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effort to provide the North American Salvage Community a voice in the structure and practical application of the requirements for Salvors as a result of the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 (OPA-90) for Salvage and related services. Now that the OPA-90 era is in full force and effect, the ASA?s concentration, while still maintaining an oversight position as relates to the continuing evolution of OPA- 90, has shifted to more immediate concerns of the marine salvage community. These include Ports of refuge, Salvor Indemni cation and continuing education and training for present regulators and future marine salvors; to name just a few. The mission of the ISU is based upon more traditional salvage issues and concerns such as the growth and use of the Lloyds Open Form (LOF) Salvage Agree- ment, SCOPIC, and issues that are based upon the needs of the worldwide salvage community rather than the more narrow scope of the ASA. It also provides a single uni ed voice when dealing with the international shipping indus- try, particularly shipowners and insurers. This is not to suggest that there is not overlap between the ISU & ASA. At present, there are nine ASA General Members who also are full Members of the ISU. While the geographical areas of concern are different, the ASA, ISU and their respec- tive memberships are both concerned about the future of Marine Salvage and how their membership can be most ef- fective in a world where regulatory requirements, concerns and focus change on a regular basis. What?s the number one hot button issue on the minds of ISU members in 2014? Is it the same for ASA? If not; why not?There are many different issues that are of concern to the North American and International Salvage Communities. While I would be hesitant to rank them in order of im- portance, as they are all important concerns to the salvage and marine communities, there are two that both the ASA & ISU believe to be important and topical. These include ?Places of Refuge? and the monitoring of the ever changing regulatory landscape. While the latter issue encompasses a number of different legislative and administrative activities at any given time, the issue of Places of Refuge is probably the issue that should be the one that is of most concern for not only the salvor, but the vessel owner, underwriter and the residents and regulators who live and work in the area of the casualty. In the event of a casualty where weather and related conditions can negatively impact performance, the need to move the casualty to protected waters or an ap- propriate Port Facility often is the difference between suc- cess and failure. What we all must keep in mind that even if a vessel is lost offshore, in deep water, there still remains the serious risk of a negative environmental impact as the pollutants escape the vessel and rise to the surface, and may then spread over a wider area than might otherwise have been the case. Once sunk, the cost to recover and depose of the pollutants is at least ten times higher than if the pollutants were removed with the vessel still a oat. When it comes to the protection of the environment, the phrase ?keep the oil in the ship? is, from my perspective, the most effective way to be environmentally conscious. When con- ditions require, the ability of a professional Salvor to be al- lowed to bring the vessel to a location where he/she can be most effective is the best way for both commercial as well as environmental success. Tell our readers what ?makes? a Salvage Master. Is there a formal licensing / certi cation process to get to that point? If not, should there be one? The question of what makes a Salvage Master is one that ten different ?experts? will answer in ten different ways. While the ASA and ISU have both discussed ways to bet- ter formalize the training and intellectual requirements of what makes up a Salvage Master, the conclusion we have reached is that there is no practical way to quantify the spe- ci c requirements of a Salvage Master so that it can be con- densed to the written word. I still am amazed at the ability of all successful Salvage Masters to know what is going to happen to a stricken vessel and proactively take steps to rectify the situation before it even occurs. This is not some- thing that can be taught; but learned based upon the expe-rience of being there. There is no way to teach the ability to work long hours, away from home, under extreme emo- tional and physical pressure. Over the course of my 35+ years of involvement with marine salvage, I have met and worked with salvage masters who have started their careers as lawyers, divers, vessel masters, vessel engineers, police of cers, laborers and salesman. While training in a marine  eld certainly provides for a good base to move forward into the  eld of marine salvage and ultimately a salvage master, it is not a necessity. A Salvage Master requires com- mon sense, a basic knowledge of the Engineering princi- pals that govern a salvage effort, an ability to direct and motivate people and most importantly experience. No two marine salvage efforts are ever the same. Therefore, there is no such thing as a ?textbook? response. Today?s modern salvage masters are part politician, part engineer, part  eld general, part equipment manager and part deckhand. Put all these abilities together over time and what comes out is a salvage master. 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