BUILDING PARTNERSHIPS AND SOCIAL LICENSE THROUGH AQUACULTURE ENGAGMENT IN THE GREAT LAKES REGION

States bordering the Great Lakes from Minnesota to New York include some of the  largest  and most valuable natural freshwater ecosystems in the United States. Despite the abundance of freshwater, aquaculture production in the Great Lakes region has not kept pace with increases in consumer demand for fish and seafood, and lags the progress made in US coastal states.

One of the barriers to aquaculture growth in the Great Lakes  region is  a lack of understanding by the public about what aquaculture is and what the  local  industry requires to succeed. Coupling  this  lack of aquaculture knowledge with the desire to maintain natural freshwater systems and economically, culturally and socially important fisheries, the social license supporting aquaculture expansion in the Great Lakes region  is tepid at best.  Over the last ten years there has been increased interest and efforts to expand aquaculture in the Great Lakes region. Funding from NOAA through the National Sea Grant Office , funds from the USDA through the North Central and Northeastern Regional Aquaculture Centers,  and other funding  has expanded education, outreach and research activities to support an environmentally responsible and sustainable aquaculture industry in the Great Lakes region . A number of these initiatives  attempt to increase  the understanding of, and social license for aquaculture, either directly or indirectly. This short presentation will summarize a number of these efforts,  and how they attempt to increases social license for aquaculture . Some examples include:

• Formation of the Great Lakes Aquaculture Collaborative that provides education, outreach and research to both the industry and seafood consumers.
•  The development and implementation of “Eat Local Fish” type websites that  benefit producers  and target consumers to increase their knowledge of aquaculture, how the products are grown and where local products can be purchased.
• W orking in partnership with the aquaculture industry, state agencies and academia to solve common issues/problems using aquaculture as a tool.
•  Engaging the public  directly  in  the  development of  state  aquaculture plans,  participation in  aquaculture surveys , and soliciting input for market studies, which all increase the publics’ overall exposure to, and understanding of, aquaculture.
• Working closely with decision makers to demonstrate the benefits of aquaculture, and informing them on what efforts they can take to build a more sustainable aquaculture industry in the Great Lakes region.

 All of the above examples have multiple  objectives, but in combination build the foundation for  a  more positive  perception and  understanding of aquaculture that increases  social license when considering expansion of aquaculture in the Great Lakes region.