THE GREAT LAKES AQUACULTURE COLLABORATIVE (GLAC): ADVANCING AQUACULTURE LITERACY

The Great Lakes Aquaculture Collaborative (GLAC) is a National Sea Grant-supported Aquaculture Hub that leads relevant, science-based initiatives to support an environmentally responsible, competitive, and sustainable aquaculture industry in the Great Lakes region. GLAC’s current focus is aquaculture literacy. In this session, we will describe our comprehensive approach to aquaculture literacy across ages, industries, agencies, and methods through the following six objectives:

1. We are enhancing connections among the Great Lakes region and national aquaculture communities by a) expanding GLAC’s existing industry advisory groups to include consumer seafood sector members and a state hatchery representative, b) adding aquaculture literacy content to the GLAC website for consumers, K-12 audiences, regulators, and legislators, and linking to the Aquaculture Information Exchange (AIE), and 3) liaising with other regional aquaculture hubs.

2.                       We are providing aquaculture literacy relevant for Great Lakes region consumers to help them understand aquaculture and make informed decisions about both farmed and wild-caught aquaculture products.

3.                       We are developing, supporting, and amplifying regional aquaculture literacy efforts for K-12 teachers and youth, and integrating aquaculture literacy into education groups such as National Agriculture in the Classroom and the Center for Great Lakes Literacy.

4.                       We are using the summary of the National Sea Grant Law Center’s, Aquaculture Regulations in the Great Lakes, developed as part of GLAC, to create aquaculture literacy and communication materials for Great Lakes regulatory agencies. We will use these materials to facilitate communication among state agencies and private aquaculture producers.

5.                       We are creating and delivering aquaculture literacy materials to legislators and policymakers to help them understand aquaculture and its potential economic, social, and environmental benefits in their state. This effort builds on previous GLAC legislative/policymaker events.

6.                       We are collaborating with tribal and state commercial fisheries and aquaculture producers to create a brand that identifies Great Lakes seafood for customers, highlighting the importance of wild-caught and farm-raised fish and other seafood products from our region.