A GUIDE TO COLLABORATION AMONG DIVERSE STAKEHOLDER GROUPS TO ADDRESS PUBLIC MISPERCEPTIONS ABOUT MARINE AQUACULTURE IN THE U.S.

Kimberly D. Thompson* and Jerry R. Schubel
Seafood for the Future/ Aquarium of the Pacific
320 Golden Shore, Suite 350
Long Beach, CA 90802
KThompson@lbaop.org
 

Well-managed wild-capture fisheries and marine aquaculture will play an increasingly important role in our food supply for the health and wellbeing of people and the environment. Marine aquaculture can produce a healthy food source with fewer environmental impacts relative to other animal proteins. It can be produced using less freshwater and land resources and with fewer greenhouse gas emissions. Aquaculture accounts for more than half of the imports and most of it is from Asia and other countries that may not have the strong environmental standards the U.S. has in place to ensure that operations are safe and sustainable. Despite these advantages, the U.S. lags behind the rest of the world in marine aquaculture production and continues to rely heavily on seafood imports—more than 90 percent of its supply. The limited growth of marine aquaculture in the U.S. is due in large part to poor public perception that is fueled by misinformation that is often out of date or provided out of context.

Public perception plays an important role in the future of marine aquaculture development in the U.S. Even with regulatory confidence in the science and tools available to inform decisions, perception-based concerns can influence permitting decisions and hinder aquaculture development. Aquariums and science institutions have a unique opportunity to engage visitors with strategic outreach messaging to educate the public about marine aquaculture's role as a conservation tool. The Aquarium of the Pacific and its Seafood for the Future program have played a leading role in educating the public about marine aquaculture and its important role as a conservation tool, but these efforts would be much more successful with more diverse participation. Effective communications and outreach strategies to address public misperceptions about marine aquaculture will require collaboration and cohesive messaging among a diverse group of stakeholders, including: government and nongovernment organizations, scientists, formal and informal educators, and industry. Pre-competitive collaboration, where industry identifies and addresses a common issue and solutions related to the resource they all share, is a key component. The narrative about marine aquaculture also needs to shift to highlight marine aquaculture's role in the global food supply, human health, and providing ecosystem services and benefits. It is also critical that these groups collectively acknowledge and address issues, real and perceived, to garner public trust. It is possible—with collaboration—to change public perceptions about marine aquaculture in the U.S.