Professor Carmelo Agius was born in 1951. He is recognised for having started the fish farming industry in Malta and as an international expert in this field.

In 1974, he graduated B.Sc in biology and chemistry and two years later in M.Sc in biology with specialization in marine biology and aquaculture, later on obtaining his Ph.D. degree from the Stirling University of Scotland through a scholarship.

After working as a senior-lecturer at the University of Kingston-Upon-Thames of London and reader in 1986, he returned back to Malta in 1989 where he was appointed professor and head of department of biology at the University of Malta and also consultant to the ministry of agriculture and fisheries on fishing and aquaculture. It was then that he established Fort St Lucian at Marsaxlokk as the National Centre of Aquaculture which gave rise to a flourishing fish industry with great potentialities. Since 1980, Agius has been giving consulting services to the United Nations, the European Council, the International Agency of Atomic Energy, and various foreign governments and universities. He also occupies numerous positions including vice-president of the executive committee of the Mediterranean Council of Fishing and member of the Committee of Mediterranean Aquaculture.

Carmelo Agius has published a great number of articles in international journals and books in England, the USA, Italy, Holland, and other countries, many of his works being translated into other languages.

Dr. JOEBERT D. TOLEDO has more than 40 years of experience in aquaculture R&D and aquaculture industry. He finished his BS in Fisheries at the College of Fisheries of the University of the Philippines and obtained his Masters and Doctoral degrees at Hiroshima University.

As a Scientist, he prepared and implemented both broad and specific research study proposals in line with the regional priorities of Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center, Aquaculture Department (SEAFDEC/AQD). The results of these studies were presented in numerous local or international scientific meetings and mostly published in peer-reviewed scientific journals, books, and extension manuals. He rose from the ranks Research Assistant to become the Chief of SEAFDEC/AQD for 3 consecutive terms from 2006 to 2012. He has also been involved in collaborative work with different international research institutions such as ICLARM (now WorldFish Centre) on bangus fry stock assessment, Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) on grouper seed production, and Australian Center for International Agriculture Research (ACIAR) as a Project Team Leader on improved hatchery and grow out techniques for grouper in the Asia and Pacific region. He was a resource speaker in various local and international training courses, seminars, and conferences. He has served as aquaculture expert in both the private and public sectors of the fisheries industry in the Philippines as well in ASEAN member countries. He served as consultant to various WB, ADB, and IFAD funded projects. Dr. Toledo was a recipient of the prestigious Professional Regulation Commission Outstanding Professional of the Year Award for Fisheries Technologist in 2009. He is currently a member of the Professional Regulatory Board for Fisheries Professionals of the Phlippine Professional Regulation Commission aside from serving as consultant to various government and private projects.

Lukas is the Technical Director for the USSEC Southeast Asian Aquaculture Program and has a global role to advise the USSEC Global Aquaculture Director on aquaculture technical matters. He was involved in the expansion of the both the USSEC Aquaculture Program from China to a global program in 2002 and in the expansion of the In-Pond Raceway System technology from China to a global program starting in 2015. He is based in Thailand, but travels often in the Southeast Asian region and regularly to other global regions for USSEC. He is the Managing Director of Seafood Consulting Associates and has worked professionally in the aquaculture industry since 1995. He has worked closely with the key IPRS experts to formalize a standardized approach to the IPRS system for better adoption and profitability. He holds degrees from Carnegie Mellon University and Auburn University in the USA.

Hsiang Pin Lan is the Asia Marine Aquaculture Specialist based Taiwan. He has a BS in Electrical Engineering (with a minor in Aquaculture) from Ping Tung Technology Institute and MS in Fisheries from Auburn University. He is an AquaMed Certified (2010) by Department of Pathobiological Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine in Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA. He joined the ASA-IM/USSEC aquaculture program in China in the year 2000. His main responsibilities are in marine cage culture and disease management research, soybean product application in marine fish feeds and field trials of the ASA-IM/USSEC offshore cage aquaculture technology (OCAT) project in Asia, including countries in Southeast Asia, including Philippines. He is a member of the Fish Breeding Association, Taiwan and is certified by that organization as a Hatchery QC Inspection Professional. His main interests are in learning more about the use of soy product in marine fish feed (with proper weaning and feeding methods) and alternative offshore aquaculture device development and application.