID-19 pandemic, the first virtual NAvEC was hosted by the University of Maine Sea Grant Program in June 2021, when an in-person meeting had originally been scheduled. Approximately 160 aquaculture professionals participated virtually over three days. An A griculture and Food Research Initiative grant was secured by Dr. Reggie Harrell, Northern Regional Aquaculture Center Director to fund speakers travel for the 2022 NAEC Mentoring and Diversity training session.
2022 NAEC survey evaluation comments were largely favorable . Of the 77 attendees , 32 surveys were collected (42%). Day one se ssions rated in percentage of most interest included: Aquaculture Literacy (74%, 27 respondents ), Aquaculture Marketing (86%, 28 respondents) , and Aquaculture and the Environment (93%, 28 respondents) . The day one poster session reviews were more mixed with 52% more favorable and 48% neutral to less favorable from 27 respondents. Damariscotta River and Portland waterfront and Casco Bay field trips on day two received 100% positive reviews , however only 14 and 11 attendees responded, respectively. Day three sessions including Shellfish and Finfish Production was rated positively with 94%, from 30 respondents , and You th, Education and Skills from 93% and 29 respondents. The Professional Development session received more mixed reviews with 60% positive and 50% neutral to less positive from 30 respondents. The fourth half day session on Mentoring and Diversity received 83% positive reviews with 17% neutral and less positive scores from 23 respondents.
Hotel accommodations, receptions and meals were generally reviewed favorably . All 26 respondents were in favor of a proposed 2027 NAEC to be held in Duluth, MN.