The World Aquaculture Society (sometimes, “we” or “us”) is committed to protecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy is important and we encourage you to carefully read it.

This Privacy Policy discloses how we collect, use and share information that we gather about you on the was.org website (the “Site”) and our software applications, mobile applications and other websites and services that reference or link to this Privacy Policy (together, the “Services”). This Privacy Policy also describes the choices you have regarding our use of and your ability to correct the information. The Services do not include websites, mobile applications or other services that link to another privacy policy.

1. How We Collect and Use Personal Data and Other Information

   In order to operate the Services, maximize your experience, and provide you with enhanced Services, we may collect and use information, some of which may be considered personal data. We collection information from and about you in the following ways:

   1. User Account Registration. When you choose to register a user account, you will be required to provide certain information about yourself. You will register using your e-mail address. You will need to add additional information to your account, including your first and last name, phone number, home address, and work address. If we can use this information, alone or in combination, to reasonably identify you as an individual, we treat the information as personal data.

              We use personal data that you provide to give you personalized treatment on the Services; to operate the Services; to analyze,         improve, enhance and fine tune our products and the Services; senting members our quarterly magazine and for any other purpose that is permitted by applicable law and consistent with this Privacy Policy.         

   2. Information Provided By You. You may also choose to provide us with information, some of which may be personal data, when you interact with the Services in the following ways:

      • Make a purchase from our online store. We require your delivery address to deliver the product you purchased;
      • Register for one of our many international meetings;
      • Submit an abstract for one of our meetings;
      • Submit an agreement to be an exhibitor at one of our meetings;
      • Send us an e-mail message or complete an inquiry form to receive additional information–for example, you might e-mail us with a question and we will use your e-mail address to respond to your inquiry;
      • Submit a comment, leave feedback, or send us a photo - for example if you review one of the items in our online store we require that you provide your name and email address to make sure you are a real person and not a spam robot;

   3. Automatic Collection. We also collect certain information through automated means. Some of the information we collect through automated means may, whether alone or combined with other data, be personal data. For example, we automatically collect:

      • Information about your device and device capabilities
      • Information about your device operating system
      • Information about your browser
      • Information about how you use the Services
      • Your activities on the Services
      • IP address
      • Mobile or Internet Carrier
      • Browser type
      • Browser identifier
      • Referring URL

      This information helps us to understand, analyze and measure how users use the Services; manage Services’ operations; deliver and measure the effectiveness of advertisements; help diagnose problems; recognize repeat visitors; and facilitate your access to and use of the Services.

   4. Location Information. We also collect location information through the Services so that we can offer you certain location-based services and conduct analytics to improve the Services. The way in which we collect location information is different depending on whether you are accessing the Services through a website or a mobile application.

      If you are accessing the Services through the Site, we use various technologies, including HTML5, to detect your location so that we can automatically show you the weather for your area, rather than some random location. Depending on browser type, your browser may inform you that the Site would like to collect your location and request your permission to do so. If you allow it, location information is then collected and may be stored locally on your device. If you decline the collection of location information, your location is not collected and you must manually enter your location.

      If you are accessing the Services through one of our mobile applications, the way we collect location information will differ depending on your mobile device’s operating system. If you decline to allow location information collection, your location is not collected and you may not recieve push notifications or selected to updates to your calendar may not work properly.

      Whether we can collect precise location information is controlled by your device’s operating system. Our collection methods include GPS, cellular network location and other location-based services.

   5. Alerts and Notifications. Certain Services offer you the ability to receive push notifications for meeting announcements. To provide these Services, we may need to collect device information, and mobile carrier information. If you no longer wish to receive these types of notifications, you may opt-out by turning them off within the settings of your mobile device or the particular Service for which you registered.

2. Data Collection Technologies and Consumer Choice

   1. Our Use of Cookies and Information Saved by Other Technologies

      We and third parties acting on our behalf use various technologies that help us to manage the operations of our Services and track usage behavior so that we can tailor information and advertisements to make your visits more enjoyable and meaningful. These data collection technologies include:

      • Cookies: Cookies are text files containing small amounts of information that are downloaded to your computer or mobile device when you visit a website and stored within your browser. Cookies are then sent back to the originating website on each subsequent visit to that website or to another website that recognizes those cookies. Some cookies on our Services collect IP and Mac addresses, which may be considered personal data in some jurisdictions. Cookies are useful because they allow a website to recognize a user’s device. If you have registered for a user account on the Site, these cookies may let us know who you are, may be necessary to access your account information, and may provide us with information that we will use to personalize the Services in accordance with your preferences. You can find more information about cookies at www.allaboutcookies.org.

      • Local Storage and Local Shared Objects: We use local shared objects (LSOs) such as Flash Cookies and local storage, such as HTML5 Local Storage, to enhance user experience by, for example, storing your user preferences and settings content on the Services. Local storage is similar to browser cookies but can store data more complex than simple text. By itself, local storage cannot do anything to or with the data stored on your device. Like cookies, local storage can only access personal data that you have provided on the Services. Various browsers may offer their own management tools for removing HTML5.

      Information that we collect via the data collection technologies described in this section may be linked to other information about you and may be personal data. We use the technologies described in this section, alone or in combination, to provide, manage and administer the Services, understand user behavior, target and measure the effectiveness of advertisements, help diagnose problems, recognize repeat visitors, track and analyze usage behavior and, facilitate your access to and use of the Services.

      Your browser, such as Edge,Internet Explorer, Chrome, Firefox and Safari, may allow you to manage your cookies and local storage. Because each browser is a little different, we encourage you to check your browsers’ “Help” feature to learn how to block cookies, how to receive notification of new cookies, and how to disable existing cookies. Please note, however, that without cookies you may not be able to take full advantage of all the Services and some parts of the Services may not function properly. For more information about cookies, please visit www.allaboutcookies.org/manage-cookies/.

   2. Use of Cookies by Third Parties for Analytics

      We contract with certain third parties that use data collection technologies to track, analyze and report data about the use of the Services and to analyze and optimize the performance of the Services. Information about these third parties is available at the following links:

      • Adobe: www.adobe.com/privacy.html
      • Google Analytics: www.google.com/analytics/learn/privacy.html

3. How We Share or Disclose Your Information

   One of the most valuable assets of our business is you. Except as described below, we do not rent or sell personal data about you with other people or non-affiliated companies.

   1. Third-Party Processors. When your personal data is collected on the Services, it may be shared with selected third parties who assist us with our business operations or in delivering you the features and functionality that you have requested (“Third-Party Processors”). These Third-Party Processors include companies that process credit card information, handle shipping for us, and deliver materials to you via e-mail or postal service, for example. Third-Party Processors are authorized to use the personal data that we provide to them only to carry out the service they are providing for us. We require the Third-Party Processors by contract to secure your personal data and maintain it so that it can be accessed when needed for future purposes. All such Third-Party Processors are contractually bound by us to keep the personal data confidential.

   2. Other Websites, Other Services, Plug-Ins and Links. Like many websites on the Internet and other Internet-based services, the Services may link to webpages located on websites or services maintained by various other entities. In some cases, you may navigate to pages of other websites that are framed with elements of the Services such as in the header or footer. In that case, the URL will identify the site you are visiting. In other cases, such as advertisements, you will be connecting to another site or service when you click on or otherwise activate those opportunities, including click-to-call, click-to-text, and click-to-e-mail opportunities. These other sites and services are not bound by our privacy policy, and we are not responsible for their information collection practices. The privacy policies of other organizations may differ from ours, for example, with respect to the level of security, use of cookies, and collection, use and disclosure of personal data.

      Some of the Services allow users to interface with other websites or services, including Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest. For example, plug-ins, such as Facebook’s “Like” button, “Comments” and “Facebook Connect” can connect Facebook, Twitter or other third party services identifiable by their respective logos to the Services. You will remain logged in to those other sites and services until you log off. By proceeding with these interfaces, you allow the Services to access your information on those other sites and services, and you are agreeing to those other sites’ and services’ terms of use and privacy policies. Once you log into those other sites and services, the content you post on those other sites and services may also post to the Services. Your use of those other sites and services is subject to the privacy policies of those sites and services, and not this Privacy Policy.  

      Some of the Services use third-party operating systems, platforms, communication services, devices, and software elements (such as mobile device operating systems, wireless services, mobile phone and tablet devices), and some of the Services are provided by third-party distributors, device makers, device operators, platform operators, and communication services. We do not control these third-party entities, products and services, and they may collect, use, process, transmit and disclose your information. For example, these third-party entities, products and services may gather information from the Services in a manner that overrides your settings and preferences in the Services. As we do not control of these third-parties’ data handling practices, we recommend that you review their privacy policies, terms of use and license agreements (if any).

4. Other Limitations on Privacy

   We, our affiliates, or our Third-Party Processors may disclose your personal data without your permission (i) pursuant to judicial or other government subpoenas, warrants, or orders or otherwise to comply with law; (ii) where we believe the rights, property or an individual’s safety or security is at risk; (iii) if we find that your actions violate our Terms of Use or any of our other legal rights; or (iv) where otherwise required or permitted by applicable law (which may include a lawful access request by US or foreign courts, governments or law enforcement agencies).

5. Opting-Out, Access, Corrections and Cancellations

   We will retain your information for as long as your account is active or as needed to provide the Services. We will retain and use your information as necessary to comply with our legal obligations, resolve disputes, and enforce our agreements. If you have registered a user account with us, you may reset your password, update your personal data, correct information, delete your account or opt-out of certain Services, by accessing your account or you may contact us directly at Feedback, subject to certain exceptions prescribed by law.

   You may have the right to access, update, and correct inaccuracies in certain of your personal data in our custody and control, subject to certain exceptions prescribed by law. You may request to access, update and correct inaccuracies in personal data we have in our custody or control by writing to us at the contact information set out below. We may request certain personal information for the purposes of verifying the identity of the individual seeking access to his or her personal information records.

6. Minors’ Privacy and Submissions

   We are committed to protecting the safety and privacy of young people using the Internet. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children under age 13. We believe that children should get their parents’ or guardians’ consent before giving out any personal data. If you become aware that we have collected personal data from a child without parental consent, please notify us promptly at Feedback. If we become aware that a child under age 13 has provided us with personal data without parental consent, we will take steps to remove such personal data.

   If you are a California resident under age 18 and are a registered user of any of the Services, then you may request that we remove any Submissions that you publicly posted on or in the Services. To request removal of a Submission, please send an email with a detailed description of the specific Submission to was.online.store@was.org. We reserve the right to request that you provide information that will enable us to confirm that the Submission that you want removed was created and posted by you.

   We will make a good faith effort to delete or remove your Submission from public view as soon as reasonably practicable. Please note, however, that your request that we delete your Submission does not ensure complete or comprehensive removal of your Submission. Your Submission may remain on backup media, cached or otherwise retained by us for administrative or legal purposes or your Submission may remain publicly available if you or someone else has forwarded or re-posted your Submission on another website or service prior to its deletion. We may be required by law to not remove or allow removal of your Submission.

7. International Transfer

       The Services are hosted on servers inside the United States.  If you are located in the European Union or elsewhere outside of the United States, information that     we collect (including through cookies) will be processed and stored in the United States.  The EU requirements of the GDPR apply to the way we treat the data of every user in our system.  By using our Services and providing information to use, you consent to the transfer to and processing of information in the United States.     

8. Our Commitment to Security

   We have put in place physical, electronic and managerial procedures intended to protect your data. Of course, we cannot guarantee that your communications with the Services will never be unlawfully intercepted or that your personal data will never be unlawfully accessed by third parties. Any transmission of information is at your own risk.

9. Changes to the Privacy Policy

   We reserve the right to change our Privacy Policy as business needs require. If we decide to change our Privacy Policy, we will post those changes here prior to the time they take effect. If we make material changes to the way we use personal data, affected users who have provided us with an e-mail address will be notified via e-mail.

   The World Aquaculture Society
   PO Box 397
   Sorrento, LA 70778 (USA)
   Telephone: +1 225 347-5408
   was.online.store@was.org

Effective May 24, 2018