Increasing consumption of seafood in the U.S. and globally ha s prompted growing attention to the environmental and safety concerns associated with the commercial fishing industry. Farm-raised fish are a resource-efficient source of animal protein that consumers may substitute as a generally safer, sustainable alternative to wild-caught fish . However, it is important for the aquaculture industry to continuously innovate to maintain the most efficient and environmentally conscious production methods.
Hemp grain production in the U.S. has created a new possible source of dietary nutrients and energy for farm-raised fish as a complementary substitute for fish meal, which is costly and environmentally taxing. However, it is unclear whether consumers will be averse to consuming hemp-fed fish. T he objective of this study is to survey U.S. consumers to determine demand sensitivity to hemp-fed labels on fish products, and respective willingness to pay for these products. Moreover, our survey oversamples underrepresented minority groups because Native Americans tend to consume significantly more fish than other groups. The results of this survey will be informative to stakeholders in the hemp and aquaculture industries, as well as processors that may collect a premium from labeling products as hemp-fed.