By NANCY VORIS
Indiana Correspondent
 
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. — After a few years without a catch, the Indiana Aquaculture Assoc. Inc. (IAAI) is throwing out the nets again.
The IAAI is up and running again after a four-year hiatus, thanks to interim President Michael Miller of Bell Aquacul-ture, the nation’s largest supplier of yellow perch in Albany. Bell worked with Dr. Steven Hart, director of aquaculture at the Indiana Soybean Alliance (ISA), to host a meeting on Jan. 8 at the ISA office.

“Indiana has a lot of potential in aquaculture and it would be a shame to miss the opportunity of a state aquaculture association,” said IAAI President-Elect Cecil Baird of Baird Fish Taxidermy & Fish Farm in Ligonier. “Furthermore, the IAAI can aid novice or established aquaculturists in achieving their goals via informative seminars and workshops, and by enhancing a favorable climate for aquaculture in Indiana.

“Just sharing information among members at meetings, and making contacts can bring one closer to their goals in aquaculture.”

There are 35 members in IAAI representing segments of the industry including bait, fingerlings, food, ornamentals, sport fish, fee fishing operations, live-haulers, equipment suppliers, marketing and processing, diagnostic services, wholesalers, retail and consultants.

A new slate of officers and board members were appointed along with Baird. New officers and directors are: Norman McCowan, vice president; Rob Wibbeler, secretary/treasurer; and directors Andrew Higginbotham, Alex J. Carroll and Tony Bond. Higginbotham will serve as the website and newsletter editor.
Representatives from Purdue Univer-sity were present, including: Dr. Paul Brown, Dr. Kwamena Quagrainie, Bob Rode, and Southern Region Purdue Extension Educator Tom Springstun. Randy Lang represented the Indiana Department of Natural Resources Division of Fish & Wildlife and Dr. Jennifer Strasser represented the Board of Animal Health. During the meeting, it was decided that for those members that paid dues in 2007 or later, membership dues for 2011 will be considered paid.

The IAAI was founded in 1987. According to the National Agriculture Statistics Service, Indiana’s aquaculture business in 2007 showed 31 operations with $2,567,000 in sales.

“The business climate in Indiana is very good and so is our relationship with the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, which is very easy on aquaculture, unlike some other states where the DNR seems to have an adversarial role with aquaculture and agriculture,” Baird said.  An IAAI newsletter is planned and the group’s website will soon be updated at http://aquanic.org/iaa
For more information, e-mail Baird at jjbaird@ligtel.com