Three Years of Connecting & Learning on the AIE

Happy third anniversary to the Aquaculture Information Exchange (AIE)! In October 2023, the AIE officially launched, calling all aquaculture industry professionals across the country to join, connect and learn with fellow members.

The idea behind the AIE is simple: an online community bringing together individuals from both the public and private sectors with interests in U.S. aquaculture and related topics. Since its launch, the Exchange’s reach has extended far beyond the 50 states, and we’re so grateful to everyone who has joined us. Read on to see how far we’ve grown in the past three years.

Three Years at a Glance

In three years, the AIE has grown into the go-to hub for folks interested in U.S. aquaculture. Here’s a look at what our members have built together:

• 2,688 members have joined, from growers and researchers to educators, students and industry professionals.
• 116 groups have been created, bringing members together around shared interests, regions and professional organizations.
• 30 webinars have been hosted, connecting members with experts on aquaculture-related topics.
• 133 resources have been shared, giving members a place to learn from one another’s research and insights.
• 535 jobs have been posted, making the jobs board one of the Exchange’s most popular features!
• 130 blogs have been published, sharing updates and stories from across the industry.
• 225 events have been added, helping members find what’s happening across the aquaculture community.

And that’s only part of the story. Every day, members ask questions, share advice, post updates and make new connections.

Moments That Made the Year

It’s been a busy year on and off the Exchange. Here are a few highlights:

Touring Aquaculture Facilities

This year, we visited four facilities to go behind the scenes of their aquaculture operations and shared what we learned. Touring new facilities is your local AIE manager’s favorite part of the job (howdy!), but one visit made it extra special: Horn Point Laboratory Oyster Hatchery, whose blog was reposted by Hatchery International! Click the boxes below to learn more about these facilities.

Learning From Aquaculture Experts

Since our last anniversary, the AIE has hosted six webinars featuring experts from across the aquaculture community. From exploring impactful careers in aquaculture with Imani Black of Minorities in Aquaculture to learning how Old Dominion University researchers are advancing autonomous marine platforms, there’s something for everyone to learn and connect.

One standout was “Making of the Short Film ‘Shucking Tradition,’” where documentary filmmaker David H. Wells shared his short film with AIE members, free to watch throughout September. The film was paired with a webinar in which Wells discussed his filmmaking process and his inspiration in aquaculture. We loved hosting a “movie month” and are looking for similar opportunities in the future.

Reaching New Readers

In case you missed it, we recently launched a new blog page and two monthly newsletters, the Monthly Digest and Community Spotlights. Both share stories, insights and happenings from around the AIE. We value our readers and can’t wait to feature more members as we head into year four.

Thank You!

An online community only works when people share and connect with each other. Thank you to the members who ask questions, answer them, post jobs, share resources and welcome newcomers. You are the reason the AIE is useful and a trusted aquaculture resource. Thank you also to our steering committee, the team at Virginia Sea Grant and our funders, NOAA and USDA, for supporting the AIE from the start.

Want to hear from the people behind the AIE? Check out our member appreciation blog, “2,600 Members, One Exchange: Celebrating Three Years of AIE.”

We want to hear what the Exchange has meant to you! Share your AIE story using the button below, and we may include it in future programming and celebrations.