USAS President's Column

LaDon Swann

Mississippi-AlabamaSea Grant Consortium

Auburn University Department of Fisheries and Allied Aquaculture

251-861-3018

The United States Aquaculture Society (USAS), a chapter of the World Aquaculture Society (WAS), has a diverse membership. This year we have 933 full members and 3 e-members of the 1,412 WAS members with U.S. mailing addresses.

One goal of the current USAS Officers and Board of Directors is to increase the size of the USAS to over 1,000 members. The only way we will be able to convince eligible WAS members to join USAS is by providing unique services or programs to our USAS members. One often overlooked benefit is the opportunity to recognize USAS members through one of three prestigious special achievement awards.

  1. The Distinguished Early Career Award recognizes an individual who has been involved in U.S. aquaculture for 10 years or less. This award recognizes outstanding leadership or innovation in research, education, extension, or industry development in the field of aquaculture. The award specifically emphasizes significant personal contributions made to further advance U.S.aquaculture.
  2. The Distinguished Service Award recognizes an individual who has made outstanding personal contributions to the U.S. WAS Chapter and/or the U.S. aquaculture industry. This award emphasizes significant leadership and overall impact in research, education, extension, or industry development in the field of aquaculture.
  3. The Distinguished Lifetime Achievement Award recognizes an individual who has made contributions and broad impacts throughout his/her career to aquaculture in the United States through research, education, extension and/or industry development. This award recognizes a longtime commitment of service to aquaculture that is deemed highly significant and enduring.

Nominations for awards are solicited from USAS members with a call for nominations in the Chapter’s first newsletter of the year (nominations are currently open). The Award committee, chaired by the Vice President, will review all nominations received and submit recommendations to the Executive Board for final approval. The Executive Board, in consultation with the Awards' Committee, will determine annually whether any awards will be bestowed. All nominations must include three letters of recommendations that address the specific contributions of the nominee corresponding to each award’s criteria and biographical information. All awards will be bestowed during the Plenary Session at the annual conferences involving the USAS. All awards will include a plaque and complementary registration for the conference at which any award is presented.

All the above information is pretty straightforward. What is puzzling to the USAS Board is the limited number of nominations submitted each year. We know there are highly qualified candidates for each award within the ranks of our membership. For example, during Aquaculture 2004 last winter in Hawaii, the USAS bestowed the Distinguished Early Career Award on Dr. John Hargreaves at LouisianaStateUniversity for the leadership he has provided in addressing aquaculture effluents and sustainable shrimp aquaculture. The USAS also recognized Dr. Ron Malone, at LouisianaStateUniversity with the Lifetime Achievement Award for his pioneering work with biofiltration in recirculating aquaculture systems. There was no Distinguished Service Award given.

At Aquaculture America 2005 in New Orleans the USAS would very much like to recognize its members through our achievement awards program. The only way we can do that is through a nomination by one of our USAS members. You have time, but please do not pass on this opportunity.