The United States is striving to expand its ‘blue economy’ to meet growing demand for marine resources, including seafood and renewable energy. As a result, there has been a growing competition for ocean space. Co-location, multiple sectors (e.g., aquaculture and renewable energy) operating in the same ocean space at the same time, is one potential tactic that can reduce competition amongst stakeholders. While research into the benefits and tradeoffs associated with co-locating ocean activities is increasing, there is a lack of consistency surrounding the definition of “co-location” and uncertainty surrounding its ability to serve as a tool in sustainable aquaculture development. This research aims to fill that gap by providing a global overview of marine co-location literature, particularly as it relates to aquaculture.
In this study , we synthesized co-location literature published between the years 2000 and 2022 and extracted environmental metrics so that comparisons could be made across regions and oceans sectors. We found that publication of co-location literature was low from 2000 until 2013, before steadily increasing from 2013 until 2017 (Fig. 1A). We also highlighted trends in the disciplines and motivations of co-location publications (Fig. 1B, 1C). These trends, and others, demonstrate that the study of co-location is growing and may become a useful tool in understanding aquaculture development and siting. Ultimately, this project aims to enhance our understanding of the research gaps, potential benefits, and limitations in sustainable aquaculture development and its space-use dynamics.