A principal characteristic of the Regional Aquaculture Centers (RAC) is that it is guided by industry concerns and after consultation with appropriate technical experts, responds with a program of directed research that targets priorities established by members of the industry. To assure that this focus on industry needs is maintained, CTSA’s charter specifies creation of an IAC to provide an open forum through which those involved in the business of aquaculture can provide comments, suggestions, and advice. With the approval of the Board of Directors, the contributions of the IAC can be incorporated into annual and ongoing plans for CTSA.

The IAC:

• reports the status and needs of aquaculture development in their represented region or field of interest and expertise;
• recommends and ranks, according to perceived importance to industry expansion, research and development needs each year;
• reviews pre-proposals to determine if they address the appropriate problem;
• assigns members to serve as industry liaisons for each project. Liaisons will monitor progress through bi-annual project updates and other reports from the project PIs. Liaisons will collaborate with project PIs to report on the progress of projects at the annual meeting; and
• conducts an election every three years to elect a chair from its eligible membership. The duties of the chair are to conduct the annual joint IAC/TC meeting, present recommendations regarding proposals to the Board based on reviewers’ comments, and serve as a voting member on the Board of Directors

Name	Business/Organization	Island	Member Since
David Anderson	Kauai Sea Farm	Kauai, Hawaii	2025
David Cohen	Aquatic Innovations	Honolulu, Oahu	2004
John Corbin	Aquaculture Planning & Advocacy	Kaneohe, Oahu	2009
Suzi Dominy	Blue Wave Media	Kaneohe, Oahu	2015
Linda Gusman	Island Aquaculture	Kaneohe, Oahu	1993
Masahiro Ito	Aquaculture Consultant	Pacific Islands	2015
David Kawahigashi	Vannamei 101	Honolulu, Hawaii	2009
Alexander B. (Alex) Leonard	Natural Energy Laboratory of Hawaii Authority (NELHA)	Kailua-Kona, Hawaii	2024
Brian Leonida	BnB Nursery	Waianae, Oahu	2015
Jennica Lowell-Hawkins	Ocean Era, Inc	Kailua-Kona, Hawaii	2009
Anthony Mau	Kupu Place LLC	Honolulu, Oahu	2021
Fred Mencher	Hawaii Fish Co.	Waialua, Oahu	2015
Ryan Murashige	Diamond Head Seafood	Honolulu, Ohau	2010
Anthony Ostrowski	AquaSource International, LLC	Kailua, Oahu	2023
Federico Rotman	Blue Ocean Mariculture	Kailua_kona, Hawaii	2022
Benny Paulino San Nicolas	Guam Department of Education, Retired Teacher	Guam	2020
Ron Weidenbach	Hawaii Fish Company	Waialua, Oahu	1992