I recently took office as the CAA President at our Board of Directors meeting in Las Vegas. It is the second time in 30 years that I have been honored with this responsibility and I am proud to accept with the same dedication that inspired my predecessors. I am here to serve the CAA for the next two years and lead it forward through the issues that constantly arise as we practice and encourage aquaculture in California. I hope that you share with me my personal belief that aquaculture has a bright future in California if we rise to the challenges and opportunities that we face.
I am very pleased to announce to you that our organization has two new faces that have stepped up to the plate to serve CAA. Ali Bolourchi has been elected by the board to replace Don Crain and Peter Struffenegger (co-treasurers) as CAA Treasurer. Cameron Eglington is serving as a proxy in his father Mark’s absence until Cameron can be elected to the board by the CAA membership. Ali and Cameron represent a new generation of aquaculture producers coming of age and are highly qualified additions to our leadership. Ali is an MBA graduate of UC Davis and a principal of Pacific Plaza Imports, which owns the former Tsar Nicolai sturgeon farm in Wilton. Cameron is a Mechanical Engineer from the University of Rhode Island and is managing Blue Beyond Fisheries near Desert Center. He is also initiating his own enterprise, Desert Seafood. While we sincerely thank Don, Peter, and Mark for their many years of continuing service to CAA, we also heartily welcome our new board member and officer. As time goes by, we hope to continue the process of renewing CAA leadership.
I am happy to report to you that the California Aquaculture session that we conducted during the World Aquaculture Society convention in Las Vegas (Feb. 22-26) was a credible achievement with very informative presentations by Lauren Bernadett, Mark Drawbridge, Paul Olin, Tony Vaught, and myself. We also received a very special video presentation by Jerry Schubel, President of the Aquarium of the Pacific. Jerry scripted and narrated the video production and it was put together by Kim Thompson, Program Manager of Seafood for the Future at the aquarium. It was a powerful 12-minute statement of public perception of aquaculture in California highlighting the challenge of the huge potential for aquaculture expansion in the Pacific Ocean.
Lauren Bernadett is also a new face in our organization. She is a graduate of the UCLA School of Law and it was there that she organized and conducted the very successful California Aquaculture Law Symposium. She is now an attorney with Somach Simmons & Dunn. The CAA signed a letter of engagement with Lauren’s firm in December that allows Lauren to provide the CAA with pro bono services. Lauren is a capable attorney and is very knowledgeable in California water law and aquaculture issues. We are indeed grateful to Lauren’s firm for generously making her advisory services available to us. Her presentation in Las Vegas discussing the regulatory climate for aquaculture in California was Lauren’s first major contribution to supporting CAA in this very important area and we look forward to her continuing assistance.
Closely related to the topic of the regulatory climate for aquaculture in California is an upcoming opportunity to provide testimony to the Joint Committee for Fisheries and Aquaculture in the California State Legislature. This is a special session that for the first time will be dedicated solely to aquaculture issues and was originated by interaction with Tom Weseloh, the Senate committee staff member, and Rob Ross, the CAA Legislative Advocate. We look forward to this excellent prospect to voice our positions on open ocean marine aquaculture, emerging water regulation, and the aquaculture industry’s relationship with the Fish and Wildlife Department.
Lastly, I want to introduce to the membership the Code of Conduct for CAA officers and board members that was adopted at our February 22nd board meeting:
- Every Director and Officer will serve the best interests of the Association, providing a personal best effort to support its goals and activities including preparation for and participation in the meetings and other activities of the Association.
- Every Director and Officer will conduct themselves with respect and civility in all interactions with one another and with all other parties related to the activities of the Association.
- The Bylaws of the Association will provide guidance to all Directors and Officers who will be familiar with its contents and who will consult the Bylaws on the occasion of any issue that is prescribed by the Bylaws.
- Directors and Officers will not disclose in any way confidential information related to the affairs of the Association.
We hope that this code of conduct will act as a continuing pledge of commitment to the association and its members. I look forward to serving CAA for my two-year term as its President and I invite members to contact me at any time I might be of service to them.
– Tony Schuur, President, California Aquaculture Association
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