Statement of the Thirty-first Joint Meeting of the

United States‑Japan Cooperative Program in Natural Resources (UJNR) Aquaculture Panel Meeting

The Thirtieth Joint Meeting of the UJNR Aquaculture Panel Meeting was held from October 16-24, 2002 in Yokohama and Central Japan. The business meeting and symposium were held on October 16-17 in Yokohama at the Fisheries Research Agency. The theme of the symposium was “Aquaculture and Stock Enhancement of Algae and Filter Feeders”, and a summary of the scientific presentations is attached.  A satellite symposium was held on October 21 in Shiogama under the theme “Studies on Coastal Fisheries Resources and Aquaculture in the Tohoku Region”.

Dr. Yasuaki Nakamura (on behalf of Hiroshi Hatanaka) and Dr. Toshihiko Matsusato, Japan Panel Chair opened the meeting by welcoming Dr. James McVey, US Chair, and the entire US delegation.

Opening Remarks

Dr. Matsusato then addressed the delegations with his opening remarks. 

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On April 1 I began my appointment as Director of the National Research Institute of Aquaculture and became Chair of the UJNR Aquaculture Panel.  It has been some time since I have been involved in UJNR and it appears that Dr. McVey and Dr. Mahnken do not get old.  I am also pleased to see Dr. Park continue his service to UJNR even when he is retired.

I would also like to thank Dr. Yarish and Dr. Newell for their work to enhance the scientific content of this year’s meeting. 

I am very grateful for the warm welcome that was given to our Japanese delegation during the 30^th Joint Meeting in Florida.  Florida is well known to the Japanese for its vacation setting, however until now it was not known for its aquaculture.  Our Japanese side is now very familiar with the stock enhancement work taking place in Florida.

Last April my institution became an independent research institution and while this was a confusing time for us, we are now prepared to continue our years of successful collaboration.

I would like to thank both sides for their scientific collaboration in the 30 years that the UJNR Aquaculture Panel has existed.  This has strengthened the bilateral relationship between our two countries.  I ask for your continued support and cooperation for the business meeting and symposium.

We are planning to have field trips in Hamamatsu and Shiogama and a satellite symposium at the Tohoku institute. 

I give my sincerest hope that this meeting will be fruitful for all.

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Dr. James McVey, Chair of the US delegation and Director of the Aquaculture Program of the National Sea Grant College Program, thanked Dr. Matsusato and the Japan delegation for their extensive efforts in organizing the meeting.   He then began his opening remarks.

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The 31 years of cooperation between the US and Japan in the UJNR Aquaculture Panel have benefited both countries.  We are very happy to return to Yokohama for this, the 31^st meeting, at this beautiful Fisheries Research Agency facility.  We are looking forward to a successful exchange of scientific information and field trips.

Hundreds of students and scientists have cooperated together in aquaculture under the UJNR Aquaculture Panel.  Yearly proceedings have been produced on selected topics and each year we exchange literature and maintain a common web site.  Collaborative studies have led to publications and have prepared the way for today’s cooperation. 

We are currently working under the sixth five-year plan.  This plan could be our most important.  We have both had changes in administration and, with these changes completed, now is the time to focus on science.  This year’s topic “Aquaculture and Stock Enhancement of Algae and Filter Feeders” is part of a larger topic: holistic management of coastal ecosystems.  We are all moving towards a balanced ecosystem approach, including studying carrying capacities of nutrient loading.

Aquaculture makes up nearly forty percent of the world’s seafood supply.  Due to the scope of world-wide aquaculture, jobs and economies have been positively influenced, however negative environmental impacts of aquaculture have also occurred.  We must focus on the impacts of aquaculture, both positive and negative, on the natural environment in order to move this industry forward.   This is especially true in the scientific community.  Currently many people in the US oppose aquaculture for environmental reasons.  The media have become involved as well, transferring aquaculture into a public issue.  Generally, arguments made against aquaculture are not based on science and do not conclude that many problems with aquaculture may be overcome through science and technology.

Today’s meeting will focus on the positive aspects of aquaculture.  The extractive form of aquaculture (removal of nutrients) in coastal ecosystems is important for improved coastal management.  Due to the importance of this year’s topic, we have brought our best scientists to discuss topics, and we should use this opportunity to plan for further joint studies.  We would like to capitalize on our past cooperation to lead us forward on this important topic.

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Introduction of Panel Members, Participants, and Observers

Dr. Matsusato then introduced the members of the Japan delegation: Dr. Yasuaki Nakamura, Past Chair, Dr. Yasutsugu Sakai, Vice Chair, Dr. Tetsuo Seki, Deputy Secretary General; Dr. Takaji Iida, Deputy Secretary General Nominee; Dr. Kouiti Konishi, Secretary Member; Dr. Tadahide Kurokawa, Secretary Member; Dr. Takashi Yada, Secretary Member; Dr. Kazuhiro Nakajima, Research Coordinator; Dr. Hiroshi Nakano, Director of Research Planning and Coordination Division; Dr. Atsushi Furukawa, Advisor, and Dr. Masahiro Kobayashi, Panel Member.

Dr. McVey introduced the members of the U.S. delegation: Dr. Conrad Mahnken, Vice Chair, NOAA/National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS); Dr. William Heard, Secretary General, NOAA/NMFS; Dominic Preiswerk, Deputy Secretary General, NOAA Research International Activities Office; Dr. Paul Kilho Park, Advisor; Dr. James Sullivan, Hawaii Sea Grant, Science Exchange Official; Dr. Charles Helsley, Hawaii Sea Grant College Program; Eileen McVey, NOAA Central Library, Literature Exchange Official; Ms. Linda Chaves, NMFS; Dr. Charles Yarish, University of Connecticut; Dr. Roger Newell, University of Maryland; Dr. George Kraemer, State University of New York; Dr. Tom Chen, University of Connecticut; and Dr. Andrew Lazur, Horn Point Laboratory.

Procedural Matters

Dr. Matsusato and Dr. McVey introduced the rapporteurs, Dr. Konishi of the Japan side and Mr. Preiswerk of the U.S. side.

General Discussion

Sixth 5-Year Plan

Dr. McVey explained that the next joint meeting is tentatively scheduled to be held in California.  Because the theme of the next meeting is “Aquaculture and Pathobiology of Crustaceans” and because California has many other sites to offer in addition to crustaceans, it was suggested that bluefin tuna, abalone, sturgeon, and rockfish be added to the topics for consideration.  The Japan side was agreeable to this expansion but wanted to know whether pathobiology would still be part of the theme.  The US side replied that pathobiology was central to the discussion of all species and that focus on crustaceans would comprise fifty percent of the meeting, and the other species would comprise the other half.  Dr. McVey suggested holding a side meeting to finalize the theme.

Dr. Mahnken mentioned that Japan hosted the Second International Symposium on Sea Ranching in February 2002.  In 2005 the US National Marine Fisheries Service is scheduled to host the Third meeting of this organization.  Therefore the US side suggested that the topic of 2004 (Aquaculture and Stock Enhancement of Finfish) be presented instead in 2005.  Under this proposal the topics of 2004 and 2005 would be switched.  Dr. Matsusato agreed that this would be agreeable to the Japanese side however he is still unclear as to the role of the Fisheries Research Agency in attending the 3^rd Sea Ranching Meeting.

It was noted that the theme for 2006 should read “Building sustainable seafood supplies through aquaculture and wild stock enhancement.”  Dr. Matsusato directed the secretariat of both sides to deliver a better wording for this theme. 

UJNR Public Relations

Dr. Matsusato announced that the results of this year’s meeting will be disseminated via a press release.  He also stressed the importance of communicating the panel’s activities to the administration of FRA.  Thus selected individuals from the US and Japan will make a courtesy visit to the administrative offices of FRA during the meeting, and meeting results will be summarized in internal NRIA and FRA newsletters. Finally Dr. Matsusato mentioned that placing meeting results on the internet is a priority and that he is working to get past proceedings on the Japan UJNR web site.

The US side responded that they too were working to achieve the wider publicity of UJNR activities. Following the 30^th meeting, a summary was provided to the top administrators of NOAA, a meeting report was placed on the US UJNR web site, and meeting results were reported at US-Japan bilateral fisheries meetings.

Dr. Seki added that an archive of UJNR activities will be placed on the Japan web site by March 2003 including the minutes of past meetings.

Research Cooperation

The US side reported on recent new cooperation with Korea in offshore aquaculture and welcomed Japan to take part in this work.  Specifically Dr. McVey mentioned that offshore aquaculture could be discussed broadly under the current 2004 theme “Ecosystem and carrying capacity of aquaculture ground”.

Dr. Matsusato replied that Japan has worked with offshore aquaculture before but found that the amount of species available for offshore aquaculture were few and therefore found the benefits of such pilot projects to be limited.  He went on to explain that Japan would like to cooperate with the US in the following areas: 1) breeding studies for ornamentals and freshwater fish especially regarding genetic science, 2) stock enhancement of abalone, and 3) abalone aquaculture.

Dr. McVey suggested that a small group should assemble to discuss these areas of possible cooperation further.  The Japanese side agreed.  The results of this subsequent discussion are attached.

Plans For Next Joint Meeting

Dr. McVey announced that the 32nd UJNR Aquaculture Meeting will be held in California and would focus on pathobiology of crustaceans with an additional emphasis on species widely found in California including abalone, bluefin tuna, sturgeon, and rockfish.

Scientist Exchange Program

The Japanese side presented a list of Japanese scientists who visited the US in 2002.  It consisted of eleven who attended the UJNR meeting in Florida, two who attended the 4th Asia Pacific Marine Biotechnology Conference, and twenty-one who attended other meetings in the US.

The US side presented a list of one scientist who visited Japan during 2002 to work in issues related directly to UJNR.

Literature Exchange Report

The Japanese side presented a list of eighteen articles that cannot be found on the internet.  Dr. McVey asked that the titles of those online papers be provided.  Dr. Matsusato agreed.

Ms. McVey reported that forty reprints were sent earlier by mail to the Japanese side.   Dr. Helsley proposed that a list of aquaculture projects funded by Sea Grant be given to the Japanese side.  Additionally Ms. Chaves said that NMFS has a web page that lists research and policy documents.  This web site also includes an offshore aquaculture code of conduct, a white paper of NMFS’s role in aquaculture, and papers published by NMFS laboratories.

Cooperative Studies Program

The Japanese side presented a list of US and Japanese papers submitted at the Sea Ranching symposium in Kobe during 2002.

The U.S. expressed its wish to continue talking throughout the 31^st Meeting to identify future research projects.  To aid in identifying those topics in which the US and Japan can cooperate, it was suggested that a list of funded projects, by issue, from each country should be compiled and placed on the web sites.  Both sides agreed.

Publications

The Japanese announced that the proceedings from the 31^st Meeting will be peer reviewed and will appear as a supplement to the Fisheries Research Agency bulletin.

Field Trips

Dr. Seki gave an overview of the sites to be visited during the 31^st Meeting.  Field trips will begin on October 18.  A copy of the field trip agenda is attached (Appendix).

Conclusion.       

The US side warmly thanked Dr. Seki for his years of service to UJNR and also wished him success at his new post.  Dr. Seki will become the Deputy Director of the Hiroshima Station on November 1, 2002, and Dr. Iida has been nominated to replace him as UJNR Aquaculture Panel Deputy Secretary General.

Dr. Matsusato thanked the U.S. delegation for hosting the 30th UJNR Meeting, and again expressed his hopes for a fruitful outcome during this meeting.

Dr. Matsusato announced that all business had been concluded. The 31st joint business meeting of the UJNR Aquaculture Panel Meeting was then adjourned.

October 16, 2002

______________________                                        _______________________

Dr. James P. McVey                                                    Dr. Toshihiko Matsusato

U.S. Chairman                                                              Japanese Chairman

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