Aquaculture producers and extension agents consider l ack of consumer awareness about aquaculture a barrier to the development of the industry in the Midwest region of the United States. Though consumers may have heard the wor d aquaculture, according to our recent survey of aquaculture extension professionals, most can neither define it nor explain it to others. This information corroborated data from our recent survey of attendants at the Minnesota State Fair in 2022, where we learned that though most consumers surveyed did not have a negative view of aquaculture, they had little understanding of where their seafood comes from. Interestingly, these same consumers indicated that seafood origin was an important factor in their seafood choices and that they were willing to pay extra for “local” products. All of this information suggests that a critical component of supporting a sustainable aquaculture industry in the Midwest region is engagement and education around aquaculture and the potential for its products to be sustainable, healthy, and to benefit local economies. Consequently, a goal of a number of our aquaculture focused projects are to engage youth and adults in age appropriate, effective, and science based interventions about aquaculture to develop consumers who can make informed decisions at the seafood counter.
To help address our goal, w e have completed a review of currently available aquaculture resources through both a comprehensive assessment of web material and a survey to aquaculture extension professionals. We are in the process of compiling this material and designing a web interface to provide these resources to aquaculture interested communities. Based on our comprehensive review , we are designing and delivering age appropriate, engaging, youth and adult material aimed at creating more aquaculture literature consumers. Through a collaboration with Spark-Y, a nonprofit youth focused organization in Minneapolis, we have developed a cooking demo and lesson plan, seafood cookbook, and fish filet and cooking demonstration videos to engage kids and families in preparing seafood at home. In addition, we are engaging adults in aquaculture by teaching them how to filet and cook fish, sharing aquaculture produced products at venues such as state fairs and seafood celebrations, and developing farm tours for legislators . Creating a more seafood literate public will not only benefit the aquaculture industry but also empower consumers to make better food decisions to benefit their own health and the environment.