The Center for Tropical and Subtropical Aquaculture (CTSA) is one of five regional aquaculture centers in the United States established by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The regional aquaculture centers integrate individual and institutional expertise and resources in support of commercial aquaculture development. CTSA was established in 1986 and is jointly administered by the Oceanic Institute of Hawaii Pacific University and the University of Hawaii.

Each year, the CTSA program is developed by its Industry Advisory Council and Technical Committee. This cooperation reflects the Center’s linking of commercial and scientific expertise. Industry Advisory Council members represent aquaculture enterprises as well as agriculture concerns, financial institutions and government agencies. The members of the Technical Committee are researchers, extension agents and fisheries officers. Both bodies include representatives from American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, Guam, Hawaii, the Republic of Palau and the Republic of the Marshall Islands. A Board of Directors is responsible for overseeing the programmatic functions of CTSA. For a more complete understanding of CTSA’s structure and organization, please view CTSA’s Procedures Manual.