SERA-IEG-9 Annual Meeting Minutes
March 18-20, 1995 
Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama

Sunday, March 18, 1995

The program started with an afternoon tour of two commercial aquacultural facilities near Montgomery, Alabama. One facility was a state-of-the-art catfish hatchery including, fingerling growout, foodfish production, and fee-fishing. The other was one of the largest sportfish hatcheries in the Southeast; producing bass, bream (2 species), grass carp, hybrid striped bass, bighead carp, paddlefish, and several other species. 

A social gathering was held at the Quality Inn University Center in the evening. 

Monday, March 19, 1995

The session was opened by Dr. Michael Masser, Auburn. Dr. Masser thanked his co-hosts Drs. John Jensen, Jerry Crews, and Leonard Lovshin for assisting with program preparations and coordination. Dr. Masser introduced Dr. James E. Marion, Dean of the College of Agriculture, who welcomed the group to Auburn and Auburn University. Auburn agricultural administrators were also introduced. Following Dean Marion, Dr. Russell Muntifering (SERA-IEG-9 Experiment Station Co-Administrative Advisor, Auburn University) and Dr. David Foster (SERA-IEG-9 Extension Co-Administrative Advisor, University of Arkansas) welcomed the group and charged them to think about priorities for research and extension needs within the designated work groups. 

Dr. Masser pointed out that copies of research and extension summaries from all institutions (e.g., Universities, ARS, and NBS) whom had responded to his request were in the registration packet. SERA-IEG-9 participants who had hand-carried their institutions summaries were encouraged to hand-in theirs so that they could be duplicated and passed out. Dr. Masser also passed out information sheets to be filled out by the group for the purpose of developing a brochure/listing that would identify scientists involved in aquaculture research and extension throughout the Southern region. 

The general session program on three current topics in aquaculture was presented to the group. Mr. Brian Perkins, AU Marine Extension and Research Center, discussed "HAACP - Where are we now?", FDA's seafood inspection program. Dr. Frank Boyd, State Director for USDA Animal Damage Control at Auburn, reported on "ADC – Are bird control methods working?" in relationship to bird depredation of aquaculture facilities. Dr. LaDon Swann, Purdue University, demonstrated “AquaNIC - The information Highway" an aquacultural electronic information service housed at Purdue University. 

Information Exchange Groups (IEGs) that met included: Economics/Marketing, Engineering, Genetics, Nutrition, Alternative Culture Methods, Shellfish, Water Quality/Effluents, Alternative Species, Food Safety, and Parasites and Diseases. Reports from each group were presented on the following day. 

Late afternoon activities included a tour and research highlights at the Auburn University Aquacultural Research Center, followed by an evening fish fry/social. 

Tuesday, March 20. 1995

Dr. Hank Parker, Director - Office of Aquaculture: USDA, reported on the reorganization of USDA. Included in this were the closure of 1100 field offices and the elimination of 14 of 43 USDA agencies. USDA will also merge the CSRS and ES into CSREES (Cooperative State Research, Extension, and Education Service) and the three aquaculture staff members will be housed together. 

Dr. Gerald Shepherd reported on the status of SRAC (Southern Regional Aquaculture Center) projects. Included in the report were summaries of projects in progress and upcoming projects and the RAC's reports to Congress. The SRAC Technical Committee and Industrial Advisory Committee were to meet, at Auburn, immediately following the SERA-IEG-9 meeting. 

Dr. Jaw-Kai Wang (University of Hawaii) and Dr. LaDon Swann, (Purdue University) reported on aquacultural extension and research activities in their regions, respectively. Invited representatives from the Northeastern or Western Regions were not present. 

Mr. Bo Collins reported on the proposed transfer of the Stuttgart, AR - NBS (National Biological Service, Dept. of Interior) Fish Farming Experimental Laboratory to USDA. Dr. Les Torrans reported on the same proposed transfer of the Marion, AL - NBS Southeastern Fish Cultural Laboratory to USDA. If these transfers or not made the labs will in all probability close as of October 1, 1995. 

At the end of the reports Dr. Masser canvassed participants about the format of the meeting, in an effort to enhance future meetings. The general consensus was that the attendees liked the divided IEGs in 3 grouping so that more that one IEG could be attended but wanted more time in each group (i.e., 1:15 was not long enough). The attendees also like the written reports that had been turned in by institutions (attending and non-attending) and would like to expand that into reports from the RAC's.

The University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff volunteered to be the site of the 1996 SERA-IEG-9 meeting. The meeting will be held in March.


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